Kevyn Lettau

Kevyn Lettau (born 1959 in Berlin, Germany^[1]) is a vocalist whose most popular work is in the style of Brazilian jazz.^[2]

Lettau grew up in Berlin listening to Sergio, Mendes, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, and Etta James. At the age of 14, she moved to San Diego California in the United States.

By age 17, she began working with guitarist Peter Sprague singing jazz, R&B and Brazilian music around town, most often with Sprague’s Dance of the Universe Orchestra.

The band’s unique blend of Brazilian music, straight-ahead jazz, and covers of tunes by Chick Corea and Weather Report made them somewhat of a local jazz phenomenon . She recorded two solo albums during this time, Kevyn Lettau & Brasiljazz.

These recordings lead to critical acclaim and a loyal following both in the U.S. and abroad. She toured extensively in both Japan and the Philippines, where she achieved superstar status and became a spokesmodel for several leading corporations including Philippines Airlines and Sunlife Insurance. Lettau was also a model for a soft drink company, featured in multiple television commercials and print ads which ran for years.

Lettau got her big break when the legendary Brazilian pianist and bandleader, Sergio Mendes, discovered her in 1984. She toured and recorded with Mendes for eight years, developing her own vocal style along the way. The seven-time Grammy Award winner and the greatest male singer of all time, Al Jarreau, was also her mentor and friend and Kevyn has toured and performed regularly with him over the years.

Lettau has worked and recorded with many great musicians including Russell Ferrante (keyboardist of the Yellowjackets), Mike Stern, Leni Stern, Bill Cantos, Yutaka Yokokura, Jeff Lorber, Peter Sprague, Mike Shapiro, Louis Conte, and many more.

She is also competent on keyboards and saxophone. She scored success in the United States in the early 1990s with her albums Kevyn Lettau (U.S. Top Contemporary Jazz Albums peak No. 16) and Simple Life (Top Contemporary Jazz peak No. 6).^[3]

Lettau got married and moved to Los Angeles with her husband, drummer Michael Shapiro for more than 20 years. While there, she developed the vocal curriculum for the LA Music Academy (currently Los Angeles College of Music), and taught at the Musicians Institute, in addition to recording and performing regularly.

After a divorce, Lettau moved back to San Diego in summer, 2009, settling in Ocean Beach. Reuniting with Peter Sprague, she recorded a new full-length, What Is Enough(2008), released on Sprague’s SBE records.

In October 2011, Lettau released Drawn To You (2011), featuring pop-jazz superstar Russell Ferrante of the fusion group the Yellowjackets on keyboards, Mike Miller on guitar, Scott Mayo on saxophone, Glen Fischer on bass, and Matt Starr on drums.

Lettau co-wrote the core of the album with Ferrante a few years previous, but didn’t have the opportunity to record them until 2011. The disc features a mix of mostly contemporary jazz with one Brazilian-flavored tune and a slow cover of “I Want To Hold Your Hand” by the Beatles.

Discography[]

• Brasiljazz (JVC, 1991)
• Kevyn Lettau (JVC, 1991)
• Simple Life (JVC, 1992)
• Another Season (JVC, 1994)
• Universal Language (JVC, 1995)
• The Language of Flowers (Victor, 1998)
• Walking in Your Footsteps - Songs of the Police (Universal, 2000)
• Little Things (Verve, 2001)
• The Color of Love (Cats and Dogs Music, 2003)
• Bye Bye Blackbird (MCG Jazz, 2005)
• Kevyn Lettau and Friends in Concert (Kevyn Lettau, 2007)
• What Is Enough (SBE, 2008)
• Drawn to You (Kevyn Lettau, 2011)

References[]

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