Kay Lyra
New York City, New York, United States
Music
Press
CD “DAUGHTERS OF BOSSA”
The Japanese are crazy for brazilian music and espesialy for bossa nova. There mare specialized magazines, night clubs moved by live brazilian music, and lots, lots of records being released. Not being satisfied releasing records and brazilian music that you can’t find in CD in Brazil, they are producing more and more Cds in Rio de Janeiro, specially to the gigantic japanese CD market the second bigest market in the world. An interesting release is the CD “Daughter Of Bossa” which presents the new generation of bossa nova singers like Tatiana, Ana Martins, Mariana Leoporace and specially the young singer Kay Lyra, the daughter of Carlos Lyra, one of the giants of bossa nova. She has a lovely and delicate voice, is perfectly in tune and she recorded an excelent version of a song which is a João Gilberto’s classic, the king of kings “Isaura”. But Kay endures the challenge and gives a show of elegance and lots of expectations in a wonderful musical future. (Nelson Motta).
- SINTONIA FINA Nelson Motta
Discography
1. "Coisa Mais Linda" (film/documentary about "Bossa Nova" directed by Paulo Thiago, Brazil.
2. "Influência do Jazz" (solo CD-Videoarts Music Japan, 2004)
3. "Kandagawa" (2007, Brazil, independent).
4. "Carlos Lyra, 50 Anos de Musica" - Bioscoito Fino, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
TV programs, radios in Japan, CA, Brazil...
Photos
Bio
Brazilian/American bossa nova composer and singer Kay Lyra has captured audiences in her native Brazil and Japan, with her precise, pure voice and impeccable phrasing. Now, she is bringing her Brazilian sounds to New York City.
Music critic Nelson Motta labeled her, "The daughter of bossa with a crystal voice," in an inevitable reference to her musician/composer father, bossa nova veteran/founder Carlos Lyra.
She has performed on stage with bossa nova icons Roberto Menescal, Joyce, Durval Ferreira, Mauricio Einhorn, Wanda Sa, Bebeto Castilho (Tamba Trio) Sergio Ricardo, Leila Pinheiro, Joao Donato, and musicians such as Leo Gandelman, Marcio Montarroyos, Marcos Suzano, Chiquito Braga, Nivaldo Ornelas, Jean Pierre Zannella, Mauricio Maestro (Boca Livre), Jesse Sadock, among others and recorded with Nana Vasconscelos, Pery Ribeiro, Gilson Peranzzetta and Eric Rigler.
Her love of opera and chamber music led her to study those classic genres in Brazil, but she turned to more popular song styles when studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston. She began her career as a singer in Germany, where she continued her classical training, worked in musicals and sang in a bossa nova/jazz band.
In Brazil, Lyra accepted Kazuo Yoshida's invitation to record her first solo album Influencia do Jazz, which was subsequently released in Japan. Lyra then produced her indie album, Kandagawa. The CD showcases one of her father's classic "Maria Moita," and includes unique renderings of "Girl from Ipanema," "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," and a traditional Japanese song, "Kandagawa," all with arrangements that reflect her bossa nova roots. The other half of the CD emphasizes her own innovative material which ranges from original songs in Portuguese, as well as a bossa folk, a composition based on an Indian chant in Tupi-guaran’, and a song she wrote for the Dorothy Parker poem, "Interior."
Incorporating different elements and sounds, like pedal steel and steel guitar comes naturally, almost as if the songs themselves determine what they need. "My 'Bossa Folk' ("Just a Silly Game"), for example, needed pedal steel sounds." And the bossa nova bagpipes? Lyra said, "When I decided I wanted bagpipes on the Interior track, I got in touch with Eric Rigler (famed player of Uilleann pipes, tin whistle and Great Highland Bagpipes for film scores of "Titanic," "Braveheart," "Austin Powers," and a member of the band, Bad Haggis)."
He loved the song! "I can't tell you how exciting it was when I first heard the recording. Listening to it for the first time and seeing that it was just exactly right for the song! Of course, he had sent back not just one version. It was really hard choosing, because they were all so beautiful," Lyra declared enthusiastically. "This CD is almost autobiographical in a way, since I am a mix of Brazilian, Irish, American, native Brazilian Indian and even native American Indian."
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