Julie Kelly

Julie was born in Oakland, California and grew up listening to gospel, opera, jazz and blues. She and her twin sister, Kate, played guitar and sang at coffee houses and folk venues throughout high school. Her love of Brazilian music took her to Rio de Janeiro in the 1970's where she heard Milton Nascimento, Carlo Lyra, Luis Eca, Baden Powell and others. Returning to the United States, she lived in New York and heard all the great musicians around Manhattan, including Ron Carter, Jim Hall, Leon Thomas, Norman Simmons, Kenny Burrell and many more.She currently resides in Los Angeles where she continues to sing and teach. She is listed in Leonard Feather's Encyclopedia of Jazz and has sung with jazz luminaries such as Ray Brown, Bill Cunliffe, Nat Adderley, Roy McCurdy, Alan Broadbent and Mike Wofford.