Biography of Terri Quaye

Born in the UK into a celebrated jazz lineage, I grew up in London surrounded by the best UK and American musicians of the bebop era thanks to my father - piano entertainer and band leader Cab Kaye. My childhood was built around music, jazz clubs and going on the road with Cab.

I started singing professionally in the late 50's at London's Mandrake, Downbeat and Flamingo jazz clubs .

In the 60's during my concert tour of Germany, I appeared at Berlin’s ‘Templehof Jazz Club’ singing with Carmel Jones - trmp and Leo Wright - sax. Later taking the same group on the road including Dave Pike on vibes.

Late 1960's while living in New York, I played New York’s ‘Needle’s Eye’ with Harold Mabern -pno, Richard Davis - Bass and Billy Higgins - drums. , recorded with Archie Shepp on his album 'Cry Of My People' , and played the ID club in Brooklyn with Lee Morgan's bebop group.

Back in Europe, in the 70's I played annual appearances in Poland and Yugoslavia with Jazz Forum Jazz Festivals, the 'Women’s Jazz Festival’ in Rome alongside Betty Carter and Sharon Freeman. and ‘The Women’s Music Festival’ at the Melkweg, Amsterdam, Holland.

In the UK I played regular concerts with the John Steven's and Trevor Watts ensembles, and recorded the album 'Amalgam. During this period I formed the all-women jazz group 'MoonSpirit' , providing all the original music.

The next few years included writing the music for stage plays; 'Patterns' 'Care and Control' and 'In Exile With An African Head'. After these productions I was invited to Texas, USA to write the music for the stage play 'Return Of The Kitchen Sisters'.

In the early 80's I completed a Masters degree in Ethnomusicology and on invitation from The Smithsonian Institution, USA, became ‘Artist in Residence’ with Museum of African Art in Washington DC. - giving concert/lectures for both African and Jazz Studies throughout America, including The Studio Museum of Harlem

Returning to the UK I began residencies as a piano entertainer at London's top hotels: The Savoy, The Rubens Hotel, The Meridien Hotel, Piccadilly and followed by The Hilton Jumeira, Dubai.

From 2004 I have consistently appeared on quality cruise liners.