Irene Kral

Irene Kral ( born January 18, 1932 in Chicago, † August 15, 1978 in Encino ) was an American jazz singer.

Life and work

Kral was the daughter of a local politician of Czech origin in Illinois; her brother was pianist Roy Kral. As a teenager she sang with the Big Band of Jay Burkhardt and 1954 with the Tattle - Tales, a vocal group, where she also played drums. Then she went with the bands of Woody Herman and Chubby Jackson on tour. On the recommendation of Carmen McRae sang from 1957 with Maynard Ferguson, where they remained for two years and her future husband Joe Burnett met. Then moved to Los Angeles, where she performed regularly at the Steve Allen Show; Allen also wrote the songs for her album Steveireneo. In addition, she worked with the band of Herb Pomeroy, with the album The Band and I was born. Then she worked with Shelly Manne and in Las Vegas. In 1961 she moved with her husband in the suburban districts of Tarzana, interrupting her solo career because she raised her daughters Jodi and Melissa. She occasionally worked on, so in 1962 with the quintet of Buddy Collette or Laurindo Almeida 1964, on his album Guitar From Ipanema (1964 ), which won a Grammy, they can be heard. It was not until 1974, it intensified again work as a singer and followed on from their earlier successes until cancer ended her performances. Their albums KralSpace and Gentle Rain was nominated for a Grammy.

Their songs have been used by Clint Eastwood in The Bridges of Madison County soundtrack of the film.

Disco Graphical Notes

• Boy with Lots of Brass - EmArcy (1957 )
• The Band and I - (1958, with Herb Pomeroy and Al Cohn )
• Detour Ahead - United Artists (1958 )
• Steveireneo - United Artists (1959 )
• Better Than Anything - DRG (1963 )
• Wonderful Life - Mainstream ( 1965)
• Where Is Love? - (1974, with Alan Broadbent )
• Live in Tokyo - (1976 )
• KralSpace - (1977 )
• Gentle Rain - Choice (1977, with Alan Broadbent )