Léah Kline

Léah Kline...... .. "Leah Kline is listed as one of the Top Jazz Singers in the book 'The Jazz Singers - the Ultimate Guide', by LA jazz critic,Scott Yanow." Léah Kline is an accomplished stage performer who has enjoyed the privilege of performing in virtually every field of entertainment. Equally at ease before an audience of 2,000 as with one of 30, she has entertained audiences in Europe, Asia, and the US. As a singer, Léah is noted for her personal delivery and phrasing of songs paying great respect to the meaning of the lyrics. Particularly well received for her vivacious stage presence and clear melodic tones, her phrasing and interpretation has earned favorable attention from jazz fans. She currently resides in Amsterdam, where she enjoys a full performing and teaching schedule.

An American jazz singer based in the Netherlands, Leah Kline performs an eclectic variety of music that ranges from straight-ahead jazz to Cabaret to original cross-genre material. She was born in Japan when her father was stationed there in the military, but grew up in the United States. Kline played piano, congas, and hand bells as a child. She graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts . After which she worked in the Washington D.C. and Los Angeles, performing in a wide variety of situations, ( Film, theater) A fall off a balcony disabled her for a period, and a six-month USO tour of Europe convinced her to focus her passions on singing. Kline became part of the Los Angeles jazz and cabaret community. In 2000 she moved her traveling base to Amsterdam. Since then, she has performed in “There's No Business Like Show Business” (a musical based on the life of Irving Berlin), was part of a “tribute to Ann Burton” ( one of Holland's famous Jazz singers), worked with 2 european Glen Miller Orchestras, appeared in “42nd Street” and “Musicals in Ahoy”, toured with her own “Jazz Cabaret” shows through Holland, and performs as a jazz singer through out Europe as a guest or with her own group. She has also co-hosted a radio show 'The Jazz Corner,' written music articles, and guest taught for 5 years at the Theater School in Amsterdam. Kline has thus far recorded 8 CDs: ("Playground" )2004, debut - a theatrical standards album based on her Jazz Cabaret shows from Los Angeles taken and toured in the Netherlands ("Juzz Flirtin" -2007) - her original lyrics and poetry written to pianist Dirk Balthaus' music. 2 cds of recognition: Dutch Jazz Vocalist Concours Finalist CD & BUMA Cultuur for juzz Flirtin ("Boogie in my Heart") 2009, a blues Cd from German boogie pianist Christian Bleiming (“Let’s Dance”) 2011 , Benny Goodman influenced Bernard Berkhout Swing Orchestra, ("ZooT -vintage dance band") 2012, Swing dance music from 40's to 70's in a Jimmy lunceford setting ("This Precious Life") 2014 studio album of originals composed with Bassist, Cord Heineking ('Triple Treat") 2016, unique trio album with Tenor Saxophonist ,Scott Hamilton, Italian pianist, Francesca Tandoi. and Leah on vocals.

Léah placed as finalist in the Dutch Jazz Vocalist Competition in 2005 (CD finalist NL Vocalist Concours) and is listed as one of the Top Jazz Singers in the book The Jazz Singers - the Ultimate Guide, by LA jazz critic,Scott Yanow.

Awards

Finalist NL Jazz Vocalist Competition - (4th) 2005 "Artist worthy of wider recognition" CD compilation BUMA 2007 Listing in book THE JAZZ SINGERS- the Ultimate Guide 2009

Gear

Neumann.Berlin KMS 104 ElectroVoice N/D767a