Cijenjena hrvatska jazz vokalistica sa svjetskim glazbenim iskustvom Lela Kaplowitz je nastupala u Madison Square Gardenu, Birdlandu, i Blue Noteu u New Yorku, na mnogim prestižnim jazz festivalima te s vrhunskim jazz glazbenicima diljem svijeta (Arturo "Chico" O'Farrill Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra, Doug Carn, Miles Griffith, Bill Saxton, Harry Whittaker, Dick Griffin, Charles Tolliver, Craig Handy, Gary Fritz, Bob Alberti, Ben Tucker). Lela upoznaje vokalnu improvizaciju preko Sheile Jordan na Jazz konzervatoriju u Grazu (Austrija). Također uči sa svjetskim imenima jazza poput Jay Clayton, Mark Murphy, Donna McElroy, Barry Harris i Kate McGary.

Pohađa Berklee Summer Music Workshop u Peruggi (Italija) i The Vocal Performance i Jazz improvisation na New School u New Yorku.Sa suprugom, pijanistom Joeom Kaplowitzom osvaja treće mjesto na natjecanju za najbolji jazz band u Bukureštu 2008. Na međunarodnom natjecanju jazz vokalistica u Finskoj 2009 osvaja prvu nagradu stručnog žirija i publike te dobija titulu "Lady Summertime". Primorsko-goranska županija joj 31. lipnja 2010. dodjeljuje prestižnu nagradu za unapređivanje kulturnog stvaralaštva. Od 2013. Lela Kaplowitz ponosna je nositeljica statusa samostalne umjetnice pri HZSU. Sa svojim bandom, Lekap Quartetom, snima album prvijenac pod nazivom "Love me or leave me" kojeg izdaje Dancing Bear, a koji je proglašen jednim od 10 najboljih hrvatskih jazz albuma u 2010.

Albumom "Little boy with a big heart - the music of Boško Petrović", odaje počast i svoju viziju kompozicija velikana hrvatske jazz glazbe pišući produhovljene tekstove inspirirane Petrovićevim skladbama. Na albumu joj se pridružuje preko 20 eminentnih glazbenika hrvatske i slovenske jazz scene. Od prosinca 2010. uspješno uređuje i vodi specijaliziranu tjednu emisiju o jazz glazbi na Hrvatskom Radiju, pod nazivom Jazzalela. Lela je također voditeljica Udruge ATOM s kojom putuje po cijeloj Hrvatskoj i održava radionice "Jazz na kotačima" za djecu i mlade te promiče jazz glazbu mladim naraštajima. Podučava tehniku pjevanja i jazz improvizaciju te održava seminare jazz pjevanja po Hrvatskoj (POU Zagreb) i Sloveniji (Arsana - Poletni festival Ptuj). Nastupa s Duke Ellington Orchestra iz New Yorka u koncertnoj dvorani Vatroslava Lisinskog u Zagrebu tijekom njihove europske turneje te gostuje na proslavi 65. obljetnice djelovanja jazz orkestra HRT-a u izvedbi skladbi iz ciklusa The Sacred Concerts Dukea Ellingtona uz mješoviti zbor HRT-a pod ravnanjem Saše Nestorovića. Najnovijim autorskim albumom "With Every Breath" Lela Kaplowitz dokazuje zrelost jazz pjevačice svjetskih razmjera te skladateljice osebujne kreativnosti koja svojim tekstovima promiče ljubav, duhovnost i osvješćivanje. Album je vrhunske kvalitete, a snimljen je s Jazz orkestrom HRT-a pod ravnanjem Saše Nestorovića.

Biography ENG

Lela Kaplowitz gives something artistic to the world. It makes people look at the ordinary things in a new way. It stimulates them to see with a new perspective. Lela’s flood of creativity changes people’s lives for the better and raises beauty out of ordinary daily life. Lela’s mission is to stimulate, to entertain, to show beauty. She is a success because she loves her calling.

Lela was born in Croatia. She began professionally singing at 16. Lela studied vocal improvisation with Sheila Jordan at the Jazz Conservatorium in Graz, Austria, and later in New York with world-renowned jazz musicians like Jay Clayton, Mark Murphy, Barry Harris, and Kate McGarry. Lela also attended the Berklee Summer Music Workshop in Perugia, Italy, and studied at the New School in New York. Lela continues to study at Berklee Music online and with acclaimed vocal coach Dot Todman from LA.

She performed and recorded with prominent musicians like Arturo Farrill and the Chico’ O’Farrill Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Doug Carn, Miles Griffith, Bill Saxton, Harry Whittaker, Dick Griffin, Craig Handy, Gary Fritz, Mark Rapp, Bob Alberti, Ben Tucker, 2 Cellos and many others. During the five years of her life in New York City, Lela was heard and seen at the most prominent places of the American musical history: Madison Square Garden (International Music Festival, 2003.), Birdland, The Blue Note, Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, Detour, Smalls, Central Park Summer Stage, Miles Jaye’s Jazz Festival in Atlantic City, Miami, Philadelphia, and Savannah. In Europe, Lela travelled and performed in most prominent European jazz clubs and festivals. In 2009, Lela won the title “Lady Summertime” at the one of the largest female vocal jazz competitions in the world in Kaajani, Finland. Lela recorded a few albums and appeared on several as a guest vocalist. One of her favorite ones is being a guest vocalist on a Two Cellos video “Now we are free”. On September 19th 2019 Lela performed at the world renowned Carnegie Hall in New York City promoting her newest album “To One” published by Parma Recordings. Lela has been actively recording, performing online and live and teaching throughout Europe and the US. Currently Lela is preparing her new album of old Croatian hit songs arranged in jazz style and in Croatian language. As a vocal coach, Lela has been actively teaching vocal technique and jazz improvisation, relaxation and other techniques connected with body, mind and song. She is always striving to give her students the best possible experience regardless of if being an individual vocal lesson, masterclass, or a summer school. She is motivational, upbeat and a pleasure to work with.