Home » Jazz Musicians » Kelvin Roy

Kelvin Roy

Kelvin grew up in Flint, Michigan. His father was from New Zealand and relocated to the United States after travelling there as a Fulbright scholar. Kelvin had copious lessons on piano and trombone, plus some voice training from an early age. He attended Flint Central High School, playing in many school bands and he was active in drama as well. He also taught himself how to play other brass instruments like baritone and bass trumpet. The latter—also called a marching valve trombone—became his main instrument. Since his father was an arts critic, he was able to see many first class acts as a child. Later, he went on the road with a couple popular funk and jazz bands playing clubs after attending Michigan State University.

Then he moved to South Lousiana and had some amazing musical experiences, sometimes literally out in the swamps. He became engrossed in the pot pourri of country/rock/southern r&b/jazz performing around the state at festivals and in clubs. After a few years he went west to California, following Horace Greeley's advice. There, he played mostly Motown, jazz and Latin in a variety of settings with artists like Matt Catingub and Brenton Woods.

He decided to move to New Zealand, to discover more about his roots. The jazz scene was popular and he got involved. He also founded a Latin group. Then there was some time in San Fransisco playing jazz. He also worked with Janice Pendarvis (of Sting fame) in New York. Back in New Zealand he started a band called Gyrotayshin and they put out an album of his compositions. He also did studio work for other labels and producers. Then he started the popular BlueStars band. And he founded a group called the Jews Brothers Band, which did klezmer music. This band also became popular and put out an album - one of the first CDs in the world to have CD-rom video and music on the same disc.

He created the Martian Music label and released a CD in 1997 called 'inner space'. Quotation: '...a consummate and seamless blend of adult-oriented pop'—Gary Steel, The Strip, New Zealand. Around this time he became a fixture at some the New Zealand's best jazz festivals like Waiheke Island of Jazz. The next year he followed up with an album called 'just can't stop'. Quotation: 'This album is a musical Big Kids Meal with toy included'— Javier Antonio Quinones Ortiz, www.allaboutjazz.com. This album received some radioplay and the title track was on the Kiwi Hit Disc that year. It was what radio calls AC (Adult Contemporary) or Smooth Jazz Vocal. For the Millennium, he put out a promotional disc with a special song, 'times of our lives', plus a song from each of the previous albums. It was mostly electronic music. It received radio airplay in the US and New Zealand. Quotation: 'We've playlisted Times of our lives'—Sandy Shore, www.smoothjazz.com.

Read more

Tags

463
Interview

Kelvin Roy at The Loaded Hog

Read "Kelvin Roy at The Loaded Hog" reviewed by Javier AQ Ortiz


Kelvin Roy is a North America émigré who lives in New Zealand. He has released three compact discs to date and his latest is Around the World of Music Live at The Loaded Hog with the BlueStars. Aside from singing, composing and arranging his own material, he also plays the bass trumpet. Herein a conversation concerning his latest project and other related matters to his career and music in New Zealand:

AAJ: Would you please describe your relationship ...

138
Album Review

Kelvin Roy & BlueStars: Around the World of Music: Live at the Loaded Hog

Read "Around the World of Music: Live at the Loaded Hog" reviewed by Javier AQ Ortiz


Quick and to the Point: Good times at the Loaded Hog.

This live recording at Auckland, New Zealand's Loaded Hog is a departure from the previous releases issued under Kelvin Roy’s name. Whereas his two previous musical explorations were based on his own works, this time he concentrates on covers. On this occasion Roy is stripped to his working crew, who obviously have fond memories of jolly bloody times at that famed Kiwi location, and not the type ...

109
Album Review

Kelvin Roy: Inner Space

Read "Inner Space" reviewed by Javier AQ Ortiz


Quick and to the Point: Breezily smoothed familiar enigmas.

Approachability isn’t a concern with Kelvin Roy’s music. All compositions and arrangements are – with a couple of exceptions where Nigel Gavin collaborates – his. Extremely familiar sounding harmonic and melodic tracks, however, coil enough insinuated gentle statements throughout to propel the listening up toward fresh peaks.

Love is the conceptual vocalized and affecting theme, operating within an elusive musical sense of inner beings engaged ...

170
Album Review

Kelvin Roy: Just Can't Stop

Read "Just Can't Stop" reviewed by Javier AQ Ortiz


Quick and to the Point : Smooth jazz vocal coolness. This production ranges from the riff-like monogroove of “You Caught My Eye" to the infectiously accordion grooviness of “Let Your Love Out." Of course, there will be melodically funky pieces such as “Sorta Like You Know," which unfortunately quits when its getting heated 'nuff. “It's All a Dream" and “Whatcha Gonna Do" are rock. “Goin' Troppo" begs for expansion into a big band chart. Vocalist/instrumentalist ...

Read more articles
Kelvin Roy Around the World of Music CD

"KELVIN ROY & BLUESTARS also find "Tramp" the epitome of hip, using it to open AROUND THE WORLD OF MUSIC Live at the Loaded Hog (Martian Music 004). Recorded live in an Auckland night spot, this sounds like a credible tourist lounge act"—Dave Dupont, Cadence Magazine

"Roy delivers cool, muted, crooning vocals."—Javier Antonio Quinones Ortiz, All About Jazz

"Kelvin Roy & Bluestars mix of original pieces and old standards is a jazz release firmly rooted in its Auckland locale"—Mark Sariban, Air New Zealand Panorama

"We received and added this fine jazz CD."—Sybil Augustine, WORT, Madison, Wisconsin

Read more

Primary Instrument

Various

Location

Wellington

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Taught high school/college instrumental music and a few private lessons.

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Overlap

Martian Music
2016

buy

Teamwork

Martian Music
2014

buy

Amazing Animals

Martian Music
2013

buy

Thinks We Love to Do

Martian Music
2013

buy

Holidays

Martian Music
2012

buy

Jollytime

Martian Music
2011

buy

Mediterranean Sunrise

From: Overlap
By Kelvin Roy

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.