Electronic Press Kit
Two Sentences
KJ Denhert is a NYC-based songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and bandleader whose soulful and smoky vocal stylings are earthy and elegant. Available for live bookings, studio sessions, and to provide original music for film & television. Learn more about KJ at kjdenhert.com.
Short (125 words, 738 characters)
KJ Denhert is an award-winning songwriter, guitarist, vocalist, and bandleader living in Ossining, New York. She is a consummate artist with a rich history; a legend of Urban Folk & Jazz who channels a wide range of influences to create something completely unique. She performs regularly in New York and around the world and has shared stages with internationally renowned jazz and pop musicians such as GRAMMY Award winners Alicia Keys, Roberta Flack, and many more. KJ has a new residencies at Arthur’s Tavern and Sunny’s Bar, Red Hook in New York City performing with her all-star bands. She has released 10 albums, her latest “The Evening News”, and is set to drop on March 29 across all platforms. Visit kjdenhert.com for news and to join the mailing list.
Medium (259 words, 1,509 characters)
KJ Denhert is an NYC-based, award-winning songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and bandleader. An internationally touring artist, KJ’s career spans 40 years, numerous albums, and legions of devoted fans worldwide. Her soulful and smoky vocal styling are earthy and elegant. Her lyrics embody the romance and poetry of the American Songbook. A child of the 60s, KJ’s music is both a rich tapestry of Urban Folk & Jazz and a reflection of the fiery time of cultural upheaval in which she lived. Echoes of James Taylor, Joni Mitchel, Carole King, Laura Nyro, and Steely Dan’s combine with KJ’s own unique musical voice to create music that is both unique and relevant for today. She has shared stages with artists ranging from Alicia Keys, Roberta Flack and many more. When she’s not touring, KJ has been electrifying crowds with her all-star band via a residency spanning over 23 years at the 55 Bar in New York City’s West Village.
Since the unfortunate closure of the 55 Bar in May ’22, KJ Denhert has expanded her local musical horizons, adding two new regular gigs at Sunny’s in Brooklyn and Arthur’s Tavern in New York City’s West Village. The NY Unit, delights audiences with their new Late Show at Arthur’s Tavern on the last Saturday of each month, while “The Evening News” takes center stage at Sunny’s every second Friday of the month. She has released 10 albums, her latest “The Evening News”, and is set to drop on March 29 across all platforms. Visit kjdenhert.com for news and to join the mailing list.
Expanded (516 words, 3,043 characters)
KJ Denhert is an NYC-based, award-winning songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and bandleader who has shared stages with artists ranging from Alicia Keys, Roberta Flack, Robert Cray, and more. An internationally touring artist, KJ’s career spans 40 years, numerous albums, and legions of devoted fans worldwide. A child of the 60s, KJ’s music is both a rich tapestry of Urban Folk & Jazz and a reflection of the fiery time of cultural upheaval in which she lived. Echoes of James Taylor, Joni Mitchel, Carole King, Laura Nyro and, Steely Dan’s combine with KJ’s own unique musical voice to create music that is both unique and relevant for today.
KJ has garnered critical acclaim, earning numerous awards over a decades long career. In addition to these accolades, she’s maintained a 20+ year residency at Manhattan’s storied 55 Bar and enjoyed notable artist residencies in Italy and on the island of St. Barthelemy.
KJ is an artist unbound by identity directives. A gifted guitarist, she draws from a broad palette of urban musical heritage, and jazz and folk traditions. Her soulful and smoky vocal stylings are earthy and elegant. To truly know this artist one simply needs to turn to her music. The sultry folk track “We Were Diamonds” recounts a painfully complex moment where KJ encouraged her friend not to back down during a threatening standoff. On “Esmeralda,” KJ paints a loving portrait of a friendship. These songs (and more) Her songs unfold like stories, an American Songbook; full of romance, conflict, love, and more – all told as only a storyteller who has lived these tales can share.
KJ’s most formative decades span the 1960s-1980s where she grew up at a time when the world seemed at war with itself. “Back then I was all about defining and defending my integrity. I resisted being labeled. I didn’t even like the term singer – songwriter,” KJ reveals. Initially hired to tour as a guitarist, she was almost immediately met with gender-related issues encountered by many female musicians during that time. “I was told to lose weight and that management wanted to represent me as Puerto Rican versus black – for the sake of booking the tour.” She subsequently toured the world until making the fateful decision to take a musical hiatus. “I vowed that I would not go out again as a full time musician unless it was to play my own music.” It is this history that fuels the incredible music KJ shares with the world today.
No less of note is the family of world-class players with whom she performs. KJ’s carefully curated musical family transcends genres, providing a musical backdrop that is decidedly “front and center” due to the incredible musicians that make up her band.
These days there is a lot of joy in KJ’s life. She’s a self-made woman who epitomizes staying power in a fickle industry, and she has created a unique aesthetic that’s broadly resonant. Pondering it all, she says: “I am humble about my career, but joyful that I’ve arrived at a place to have real, musical freedom. Learn more about KJ at kjdenhert.com.
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