Kellylee Evans

Kellylee Evans (born 7 February 1975 in Scarborough, Ontario) is a Canadian jazz and soul music vocalist. She is the recipient of a 2011 Juno. Her 2010 album Nina won in the category Juno Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year.

Educated at Carleton University (1993–2000), it was there that Evans discovered jazz when she "got lost in the elevators of the Loeb Building and found the Music department on the ninth floor of the A tower." She went on to spend seven years there and earned two BAs in Law and English before starting on her MA in Law in 1997. Those studies were put on hold as she focused on her music career.

In 2004 Evans won second place at the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition, where Quincy Jones, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Al Jarreau were among the judges. In 2006, she released her debut album Fight or Flight? for which was nominated for a 2007 Juno award.

Her Juno award winning album Nina was inspired by the life and work of Nina Simone and was recorded after the French record label Plus Loin Music, who invited her to spend two days in their recording studio to record whatever she wanted. The record was released the same year as her album The Good Girl, all while homeschooling her three children under ten years of age On tours she has opened for George Benson, Tony Bennett, Chris Botti, Dianne Reeves, Maceo Parker, Derek Trucks and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. Notable live appearances have included the Sunfest, the Algoma Fall Festival with Michael Kaeshammer, and in 2012 she will debut at Toronto's Massey Hall, and the Imperial Theatre.

In 2013, Evans was struck by lightning while inside her home. Her career has largely been on hiatus since; in 2015, her friend Amanda Martinez launched a successful crowdfunding campaign to help Evans with living and health expenses.

• 2007 Vancouver Folk Music Festival
• 2009 Beaches International Jazz Festival
• 2011 Edmonton Jazz Festival

• "Vancouver Folk Music Festival Scrapbook: Kellylee Evans". Vancouver Folk Music Festival. 23 July 2007. 
• "Kellylee Evans". Beaches International Jazz Festival. 2009. 
• "Kellylee Evans". www.edmontonjazz.com. Retrieved 17 January 2012. 

• 4 Square (TV series) – performer/vocalist
• Heartbeat (TV series), documentary, 2008
• Getting Along Famously (TV series), Episode 1-03 "Toucha My Hand" – 20 January 2006

• "4 Square. The best of 4 Square". Toronto Public Library. Retrieved 22 Jan 2012. 
• "Heartbeat". www.imd.com. Retrieved 17 January 2012. 

Awards

• Thelonius Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition – 2004, 2nd place.
• Juno Awards of 2011, "Vocal Jazz Album of the Year"
• Canadian Smooth Jazz Award – 2007, "Female Vocalist of the Year"

Recognition

• Barnes & Noble Discover New Artists (selected release – "Fight or Flight?", 2006)
• Toronto Independent Music Awards – nominee (2006)
• 2007 Gemini Awards – Nominated, "Best Performance or Host in a Variety Program or Series"
• Juno Awards of 2007 – Nominated, "Vocal Jazz Album of the Year" (Fight or Flight?)

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• "Canadian Singer Kellylee Evans Debuts New Material At National Underground In NYC On September 2, 2009". Music Industry News Network. 26 Aug 2009. 

As leader

• Fight Or Flight? – (ENLIVEN! Records, 2006)
• Fight Or Flight? (Live) – (ENLIVEN! Records, 2007)
• The Good Girl – (ENLIVEN! 2010)
• Nina – (Plus Loin, 2010)
• I Remember When – (Universal Music Group, 2013)
• Come On – (Motown, 2015)

As contributor

• Independance – by Kobo Town (2003 – track 3 "Abatina", 8 "Beautiful Soul" & 9 "Higher Than Mercy")
• The Gospel Christmas Project – (track 2 "The First Noel", track 8 "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", track 11 "Oh Holy Night" – CBC Records 3023, 2007)
• Dancing Alone: Songs of William Hawkins- 2008 – (Contributor, Track 8 "Merry Go Round")
• Embracing Voices – by Jane Bunnett (Vocalist and co-writer – track 1 "Sway", track 2 "Kaleidoscope", track 4 "Serafina" and track 12 "The Only One") – winner, 2009 Juno Award for Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year
• Nomadic Injections – by Shamik – (2010 – track 14 "Lost (live)")
• The Manhattan Connection – by Various Artists, Songs of Jose Mari Chan – 2011 – (track 4, "I Have Found My World In You" and track 7, "Easier Said Than Done")
• Ottawa for Haiti – by Various Artists – (2011, Track 9, 'Still I Rise')
• Northern Faction 5 – by Various Artists (2012, Balanced Records Inc, Track 6 – "Lost" [Rise Ashen Remix])