artist info

Born in the midwest, living in New York City for the last 25 years, and a proud citizen of the world, five-time Grammy-nominated singer, pianist, composer, and bandleader Karrin Allyson is adding to her lovingly-long list of Brazilian repertoire with A Kiss for Brazil, to be released on Origin Records in the spring of 2024.

Joining Karrin is a very special guest, the great singer, songwriter, and composer Rosa Passos, on two songs: Rosa’s own composition “Dunas” (with new English lyrics penned by Karrin) and also the Vinicius de Moraes classic “O Grande Amor.” It’s a vocal match made in heaven.

Karrin and her stellar group of Brazilian players (Rafael Barata, drums; Vitor Gonçalves, piano/accordion; Yotam Silberstein, guitar; and Harvie S, bass) also perform other classics such as “So Many Stars,” “Manha de Carnaval,” “Flor de Lis,” “The Gift (Recado Bossa Nova),” and “The Island.”

Throughout her live performances and her 15 previous albums, Karrin’s talent runs the musical gamut between French chansons, The Great American Songbook, instrumental jazz standards with new lyrics, pop, blues, bossa nova, a tribute to Rodgers and Hammerstein, and her all-original CD Some of That Sunshine (2018), along with another special project, Shoulder to Shoulder: Centennial Tribute to Woman’s Suffrage (August 2019), featuring a vast array of talent including Madeleine Peyroux, Rosanne Cash, Harry Belafonte, Rapsody, and Kurt Elling, to name just a few. Karrin is always composing and released two new original singles in 2023: “Falling Up” and “Just Passin’ Through.”

Ms. Allyson travels the globe, playing clubs, festivals, performing arts centers, and beyond, as well as teaching at Hartt School of Music and William Paterson University. With her partner Bill McGlaughlin, she also hosts the radio show “B&K Cafe” on wwfm.org.

Karrin, who obtained her Bachelor’s degree in piano performance with a French minor, was bestowed with an Honorary Doctorate in 2023 from her alma mater, the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and has been a bandleader in many different situations with some of the best in the business.

Karrin is a storyteller who swings and is still singing to you—in the key of now.