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Kyla Brox

Kyla Brox (born 3 June 1980, Stockport, England) is a blues and soul singer from a musical family.

Family and Childhood

Her father is a blues singer of note, Victor Brox - Caiaphas in the original cast recording of Jesus Christ Superstar, amongst other things - and her mother is Annette Brox, the 'maid by the fire' in the original Jesus Christ Superstar.

She has four other siblings, Ginie (b.1965), Anna (b.1966), Buffy (b.1971) and Sam (b.1976). All are gifted singers, but only the youngest two have gone onto professional careers as musicians. Perhaps significantly, Sam - singer with Dust Junkys - and Kyla were spared their elder sisters’ experience of growing up in the back of a touring van under a haze of cannabis smoke. She traces her interest in singing from the age of three, partly from a desire to be closer to her charismatic but distant dad. Upon Victor and Annette’s divorce, Kyla was brought up by Annette and her step-father Laurie in Didsbury, Manchester.

Keen to encourage his daughter’s musical talents, Victor gave Kyla various instruments as a child, although these were apt to be taken back and sold when times were hard. But the flute remained, and features in live shows to this day. A rare instrument in blues music, Kyla's flute adds a cool counterpart to her fiery voice.

Kyla married long-time life and music partner Danny Blomeley in September, 2008, and is the mother of Sadie (b. 13 June, 2009).

Analysis

Kyla Brox sings with controlled emotion and sincerity, with a sweetness that is very appealing in an age of self-glorying, over-emoting prima-donnas. But when she’s in the mood, she can unleash her voice with the force of a hurricane gale. Perhaps as a result of her upbringing - learning her craft at first-hand from Victor (reputedly Tina Turner’s favourite white blues singer) - Kyla is the closest that the modern era has come to a Betty Lavette or Etta James. Certainly, there is no more authentic UK blues and soul singer of her generation.

Career

Kyla joined the family business in 1992, singing with Victor onstage at famed Manchester venue Band On The Wall at the age of 12. She joined his regular touring group the following year. The core of the Kyla Brox Band go back to this remarkable unit, nominally the Victor Brox Blues Train, but known informally as 'the child slavery band' because of the extreme youth of the players. As well as Kyla (13, but could pass for 21), the group contained bassist Danny Blomeley (13, but could pass for eight), and drummer Phil Considine (19).

Prolonged stays at Victor's house in France from the age of 16 saw the growth and development of Kyla’s art. Then, in 2000, she accompanied her father on an extensive tour of Australia. Danny Blomeley had left the Blues Train two years earlier to travel the world, and promised to find Victor some dates in Australia. And so it was that Kyla, just turned 20, found herself singing risque blues songs to hard men in mining camps in remote parts of the Australian outback. This trip was the making of today’s self-assured soul belle. The Victor Brox Blues Train, with Kyla, made a return visit Australia the following year.

Back in Manchester in 2001, Kyla and Danny formed a duo, occasionally augmented by old members of ‘the child slavery band’, and the line-up finally settled into the Kyla Brox Band - Kyla Brox (vocals, flute); Marshall Gill (guitar); Tony Marshall (saxophones); Danny Blomeley (bass) and Phil Considine (drums). The Kyla Brox Band started playing in North West pubs and clubs: the circuit that had once been the stomping ground of the Victor Brox Blues Train. A career-making performance at Colne Blues Festival in 2002 established Kyla's reputation as the first lady of the British blues.

Consolidating their international fan-base, the Kyla Brox Band toured Australia in 2003, 2004 and (twice) 2007. The Kyla Brox Band made their US debut in 2007.

Discography

Solo Discography

2003 - Window (private release) 2003 - Beware (private release) 2004 - Coming Home (as Kyla Brox Band, Pigskin CD02) 2006 - Live at Matt and Phred’s (as Kyla Brox Band) (private release) 2007 - Gone (Pigskin, PIGCD01) 2009 - Grey Sky Blue (Pigskin, PIGCD03)

With Victor Brox

1998 - Kyla Jane & Victor With The Brox Gang 2000 - Darwin Night Train, as Victor Brox Blues Train 2001 - Belly Shiver (Bridgetown Blues), credited as Victor and Kyla Brox 2009 - Frog in Mah Pocket!, credited to Victor ‘Pur & Dur’ & Kyla ‘Raving Jane’ Brox)

Discography analysis

Solo Discography

Kyla Brox - Window (2003). Solo debut, takes its cue from the lo-fi aesthetic of Victor's latter-day albums, gathering home recordings with a smattering of live tracks . A balance is struck between the originals - where the tone is romantic and tender - and songs in the risque blues tradition from the perspective of a much older woman. Arrangements are stripped down to Danny Blomeley's guitar, Tony Marshall's saxophone and, used sparingly, Kyla's flute.

Kyla Brox - Beware (2003). A showcase for Kyla the soul belle. This is the Kyla who knocked them dead at Colne Blues Festival in 2002. Kyla tips her hat to Ann Peebles (Beware), Etta James (I Just Want to Make Love to You), Betty Lavette (Damn Your Eyes), and Brox Snr (Sick and Tired).

Kyla Brox Band - Coming Home (2004). Self-evidently the product of an active working band, this displays the collective at it’s height. Constant gigging had honed the tight grooves and musical interaction. Twelve out of the 14 selections are Kyla co-writes or come from immediate family members. Victor is represented by Working On Your Love. Brother Sam is producer. The raunch is concentrated on one song - Do I Move You, a smouldering Nina Simone number. The other cover is Don't Change Horses, from the repertoire of seventies California funksters Tower of Power, which mixes real emotion (a plea for a second chance) with outrageous showmanship ("Giddy up, hi ho Silver…") and remains a certified show-stopper to this day.

Kyla Brox Band - Live at Matt and Phred's (2006). Recorded live in Manchester, UK, on 11 March 2006, this captures the Kyla Brox Band in their prime. The rough and ready sound, complete with electrical hum and audience noise (unavoidable with a weekend crowd at Matt and Phred's) actually add authenticity. The rousing spirit - the songs are lived-in and feel comfortable - makes up for any deficiency in fidelity.

Kyla Brox - Gone (2007). First album entire of Brox/Blomeley originals, with the exception of a sole Kyla Brox credit (see below). When guitarist Marshall Gill was recruited by New Model Army, the Kyla Brox Band ceased to be a regular working unit. This is effectively Kyla and Danny's record, with old band members guesting on assorted tracks. Although Kyla was never averse to putting her feelings on the line - the stock-in-trade of any self-respecting soul singer - the songs have become much more autobiographical. The title track is a moving testament to loss. The self-penned You Said You'd Be My Sunshine, the album’s final track, finds Kyla singing a cappella, whipping up a maelstrom of passion about a commitment-shy lover: "five long years, no ring and no change,” she rages. It had the desired effect. Shortly after the recording, Danny proposed marriage to Kyla.

Kyla Brox - Grey Sky Blue (2009). The acoustic backdrop - just Brox and Blomeley with guests - gives full rein to Danny’s inventive, by turns delicate and unrestrained, virtuoso guitar. Goose-pimples are roused on the first track, All Breaking Down, and keep on coming. Her blues fans are placated with Get Ready and Shaken & Stirred, but songs like Kasbah and Like The Sky refer directly to solo debut Window, Kyla’s first acoustic album, but with added experience and superior technical resources. And here's an answer song: "Remember when you said you'd be my sunshine / And I cried / Because I thought it would never be my time / Well I was wrong / You came through / And turned my grey sky blue." The album was recorded when Kyla was pregnant with Sadie. It feels like both a summation and a fresh start.

With Victor Brox

Kyla Jane & Victor With The Brox Gang (1998). Kyla’s first official recordings. Sings solo on Gimme One Reason, Sick and Tired, Double Lovin’, Troubles Trouble and duets with Victor on Stop Breaking Down and Jesus On The Mainline.

Victor Brox Blues Train - Darwin Night Train (2000). A professional recording made live at Darwin Festival by ABC Radio on the first Australian tour. Kyla’s solo features are Trouble in Mind, Big Boss Man, Double Lovin’, Girlfriend, The Painter and Don’t Fail Me Baby. She duets with Victor on Jesus On The Mainline.

Victor and Kyla Brox - Belly Shiver (Bridgetown Blues) (2001). Kyla sings solo on Hey Bartender, Troubles Trouble, Gimme One Reason, Baby Get Lost, Steal Away, Baby I Love You, Reconsider Baby and Warning.

Victor ‘Pur & Dur’ & Kyla ‘Raving Jane’ Brox - Frog in Mah Pocket! (2009). A ragbag of early recordings, some made when Kyla was just 13, made, without Kyla’s permission, for sale at gigs by Victor. She sings Breaking Up Somebody's Home, Backwater Blues and Steal Away.

Quotes

"Her breathing control is superb but, more than this… Kyla's vocal is natural and very clean… with a depth of feeling…" - Blues Matters

"An authentic soul diva… sensitive, sexy, and with infinite reserves of sassiness" - City Life

"A classic sound pulled off with finesse… classy, impressive…" - Oldham Chronicle

"Great voice, great presence, great songs, great band…" - Leicester Mercury

References

Gig review in the specialist blues magazine Blues Matters

Kyla Brox bio for Big Wheel Music Festival

Kyla Brox bio

[1]

'The Kyla Brox Band' by Mike Butler. Metro, 11 January, 2007.

'Kyla Brox Band' by Mike Butler. Jazz & Blues Section, City Life, May, 2002.

External links Kyla Brox bio Kyla Brox webpage Kyla Brox review by jazz journalist Mike Butler