Kim & Kayla Waters

Church Street Jazz Series

With a career that has spanned close to four decades, the indefatigable Kim Waters is still inspired. “I have been recording for 35 years and I love it.  It's my passion and it is all that I've ever done. There are so many great young guns coming along that I have to stay at the top of my game! I am blessed that I was trained on the straight-ahead side of things which gave me a great foundation.” Waters’ keen harmonic sense, tasteful and soulful phrasing, and fluid melodic sensibilities have made him one the premiere architects of Contemporary Jazz.

The Maryland-born Renaissance man was inspired early on in his career by such Jazz luminaries as Duke Ellington, Herbie Hancock, George Duke, George Benson, Grover Washington Jr., and Cannonball Adderley. Waters picked up his first instrument, the violin, at the age of eight.  "That didn't go over well with the fellas," says Waters, who later found his calling on the alto and soprano saxophones at 13. Shortly afterward he began playing in a band with his brothers, James (who he still performs with) and Eric, and his old friend, pianist Cyrus Chestnut. Over the years, Kim Waters has been called on to perform with or open shows for the best including Al Green, Isaac Hayes, Phyllis Hyman, Teddy Riley and Guy, and Gerald Albright to name a few. 

Kim Waters exudes a knowing confidence and cool calm. When the suave and debonair saxophonist is not making music, he enjoys riding his electric bikes and walking three to four miles a day. He says it is a spiritual thing. “It helps me clear my head and it gives me a chance to talk with myself and keep my mind off the music which is a really hard thing to do when you are always thinking about it!” Waters has learned a thing or two about life from his grandmother that keeps his life and music in focus. “My grandmother used to always say that getting upset and stressing about things won't change anything. I have learned that you just have to stay even keel and let things work themselves out.”

This formula has catapulted him to the top of the charts time and time again and has made him one of the biggest-selling saxophonists to date. JazzTimes Magazine has declared, "Waters is simply one of the planet's best saxophonists, The Washington Post has likened Waters to "A romantic pied piper out on a long evening stroll." The prolific saxophonist, composer, and producer has enjoyed a career of longevity that is rare. Waters' Zen-like approach to his life and artistry is simple. "

Kayla Waters, a pianist, singer, and composer, is a dynamic, classically-trained, crossover jazz performer.

Artistically poised pianist Kayla Waters is a chart-topping recording artist, composer, producer, and film scorer. After signing a new record deal with Shanachie Records, Kayla victoriously releases her brand new musical offering Presence, a life-giving creative work alluding to the beauty of the ocean and God's abundant love. Beautifully composed and eloquently written, Presence is a stunning addition to her repertoire following albums Coevolve and Apogee. As a five-time Billboard and Mediabase number one artist {I Am, Zephyr, Full Bloom, Open Portals, and Undulation}, Kayla made history by becoming the first female pianist to reign atop the charts for six consecutive weeks. 

Waters was born into a musical family. Her father Kim Waters, an acclaimed smooth jazz saxophonist, introduced her to music. She studied classical piano from the age of six and later earned her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance at Howard University. She made her professional debut on several albums of her father before she launched her career. Recently, Kayla’s musical achievements have been extolled on prestigious platforms, as she was honored with the Rising Star in Jazz Award {Black Women in Jazz and the Arts Foundation of Atlanta} and the Best Jazz Artist Award {The Wammies & The Musicianship} in Washington, DC where she is based.

The spotlight has humbly created opportunities for Kayla to play and perform with music legends and prominent recording artists including Stevie Wonder, Patrice Rushen, Avery*Sunshine, Maysa Leak, Sheila E., and Dave Koz to name a few. Passionately alluring, Kayla gracefully flourishes on stage, having played exhilarating and exuberant concerts at intimate venues, illustrious theaters and acclaimed festivals worldwide. Laced with purpose, the luminous artist shined brightly on national television at BET’s acclaimed “Black Girls Rock” awards show, revealing her tenacity and musical diversity by performing with legend Gladys Knight, Marsha Ambrosius, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Imani Uzuri. Kayla was also graciously invited to be a featured keyboardist at the inaugural Fender Rhodes Fest in Los Angeles alongside a host of music contemporaries.