Kay Kostopoulos

Kay Kostopoulos is a former dancer, a classical actress and teacher of Drama at Stanford University. She has always been attentive to rhythm, range, and textural meaning in her teaching and acting. Her band features stunning vocals and a rhythm section powered with a percussive Mediterranean touch.

Middle Eastern riffs and Shakespearean texts have helped to inform her delivery of the complex time, sensitive lyrics and multiple shades of jazz. Kay Kostopoulos theatrical background lends an emotional sensitivity to her lush and sensuous three-octave range.

Kay Kostopoulos repertoire

Kay Kostopoulos experience as an actress makes her a versatile song-stylist and performer. The band has a wide range of material which appeals to any age: Classic Jazz Standards, Latin, Romantic Ballads, Retro-lounge in the style of Pink Martini, Django-Grapelli style guitar/violin with voice, and even R&B for Motown fans. She sings in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian.

Performing classic songs from the Golden Age of the American Songbook with a vocal jazz repertoire from the enduring masters of the art form including the Gershwins, Rodgers and Hart, Harold Arlen, Cole Porter; and songwriters from Europe and Latin America--Consuelo Velaquez, Ary Borroso, A.C. Jobim, and many more. Kay Kostopoulos brings these traditions together with an all-star ensemble of San Francisco legends.

Her CD has received airplay on the Bay Area jazz station, KCSM! Her new release featuring Larry Vuckovich, Bill Douglass and Eddie Marshall, will soon be released.

Kay Kostopoulos performances

Kay Kostopoulos performs and has recorded with many San Francisco Bay Area treasures: pianists, Larry Vuckovich, Si Perkoff, Benny Watson & Rebeca Mauleon; guitar players, Josh Workman, Lenny Carlson, Duncan James and Vic Schrader; she also works with world class bassists: Bill Douglass, Barry Green, Ruth Davies, Sam Bevan, and Perry Thoorsell, as well as percussionists: Eddie Marshall, Jimmy Robinson, Ian Dogole, and Vince Delgado. Kay Kostopoulos reed and horn players include Mel Martin, Max Perkoff, Sheldon Brown, Dave Rocha, & David Hardiman, she has also performed as lead vocalist for David Hardiman's Big Band, The City Swing Big Band of San Francisco, and as guest vocalist with the jazz group Topaz. Her ALL GAL BAND features the slick piano stylings of Sue Crosman, swingin bassists, Carla Kaufman & Ruth Davies, and red hot drummers, Beth Goodfellow & Kelly Fasman.

In addition to singing, Kay Kostopoulos is stunning in her appearance, poise, warmth and professionalism. She is an experienced host and toastmaster—and she frequently recites and performs at poetry readings and book signings. She has performed for large audiences in the Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, William Saroyan, and Charles Darwin celebrations at Stanford University.

Kay Kostopoulos performs at many venues, educational institutions and benefits in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sonoma, including The Union Street Festival, the Art Deco celebration at Union Square, San Francisco, Herbst Theater Green Room, Presidio Café, Corte Madera Center Summer Music Series, Jazz at Pearls, The Cliff House, Agenda Lounge, Santana Row Jazz Series, Octavia Lounge, Turtle Bay Restaurant, Café Fino, Domaine Carneros Winery, Ledson Winery, Gundlach Bundschu Winery, Bartholomew Park Winery Jazz Series, Landmark Vineyards, Testarossa Winery, Joe’s of Lafayette, Brazen Head Breast Cancer Benefit, Stanford University, City College of San Francisco, Santa Clara University and UC Santa Cruz.

Kay Kostopoulos has been profiled in articles in Jazziz and Stanford Magazines, and her music video is featured on all aboutjazz.com.