Meeting on 8th February with partners (Zoom), 7.30pm

Kim and Mike Cypher’s informal and relaxed presentation was a delightful treat for our members, partners and visiting Rotarians.  Pleasant and unrehearsed chatter, as you would with friends, interspersed with music and song.

Kim took up the saxophone at age 9 and achieved Grade 8 practical and theory of music with distinction by the time she was 14.  She studied at St Paul’s & St Mary’s College in Cheltenham where she was awarded a First-Class Honours for her original musical composition for saxophone, clarinet, Peruvian pipes and percussion.

Kim and Mike met each other about 35 years ago when as teenagers they were in the Gloucester Youth Orchestra.  They share a passion for music and 10 years ago they left their respective employments (Kim was head of music in a primary school and Mike an area bank manager) to become self-employed professional musicians.  Kim recorded and released her first album “Make Believe” in 2016.  “It was”, she said, “all about following my dream.”

Whilst playing a gig in the Royal Oak, Swindon, they met Sheila Harrod.  It was a meeting meant to be.  Kim needed a choir for a song she had written and of course Sheila said: “I have a choir.”  The result: “Rising From The Dust” an original ‘Rock inspired’ song featuring New York guitarist B.D. Lenz and The Kentwood Show Choir. It was released as a video and the track features on the "Love Kim x" album.

Kim and Mike said they'd be thrilled if we kept in touch with them on social media and perhaps join them on Facebook on Valentine's Night (the event link is below).  For anyone not on Facebook the live gig video will be on YouTube from Monday 15th February.

Valentine live gig event details - https://fb.me/e/47koeJlqQ
Kim Cypher Facebook page where live gig will stream: https://www.facebook.com/kim.cypher
Videos of the songs Kim sang for us are available on YouTube:
“All For You” - https://youtu.be/sXcAoeoBav4
“Crazy Times” - https://youtu.be/hr5J5tw2hOc
“Rising From The Dust” - https://youtu.be/ey7esY279qM

Further information

Kim has performed alongside some of the country’s finest jazz musicians including Pee Wee Ellis (saxophone), Ray Gelato (saxophone & vox), David Newton (piano), Clive Morton (double bass), Liane Carroll (piano & vox), Andy Sheppard (saxophone), Denny Ilett (guitar) with regular band personnel including highly acclaimed musicians Chris Cobbson (guitar), Mike Green (double bass), Raph Mizraki (double bass), Anders Olinder (organ and piano), Tom Berge (piano) and husband Mike Cypher (drums). Kim regularly collaborates with US guitarist B.D. Lenz and his band including Easter and Summer tours plus an original album track “Rising From The Dust”.

She has appeared on national TV and Radio and has recorded as a session musician on a variety of recordings and is a resident performer at the highly prestigious Ivy Restaurant in Cheltenham.  In 2016 she was flown to New York with her jazz quartet for a private performance and was also commissioned to perform a private event for Prime Minister Theresa May in 2017.  In 2019 she was featured in the award winning ‘Women In Jazz’ book by author Sammy Stein in which she is described as “one of the UK’s most popular players”.

Kim Cypher's website

Kim Cypher YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/user/CyphersFilms