She’s talented, determined and focused. Having performed everywhere from Citizens Bank Park to the White House, singer Jessy Kyle of Edgewater Park, N.J., is ready for primetime as Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar, 117 S. 17th Street, raises the curtain its new concert series on Wednesday, August 22, 7 p.m.–9 p.m.
At the free entertainment showcase, being held in the Burnham Ballroom (25th floor), guests will enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, courtesy of Square 1682.
“I’m very excited about it,” said Kyle, a vivacious veteran entertainer now living in Philadelphia. “Like all hotels, they have a beautiful ballroom, but instead of just using it for weddings and corporate functions like most hotels do, the Hotel Palomar is using theirs as a live music venue. Their slogan is ‘Live Like a Local,’ so when you’re visiting any of their properties throughout the world, they go to painstaking lengths to ensure that they can offer guests anything that’s local to one of their hotels — so obviously for us, that’s Philadelphia. So I’m the first artist in their live music series, and I’m debuting a single. That evening is a release party. I’ll be performing with my band, and it’s also a party to introduce their room as a live music venue.”
Kyle, 39, began singing professionally at age 16 and came to Philly to work at “Jazzy” Jeff Townes’ Touch of Jazz recording studio. “I took the job at the studio as an administrator to learn the business. I actually did start there singing, but then Jeff offered me a job as his assistant and to run the studio, so I thought that was a grand opportunity,” she said.
Describing herself as a “soul-jazz singer,” Kyle explained the inspiration for her uplifting new single, “Won’t Give Up,” saying, “I just it wrote it with my nephew (Shawn Kyle). That song, it really kind of feels like an anthem for my life right now. I’m a three-time cancer survivor. Singing has always been my passion since I was a little girl, and that has never changed. Now I’m happily married, I have a daughter — music was always my passion.
“This song, ‘Won’t Give Up,’ is not about one person or about one situation. It’s about people and situations throughout my life as I’m looking back — obstacles, triumphs, tribulations, but essentially not giving up. For me, from a music standpoint, I’m a professional singer, which is great. I’m trying to get to that next level, so I’m never going to give up.”
“Won’t Give Up,” will be just part of a six-song set presented by Kyle and her band, and copies of her current CD titled “Love Again” will be available for sale, as well as vouchers for a free download of her new music. “You can expect an intimate gathering,” Kyle said. “It’s going to be on a Wednesday evening, so people are already out. Come in, gather, see the venue and hear a good band. It’s a way to hear some local music.”
Contact entertainment reporter Kimberly C. Roberts at (215) 893-5753 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
