Although she has often thought of herself as being an R&B singer, Robin McKelle has the talent to make vintage standards sound like they were written for her and to sing jazz with enthusiasm and creativity. Born Robin McElhatten in Rochester, New York, she started studying classical piano when she was 5. As a teenager, because she was intrigued by jazz harmonies, she switched to playing jazz piano, performing in ensembles at school. McKelle also played French horn for nine years but eventually realized that singing was her most important musical talent. She attended the University of Miami during 1994-96 and graduated from Berklee in 1999. McKelle worked in Los Angeles, toured as a backup singer, and decided to move back to Boston where she taught voice at Berklee for three years. After working locally in a trio and taking third place in the 2004 Thelonious Monk Vocal Jazz Competition, she launched her solo career. She has worked with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Terence Blanchard, Darren Hayes, BeBe Winans, Jon Secada and been the featured singer with the Boston Pops Orchestra. Her debut CD, Introducing Robin McKelle, teams her with a big band filled with top Los Angeles musicians, reviving superior older songs and making them sound fresh. McKelle performs regularly at jazz festivals and clubs in Europe and is just beginning to become well known in the United States.

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