Biography
Kendra Ross is a truly gifted singer and performer. With her beautifully smooth voice and impressive songwriting talent, she is an artist in high demand. A proud Pittsburgh native who currently resides in Brooklyn, NY, she has appeared at legendary venues such as Blue Note in New York City, Arena Theater in Houston, Jazz Cafe in London, and BB King’s Bar & Grill in Los Angeles. Kendra has opened for many world renowned artists such as Babyface, Isaac Hayes, Ryan Shaw, and Lalah Hathaway. Recently, she was one of a handful of Soul artists invited to showcase at the 2009 SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX.
Kendra is also an accomplished theatre performer having been featured in a National Tour of the Broadway smash hit, “Smokey Joe’s Café” starring Rita Coolidge and Gary “U.S.” Bonds, at Carnegie Hall with Broadway star Linda Eder, and on NBC’s Today Show with the Broadway Gospel Choir. Over the past few years, Kendra has emerged as a sought after session vocalist as she has lent her talents to several major label recordings including, “Won’t You Stay” (which she co-wrote) and the Kanye West-produced hit “Get By” both from acclaimed hip-hop recording artist Talib Kweli’s gold-selling album, Quality. Her songwriting skills are also featured on Kweli’s 2nd solo LP, The Beautiful Struggle on a track featuring Faith Evans called “We Know.”
Kendra, who sites Sarah Vaughan, Donnie Hathaway, Joni Mitchell, Mary J. Blige, and British psychedelic rock-soul artist Lewis Taylor as some of her greatest musical influences, is celebrating the release of her debut album titled, New Voice. The long-awaited project, co-produced with longtime collaborator/music director/guitarist Christian Ver Halen, is comprised of all original compositions. In addition to appearances by hip hop luminary Talib Kweli and soul sensation Eric Roberson, many of the best touring and session musicians on the music scene today are featured on the album, including Teodross Avery (Amy Winehouse), Maurice Brown (Wynton Marsalis), Lonnie Plaxico (Cassandra Wilson), Chris Rob (John Legend), Daniel Sadownick (Matisyahu), and Skoota Warner (Santana).
Kweli wrote of the gifted recording artist in the liner notes of Quality: “Kendra’s talented, beautiful, and one of a kind.” Time Out New York has hailed Kendra as “an underground soul singer with a mellifluously fluid voice” and BBC’s Radio 1Xtra declared her to be “…the divine Kendra Ross.” In 2007, Kendra was voted “New Artist of the Year” by thousands of readers of Soultracks.com.
Fully aware of the iconic legacy associated with her last name by a triple threat performer whom she has admired since childhood, Kendra is set to garner her own respect and attention. Get ready to be introduced to the new Ms. Ross.
Watch Kendra Ross performing live at http://www.youtube.com/lolaschildmusic
Instrumentation
Kendra Ross - Lead Vocals
last appeared with:
Teodross Avery – Sax
Maurice Brown - Trumpet
Daniel Sadownick or Gary Fritz – Percussion
Monet – Flute
Lonnie Plaxico – Bass
Chris Rob – Keyboards
Christian Ver Halen – Guitar/Co-Music Director
Skoota Warner or Kobie Watkins – Drums
Nicole Hamilton - Background Vocals
Key - Background Vocals
(Also, perform in smaller configurations from a duo on up...)
Discography
2007 Kendra Ross/New Voice (Debut Album) Indie
2007 Talib Kweli/Eardrum (Guest Vocals) Blacksmith/Warner Bros.
2006 The Rooftop/A Live Shot (Featured Vocals) Indie
2005 CONSEQUENCE (Background Vocals) GOOD/Sony Urban
2005 Talib Kweli/Right About Now (Guest Vocals) Blacksmith/KOCH
2004 Talib Kweli/Beautiful Struggle (Co-Writer) Geffen
2002 Talib Kweli/Quality (Featured Vocals/Co-Writer/BGVs on track prod. by Kanye West) Geffen
2001 A Hundred Birds/Too Close (Co-Writer/BGVs) J(Japanese Import/King Street)
2001 Ari Gold/He's On My Team (Featured Vocalist/Co-Writer) Indie
1999 Reflection Eternal/Talib Kweli & DJ Hi Tek/Train of Thought (Guest and Background Vocals) Rawkus
Links
| http://www.kendraross.com |