Katherine Farnham

BIO:

Katherine Farnham has been hailed consistently by global fans, jazz journalists, students and industry veterans as one of the top artists of our time. Her recording and teaching legacy has already placed her in an elite group amongst many legendary artists. Her recordings have won thirty awards and nine nominations. They are included in The Jazz Discography, the world's largest online database featuring over one hundred years of recorded jazz. AXS raves, “...a singer with many sides, all worth getting to know...an open fearless artist.”

The Grammy U Mentor, Billboard-charting, internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter/pianist has a passion for sharing the universal language of music with global fans. She is an award-winning, multilingual performer, recording and spoken word artist and humanitarian. Chosen as “Best Jazz Performer” at the Las Vegas F.A.M.E. Awards, she is at the forefront of the singer/songwriter movement and is known for bringing fresh, contemporary twists to vocal standards as well as releasing tracks that merge classic and contemporary influences. Her single "Necessary Groove" debuted in Billboard's Top 40 Pop Charts as a crossover hit. She has been compared to Diana Krall, as well as legendary vocalists Barbra Streisand, Sarah Vaughan and others. Ranked for some time as #1 for Jazz on Reverbnation, the singer/songwriter/pianist's latest record “Love Philosophy” also garnered 11K+ likes for a single post plus hundreds of comments from worldwide fans.

A child prodigy, she was born into an artistic family and began songwriting and improvising at the piano at age four. She gave her first performance at five as leading actress in a school play and sang her first jazz vocal solo a few months later. She went pro at fourteen and her first band performances were as lead vocalist belting out blues and soul at eighteen.

Katherine is classically trained in both piano and voice. Her vocal range spans four octaves. She writes most of her own songs and also records her own versions of famous classics. She sings songs in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian and Latin.

She has worked with many renowned and legendary musicians including Grammy winning saxophonist Kirk Whalum, Latin Grammy winning flutist Nestor Torres, Blues Hall of Fame and Grammy Winning trumpeter Darrell Leonard, Grammy Nominated guitarist Denny Jiosa, Grammy nominated saxophonist Mindi Abair and award-winning Brazilian singer/songwriter/guitarist Guinga among others. Her engaging style combines elements of jazz, Latin jazz, adult contemporary, and blues/roots. In recognition of her considerable contributions to the genre, her groundbreaking CD "VINTAGE" was added to the prestigious jazz archives at the Mediatheque Musicale de Paris, France.

Katherine and her longtime band have recorded and performed worldwide. Appearing on Good Morning America and many tv and radio shows, she has performed for celebrities, for the Mayor of Miami-Dade County, live at the Hollywood and Las Vegas F.A.M.E. Awards, live on NBC 6 and Telemundo, on stages with Latin jazz greats Celia Cruz and Tito Puente Jr., and to a sold out crowd at the Hub City Jazz Festival outside NYC. She has even inspired audiences at major sporting events, singing the National Anthem multiple times for World Series Champions The Florida Marlins, and performing for The Ericsson Open (only female artist), The Miami Marathon and national tour dates for NASCAR.

The Los Angeles Music Awards voted the third-generation musician the “Best Female Singer/Songwriter” in their entire twenty-five year history. All Music Guide says, “Her lyrics are heavy and meaningful, but her vocalizing is soaring.” AXS says, "...a singer with many sides, all worth getting to know...an open, fearless artist. Two-Time Emmy Nominee and Celebrity Radio Host Phillip Silverstone raved, “absolutely brilliant. Farnham is doing for jazz what Clapton did for the blues – bringing it to the mainstream.”

Katherine's new albums include "LOVE PHILOSOPHY" featuring a mix of jazz, Latin jazz and adult contemporary with esteemed Guest Artists Blues Hall of Fame and Grammy Winner Darrell Leonard, Grammy Nominee Mindi Abair and Grammy Nominee Denny Jiosa and her long- awaited Latin jazz project “ALQUIMIA” with originals and standards in Spanish and Portuguese. This album features Latin Grammy Winner Nestor Torres, beloved Brazilian artist Guinga and Grammy Nominee Denny Jiosa.

“Many fans have assumed that songs on the recent albums are about a certain relationship with a man, however I write conceptually. The message is also not to lose passion for living, even during difficult times.”

On both award-winning albums, she serenades listeners with beautiful originals and standards, proving she is an artist with an incredible heritage, an exciting present and a future as bright as the stars. Just as importantly, she is an artist with a message relevant for our times.

Recently, Katherine has won over seventeen music awards, including being one of the youngest recipients of the Albert Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. “LOVE PHILOSOPHY” won a total of eight Global Music Awards - one for the album and others for seven singles including “Jazz/AC Emerging Artist”, “Jazz/Blues Song”, “Female Vocalist”, “Songwriter” and others. She also earned Los Angeles Music Award Nominations for “Best Jazz Artist” and “Americana: Blues & Roots Artist” plus a Hollywood F.A.M.E. Award for "Special Achievement - Singer/Songwriter". HG Radio in Mexico also nominated her for her Spanish language singing with “Cantante Feminine del Ano".

With a pianistic legacy dating directly back over a century to more legendary artists, it is no surprise that Farnham eventually made the piano a central focus on “LOVE PHILOSOPHY”. Assembling a multiple Grammy-winning production team, she recorded on not one, but three world-class Steinway grand pianos.

Combining originals with well-loved jazz, blues and theater standards like “Besame Mucho (feat Denny Jiosa)”, Billie Holiday’s “Good Morning Heartache”, and “People, A Tribute to Barbra Streisand (feat Mindi Abair)”, Farnham has created a world-class work. This album speaks lyrically of spiritual love with the title track and singles “Dreams (feat Denny Jiosa)” and also true romantic love with “Night of Romance”, a honest, heartfelt ballad complete with string section for which she won a Global Music Award for “Songwriter”.

She earned her BM Degree with highest honors from Boston's acclaimed Berklee College of Music and her MM from the University of Miami. In addition to doing post-graduate work, she holds four certifications including an Executive Leadership Certificate from Cornell.

The winner of the Rotary Outstanding Service Award, Katherine is also a published writer, passionate educator and humanitarian who has taught Jazz and Broadway Voice on the Faculty of several universities. She is a Guest Lecturer/Performer for major charitable organizations such as the Rotary Club, National Federation of Music Clubs and others and is available for Clinics and Master Classes worldwide.

She performs regularly with her longtime band.