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Brand Bio
The composer and pianist Kelly Brand writes songs which carry the listener to places simultaneously evident and quite unfamiliar. She effectively taps into essential elements of living and being human. Brand's way of playing embraces a simple and selfless honesty. She doesn't throw her music at you, but rather extends it as an invitation.

Brand is an active performer on the Chicago jazz scene. In addition to club and lounge gigs she has played three times at the Chicago Jazz Festival. In 1995 she performed at the Ravinia summer jazz series with her Sextet and in 2000 at the Elkhart Jazz Festival with her Nextet.

In 1999 Kelly joined Marion McPartland on stage at Ravinia for some impromptu double piano jazz playing. Ms. McPartland earlier wrote for Brand's first CD liner notes that Kelly writes as she plays, with elegance and sensitivity. That CD, A Dream In a Stone on the Koch Jazz label, was well received. The Chicago Reader 1996 stated that everything Brand writes has a noteworthy craftsmanship and flowing serene energy. From The Chicago Sun Times 1996: "Brand has a flowing winsome style as a pianist and an even more impressive harmonic sense as a composer." Jazz Tracks 1997: "The arrangements are both soulful and deeply involved."

In 2001 and 2003 Kelly was chosen to receive residencies at Ragdale, an internationally acclaimed artists' retreat.  Kelly was among ten top Chicago jazz pianists who performed at Symphony Center for Marshall Field’s Great Day of Music in 2003.  She also performed on Joe Segal’s Caribbean Jazz Cruise that same year.  In 2005 Kelly played at the Chicago Jazz Festival and The Cabin Fever Jazz Series with Bobbi Wilsyn’s all women jazz ensemble, SHE.

Her most recent CD, Sister Luna (The Kelly Brand Nextet), on the Chicago Lakeside Jazz label includes three originals and tunes by Roland Kirk, Richard Rodgers, Bobby Hutcherson, and Chick Corea. The Nextet features top Chicago players Art Davis, Louis Stockwell, Kelly Sill, Tim Davis, and Eric Montzka. This new CD has already garnered positive attention. From www. All About Jazz.com- "Brand's second album is as tastefully cooked as her first... solid jazz by a group of talented young Chicagoans." Jazz Institute of Chicago's web page - "...wonderful quintet release...the horns always have something to say and the rhythm section is flawless." It received three stars from The Chicago Sun Times.

Brand's playing and writing is also represented on three popular jazz compilation CDs.
Ladies in Jazzland an internationally released compilation which includes Abbey Lincoln and Maria Schneider. The other two are Women Who Swing Chicago and Mile by Jazz Mile, both featuring prominent Chicago jazz artists.

Kelly Brand is an experienced teacher and clinician. She has taught for the
Merit School of Music and in the Ravinia Music Illumination Program. Currently she is performing with Ari Brown and Kelly Sill in Chicago schools with the Pangaea Trio, sponsored by the International Music Foundation, an umbrella group of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

 

 

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