Vocalist and guitarist Kitty Margolis has received critical recognition as
one of the most brilliant and inspiring vocal stylists of her generation.
Equally praised by fans and musicians, including Jon Hendricks and Lionel
Hampton for her rich contralto voice, Ms. Margolis is rooted in the rich
tradition of Jazz vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Carter, Sarah
Vaughan and Carmen McRae, but continues to expand the vernacular with her
own wit, sophistication and inventiveness.
A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, she studied at Harvard and San
Francisco State University, where she was introduced to Jazz by the great
saxophonist John Handy. Performing with her own groups in the Bay Area,
Ms. Margolis performed regularly at the famed Keystone Korner where she
had the opportunity to perform with some of the greatest names in Jazz, such
as Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, Cedar Walton and Stan Getz.
A firm believer and bold practitioner of what she refers to as the "Holy
Trinity" of Jazz - melody, rhythm and harmony - Ms. Margolis constantly
pushes the envelop of Jazz vocalizing with a mesmerizing and irresistible
blend of daring scat, infectious World Beat grooves, sizzling funky Jazz,
soul-penetrating blues and seductive balladry.
A highly skilled lyricist, she’s written for a number of projects,
including Wayne Shorter’s "Ancient Footprints." Her three recordings on
Mad-Kat Records (which she co-founded) have all received exceptional
reviews all over the world.
Her records and live concert performances have vaulted her to
international status, winning standing ovations on four continents and such prestigious
stages as Holland’s North Sea Jazz Festival, the Monterey Jazz Festival,
the Telluride Jazz Festival, the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, the San
Francisco Jazz Festival, and Seattle’s Earshot World Jazz Festival. She’s
also graced the stages of the world’s top Jazz clubs, from Tokyo, Sydney
and Paris to her own backyard at venues like Yoshi’s.
