SANDRA KAYE WITH THE JAMES GILYARD ENSEMBLE: What Will I Tell My Heart?

Sandra Kaye with the James Gilyard Ensemble

What Will I Tell My Heart?

© 2001 Generativity

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Internationally-known jazz vocalist Sandra Kaye: If you are a lover of the late great Dinah Washington or of the blues of Billie and Bessie, then you'll love Sandra Kaye. She gives new life to the old standards of jazz and blues. JZ's Club Hangzhou, China

tracks

1 Southeastern Oklahoma Samba
2 A Gift For My Love
3 Blow Top Blues
4 What Will I Tell My Heart?
5 Let Me Love You
6 They Can't Take That Away From Me
7 That Sunday That Summer
8 Fools Rush In Where Angels Fear To Tread
9 Unlucky Woman
10 Blue Gardenia
11 Me And My Gin
12 Ellen

notes

SANDRA KAYE

Once or twice in every decade there comes a singer, so distinctive yet influenced by the rich vocal heritage of decades past. Just as Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington and Ester Phillips so touched our lives through their incomparable gift of song, so here and now comes another: Sandra Kaye.

Upon hearing Sandra Kaye "fashion" the songs that she sings (for indeed, that is what she does), one cannot help but wonder how it all began. Who is this young lady with a voice and soul for music and lyric that is beyond her years?

Just as all artistic expression is a gift from God, and often appears even before the artist herself become aware of it, Sandra's singing ability was evident to her family and friends long before she herself believed she was a singer. Always gracious, and at times so amazed at what, for her, was so easy, Sandra did not begin her singing career with the idea of making it her life's pursuit.

Sandra Kaye was born in Dallas, Texas the only daughter of a minister. She grew up singing gospel music and was often featured in church socials as a young girl with various choirs and girl groups. However, Sandra started her professional career by winning an amateur contest at the West End Cabaret Dallas in 1986, since then she has established herself as the consummate artist. She attributes her success to many hours of practice, hard work, countless gigs and frequent visits to open mic nights all over America.

Sandra Kaye's experience as a jazz vocalist has given her the ambidexterity to sing with orchestras and ensembles. Her first experience of big band was with the Shelley Carrol Big Band, since then Sandra has been featured with the Curtis Bradshaw's First Reunion Orchestra, The Dallas Jazz Orchestra, The Galen Jeter Orchestra and the Vecho Vecencio Group.

Sandra Kaye's concert appearances have been performed in the finest establishments in the Dallas Fort Worth Metropolitan area: The Dallas Museum of Art, The Caravan of Dreams, The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, The African American Museum of Art and Culture, The Sammons Center for the Arts, The Morton Myerson Symphony Hall, The Botanical Gardens, The Women's Museum, The Texas Stadium, Eastfield College, Richland College, The University of North Texas, The University of Texas at Arlington, The University of Texas at Dallas, The South Dallas Culture Center, The Mesquite Arts Center and the Preservation Hall in Fort Worth, Texas.

Sandra Kaye also has international exposure and experience, performing in France, Italy, Spain,Greece,China,Japan and Turkey.

Many opportunities are available for jazz vocalist of Sandra's caliber. Sandra Kaye has been the opening act or performed on stage with so many stars: David (Fathead) Newman, Onzy Matthews, Shelley Carrol, Brad Leali,Roy Hargrove, Monty Alexander
Dionne Warwick, Johnny Taylor, Marchel Ivery, James Clay,
Yarbrough and Peoples, George Tallifierro, (formerly of the Marcels), Andy Michlin, The Platters, The Drifters, Tanya Tucker, Al Dupree, Norah Jones and the famed comedians, George Wallace and Shucky Ducky.

The Dallas Fort Worth Metropolitan area has some of the most talented musicians as there are any place in the world, you will notice that some of them are celebrities today and Sandra Kaye has performed on stage, recorded on CD or video with all of them:
Julie Bonk, Robert Sanders, Bobby Barber, Sherle Stevens, Scott Bucklin, Freddie Jones, Gregory Slavin, Ira Bassett, Claude Johnson, Joe McBride, Buddy Mohmed, Garry Granger, Sara Hickman, Deena Gaskell, CC Rice, Nathalie Gauthe`, Ted Wasser, Marchel Ivery, Kelly Durbin, Tony Hakim, Conan Reynolds, Thom Braxton, Claude Hardwick, The Dixie Chicks, Sedrick Henderson, Gennifer Flowers, Deanna Self, Curtis Trailor-LA, John Anthony Martinez, Candy Williams,Gabriel Meadows, Richard Harper,
Perry Wood, Suzanne Lawrence(MissTexas 1990), Phyllis Emmeret, Alan Rogers, Roland Elbert, Lou Cobin, Mary Rae, Leigh Tomlinson, Reagan Carr, Sarah Angell, Kim Kassira, Rich Affannato, Paul Salos, Gloria Mosely, Drenda Barnett, Tommy DeSalvo, Tommy Hopkins, Al Dupree, Hilary Roberts, Don Ambrose, Cynthia Scott-NY (Grammy Contender 2002), Linda and Larry Petty (Grammy Contenders), Quintine Perry, Terry Anglin, Jason Bucklin, Paul Allen, Bernie Siben, Rachella Parks, Ann McMillan, Kim Jones, Billy Stritch, Jim Caruso, Gary Floyd, Julie Mondanarro, Chuck Smith, Jeff Robins, Larry Petty, Quamon Fowler, Jason Davis, Mark Gulley, Bernard Wright, Drew Phelps, Wayne DeLano, Chris McGuire, Rodney Bowens, Doug Berry, Lou Harlas, Keith Anderson, Chuck Anderson, Keith Loftis, Don Deigo, Benita Atterberry, Margo Reymundo, Arlington Jones, Michael Carr-LA, Fritz Wise-LA, Fritz Martin, Shelley Carrol, Andrew Griffith, W.A. Richardson,Larry Johnson and the Weatherford College Jazz Band 1992-93.

Sandra Kaye has been featured on cable television and radio shows,political functions, celebrity celebrations and her Eastfield College performance earned the producers the coveted Crystal Award. Sandra also has recurring performances on the Ester Davis show on PAX TV, and she performed for a Jerry Springer birthday party, Gennifer Flowers wedding, Gary Busie's wedding, A Tribute To Comer Cottrell Proline CEO, Al Lipscomb Dallas City Councilman, John Wiley Price Dallas County Commissioner and Jerry Jones Dallas Cowboys Owner.

FAVORITE PEOPLE: Dinah Washington, Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughan, Rosemary Clooney and Jimmy Stewart.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:

"It was my good fortune to support Sandra with her debut recording, "What Will I Tell My Heart?" The music is treated just like one of Sandra's live performances. The band plays two opening numbers after which Sandra takes center stage for a memorable set of blues, standards and love songs. The band then ends the performance with an instrumental as the audience "relaxes" and returns to everyday life. The recording was made in only two sessions with most tunes done in "one take" (very uncommon on a vocal recording session). This is the only project I have done where the musicians sat around the studio well into the night listening to the just recorded tracks. Arlington Jones, Shelley Carrol and Andrew Griffith are the perfect accompanists for Sandra on this project. I was really honored to play a small role in documenting these performances."
JAMES GILYARD BASSIST - GENERATIVITY PRODUCER
SAMMONS CENTER FOR THE ARTS - ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

"Sandra Kaye...It's a mixture of nostalgia and myth, the notion of a great, undiscovered performer in a dark little hideaway. Her voice is one that you don't expect to stumble onto so far off the beaten path. You can close your eyes and swear that the Late Great Dinah Washington has rejoined the living."
RUSSELL SMITH
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS - THE TODAY SECTION

"Very few people today can really sing an adult standard tune, the Great voices are mostly gone. Sandra Kaye can take the influences of Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and yes Dinah Washington and still have her own twist.
Like so many artists Sandra has been singing all her life but unlike others she took her time in learning the trade. What I like the most about her work is how she owns a song. She gets in the nooks and crannies of a tune and fills them up with style and grace. I think once you hear Sandra sing, you'll be as big a fan as I am."
JACK BISHOP
KAAM RADIO DALLAS

"Sandra Kaye Shines...
If I had a column in a newspaper, that would be my headline for your performance at Sammons. You were marvelous, as always, but with an extra-added touch of magic. You took those talented young guys by the hand and led them through a repertoire of songs they probably never had heard before and thrilled that critical audience. I was captivated also. I was truly into every word. You gave us the package-perfect intonation, perfect diction, soulful interpretation, and a good mixture of swing, blues and ballads."
ROGER BOYKIN
SAMMONS CENTER FOR THE ARTS- FORMER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
KKDA RADIO DALLAS-HOST OF SUNDAY EVENING JAZZ

"Now if that sinful, bluesy jazz is more your style, move on to "Lady Kaye's district". Sandra Kaye is a full throttle torch singer with a great set of pipes. Her sound was made for Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered and Lady Is A Tramp. Even when Ms. Kaye ventures away from her vintage tunes, she still delivers a great show, somehow breathing fire into If I Can't Sell It from the Broadway musical Black and Blue, and Leon Russell's This Masquerade."
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
DEBORAH BRADLEY

"Sandra Kaye stole the show with her bluesy rendition of Tain't Nobody's Bizness at Jazz Under The Dome"
AL BRUMLEY
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS - JAZZ REVIEW

"Ms. Kaye is the perfect entertainer to end this summer's string of concerts, which will resume after the State Fair. We figured we should have Ms. Kaye for the last Jazz Under the Dome to end it with a bang! We Love Ms. Kaye and call her as often as possible."
ERIC WALKER
AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF ART AND CULTURE
JAZZ SERIES ORGANIZER

"Sandra's Song...
Nothing is more exhilarating than the ability to communicate, and sensuous Sandra Kaye performs her songs in a way that can soothe, amuse and stir the soul. Sandra communicates!"
CURTIS KING
THE BLACK ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS
PRESIDENT

"I can sit and listen to Sandra Kaye all evening, she sings my kind of music and has has a beautiful voice."
ROY HAYNES
WORLD RENOWNED DRUMMER

"Ms. Kaye, I had the opportunity of hearing you sing at the Adams Mark Hotel opening, and you are absolutely sensational."
MICHAEL A. JENKINS
THE DALLAS SUMMER MUSICALS
PRESIDENT AND MANAGING DIRECTOR

"A Musical Tribute to Dinah Washington...
The Black Academy of Arts and Letters presented "Just Dinah and Me" The musical tribute to Dinah Washington starred Dallas native Sandra Kaye. The performance of Washington's songs was delightful. Kaye opened by belting out one of Washington's classics: "I Don't Hurt Anymore" She sang more than 10 of Washington's hits. However, her rendition of "Evil Gal Blues" and "I've Got You Under My Skin" moved the audience to hand clapping and feet stomping. Her performance of "Me and My Gin" brought the audience to its feet before intermission."
ALISCIA ROGERS
DALLAS BLACK NEWS

"Bubbling Brown Sugar...
Special thanks go to Miss Sandra Kaye for her excellent performance, she played the starring role as Irene Paige and an excellent performance it was."
BRENDOLYN JACKSON
BOOKER T. SPARKS
SCHOOL OF THE PERFORMING ARTS
CEO

"Elegance, style, intensity, a serious dedication to perfecting her craft and a voice that can reach the high and the low notes with poise, Sandra Kaye is one of the best. What else can we say? Listen, and you will simply agree."
CHARLENE REYNOLDS
THE FORT WORTH JAZZ SOCIETY
PROGRAMS COORDINATOR

reviews

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  • Sandra Kaye's CD Is The Best!
    author: Akia Watanabe

    Hearing Sandra Kaye live is really something special. You will enjoy this CD, but you will enjoy hearing Sandra Kaye live even better. We bought the CD in Shanghai because we were there five nights in a row to see and hear her performance. She is GREAT!

  • 5 Stars are not good enough!
    author: Carla Norris-Hopkins

    Seldom does a second hearing demand a better review. This cd does. I once believed to give an awesome artist's work a little less (4 stars) to inspire more will not work here. This CD deserves a 5 star rating for the fantastic, soulful Jazz stylings only a truly gifted pro can deliver. For we know not what tomorrow brings and if the world ends tomorrow this is a great work that should be honored today.

  • Great Music!!
    author: Renee' Ransom

    Sandra Kaye is one of the best. This CD is one of the best I have heard. Jazz at its finest. RR

  • Unforgettably Fantastic Songstress with a commanding vocal ability and stage pre
    author: Carla Norris-Hopkins

    This is a wonderful CD by one of the most talented vocalist around today. Her voice fills any heart and leaves the hearer completely satisfied. I give 4 stars because 5 would mean she is at her best and can only go downhill but I believe she will get even better so the best is yet to come and I eagerly await.

  • This is so good!
    author: Sherry Attwater

    I met Sandra Kaye at the Dallas Museum and that's where I got my CD and I love it. I also came back to hear her with the Shelley Carrol big band and I loved her with them too. This CD is one of the best that I have heard in a while. Thank you very much. SA

  • Very Nice
    author: Annah

    I stumble upon this great voice and it made want to hear more

  • PHENOMONAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    author: TAMM E HUNT

    I never heard of Sandra Kaye until I heard her crystal clear voice. WOW!!!!!!!! Lessons to be learned...she is definitely some one to study, some one to enjoy, some one to book, some one to follow. Versatile is one way to describe her. She sings and swings in all tempos. Tells the story eloquently. Therefore she is articulate and sophisticated. And her phrasing... awesome! She has BIG ears. Amazing pitch! Vocally she is supported by the ghost of Dinah Washington with a tinge of Jimmy Scott...but for sure she is all Sandra Kaye! If she has a fan club or doing vocal workshops I want to be in both places.

  • author: Quintine Perry

    Just like a fine wine...so soothing

  • GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    author: Diane Watson

    I have enjoyed this CD,play it all the time. Please keep singing. LOve you

  • This CD Is The Best Out Of Ten
    author: Steve Okubadejo

    I was shopping for music and bought 10 CD's on this day. This CD by Sandra Kaye from the United States is very, very nice. She has a great voice and should be heard by everyone.

  • Warm, Rich and Soothing to the Soul
    author: Breggett Rideau

    Sandra Kaye's voice is all you need in the evening to relax your mind, body and soul. She is true to the genra of "Legit Jazz" and her excellence speaks for itself.

  • Reminds Me Of A Different Time, When A Singer Was Real
    author: Mary C

    I have enjoyed this CD very much, I even place it with the music that I have listened to for years. Enjoy, it is very nice.

  • Sandra Kaye IS Jazz!
    author: Sherle Stevens

    This woman's heart is as big and beautiful as her voice, and she is never better than on this fabulous jazz and blues album. She just shines! Your collection is just not complete without it!

  • I LOVE THIS CD!!
    author: Thomas Walker

    I have been listening and listening and listening again and I still love this CD. Sandra Kaye reminds me of Dinah Washington for sure, but her style is all her own. She sings the blues and ballads with ease and brings you into the experience. Now that is the sign of an excellent artist. TD

  • Sandra Kaye has Captured the art of the Torch Song and takes to another level!
    author: LV Washington

    If you are a lover of the late great Dinah Washington, or the Blues of Billie and Bessie, then you'll love Sandra Kaye. These great songs are jazz and blues standards that have been given a new life. The musical accompaniment, and the band are to be applauded as well, for laying down such a smooth blended canvas for Ms. Sandra Kaye to paint her vocal music mastery! Kudos for a fine CD.

  • Superb!
    author: Joan Cartwright

    Exquisite, delightful, superb accompaniement! Sandra Kaye is smoothe, articulate, swinging and clairvoyant because her CD is tooooo present for me. She's captured the standards and weaved them into a contemporary fabric, guilded in gold. I'm not kidding. She's delightful and the musicians are clearly seasoned. They add the seasoning to Sandra's velvet voice. It's easy for me to rave about her because she's my friend. We're waiting for her next CD. Let's see if she can top this one.

  • author: Hazel

    This is truelly a CD that covers a wide range of emotions for those who are listening. The music is exciting and romantic and I've suggested it to all my friends from Fort Worth to Washington St.

  • One sophisticated Lady with one sophisticated sound!!!!!!!!!!
    author: Mary C. McGregor

    This CD brings back the style of the big band era and takes the listener back to the time of Ella Fitzgerald and Dinah Washington. Check it out. You won't be disappointed.

  • What a WONDERFUL experience
    author: April Dickson

    "What Will I Tell My Heart?", is most certainly a must for anyone who enjoys being swept into a musical wonderland. Sometimes belting, and sometimes crooning, Sandra Kaye brings listeners into her grasp, and captivates from beginning to end. What a WONDERFUL experience this CD has been and will continue to be.

  • BUY THIS CD
    author: Deborah Davis

    Looking for jazz. Look no further. Buy This CD! Buy Two or Three and give a couple for Birthday Presents, Wedding Gifts, Christmas or I just called to say I love you gifts. If you want make someone's jazzy day, call them up and leave" Blow Top Blues" on their answering maching. All's I can say is, "That's how we do it in Texas!" Sandra Kay is a surely a Diva worth more recognition. She's in a league with all the greats. Great delivery, great repertoire, great pitch, great musicians, great attitude, great voice, great style, great phrasing, and she creates a great mood. Go ahead and make a great investment in jazz, buy it now! And tell 'em Debo sent you!

  • author: Cindy Scott (not cynthia)

    Wow, can this woman sing the blues! Huge voice, great pitch, stellar delivery, and lots of attitude. Great CD!

  • BREATHTAKING AND POWERFUL
    author: Victoria

    The music on this CD is incredible. It is rare that you find such an artist that is such a vocal powerhouse who can make a song completely their own. Sandra does just that in “Blue Gardenia”, “Unlucky Woman”, and “Let Me Love You” to name a few on this CD. Not only is it the clarity and power of voice, it’s the interpretation and understanding that make Sandra’s signing so beautiful. Sandra is a remarkable artist. Her brilliance lies not just within her strong, smooth and silky vocals that she executes with style and emotion but also her impeccable taste in accompanists and material. Here she takes material from a world-renowned roster of writers and makes them sound as if she has owned them all along. The CD’s sound is intimate and warm. I listen to this CD over and over and never tire of hearing her voice. Buy this CD and find out why Sandra Kaye is such a vocal jazz triumph. Sandra Kaye easily stands next to the greatest of jazz legends for she is a legend herself. Enjoy it on your own. Share it with someone special. You’ll be glad you did.

  • author: cynthia scott

    What Will I Tell My Heart is a CD for lovers who appreciate a great story told by a great story teller. This special vocal CD by Sandra Kaye is a must have to be included in your vocal library.

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