About Me

Kaye’s career now spans 4 decades, with 5 albums and three singles recorded, having toured the South West, all over the Pacific North West and Japan, with only the pandemic to interrupt her non-stop 40-year career. She has shared the stage with Bozz Skaggs, Elvin Bishop, Robert Cray, Gatemouth Brown, Irma Thomas, Sista’ Monica, Magic Slim, Pinetop Perkins and Rod Piazza to name a few. The musicians and producers on Kaye’s albums host a wealth of San Francisco Bay Area, L.A. and International celebrities including Robben Ford, Tommy Castro, Danny Caren, Garth Webber and Pete Anderson.

Kaye likes to think of herself as a “Mavin of Mid-century Modern American Roots Music.” Her Era of influence is Big Band Swing to late 1970’s Funk. That is reflected in her songwriting as well as the material she covers. She has been a force as her own band leader, whether she steps out with small trio or her 10-piece big band. Dave Faires of the Monterey County Weekly writes, “There is no way to contain Kaye Bohler. She strides across time, not singing but laying down songs, not dressing up but stepping out-bringing the vibe if a different era and making it resonate now. With a voice of whiskey and honey - Bohler is blues and soul, rock and big band, Tina Turner, Etta James, James Brown in one.”

On the journey to find your style, a singer/songwriter travels through many genres and bands, and Kaye’s career has been no different. In 1981 Kaye began private classical vocal study and attended “The Jazz School in San Diego. By 1983 she was a singing waitress, sitting in with bands and doing singing telegrams. In 1986 she landed a gig with a piano player in L.A. and went from obscurity to singing 6 nights a week for 6 years, covering old-school and pop music. In 1990 was the moment when she came home to the Blues and formed her first Blues band, The Big K Blues Band. Kaye has always had the lead singer role she went to Japan with the American Can Can Review in 1990, to fronting Capone, a Nevada, casino-circuit, cover-band in 93’ or the lead singer of Pele Juju the nationally famous 10-piece World beat band from 1998 - 2000. 

Kaye’s songwriting became prolific and focused on “the Blues” in the 1990’s with the release of Kaye Bohler, Men and Music and Live at Moe’s Alley, hosting 14 original compositions. With the release of Like A Flower in 2009 Kaye risked moving outside the Blues genre to set her sights on capturing a more broad representation of Soul, Jazz and Rhythm & Blues in her songwriting. Featuring Robben Ford and Tommy Castro, Like A Flower holds 10 original compositions and was met with great reviews. Downbeat magazine review notes, “Bohler stands firmly in the Blues tradition yet can turn a dime into Soul Sophistication.” Dan MacIntosch, of Reviewyou.com writes, “Bohler is to the Blues what Carol King was (and is) to singer-songwriters: an introspective songwriter, with a gutsy, impossible to ignore voice.” And Fabrizio Poggi of Fab Radio in Italy says, “A Great and unforgettable voice! A large and beautiful voice to Kaye Bohler, a voice that is not easily forgotten. Described as a “white Tina Turner.” Hearing is believing.”

Her next Album release in 2014, entitled Handle the Curves was well received also.  Alan Pearce of Blues Matter Britian writes…”Kaye Bohler, out of California, has a big strong voice and on this, her fifth album, she proves that she can certainly handle a soul tune with ease and class…A very fine Album.” Blue Barry ~ Smoky Mountain Blues Society writes,  “Handle The Curves” is a winner!  With 10 original tunes, and a fabulous voice Kaye asks us that question?  Apparently she can, and more!  With multi-Grammy winner, and ace guitarist, Pete Anderson producing and playing guitar on the CD it is done right!  Kaye can love talk you, or powerfully tell you how it is, with that great voice she has!  The CD is truly a showcase piece for a fine singer.  Kaye has been performing for over 30 years, and this CD shows it.  It is brassy, and sassy, and right to the money.  Not complicated, but funky to soulful to blues in your face.  The CD has that Memphis sound with its horn arrangements.  Which, by the way, are written by Lee Thornburg from the Tonight Show.  With horns on every track!  The guitar work is great, the horn section is money, and the extra bonus is the heart, grit, soul, and love of Kaye herself!”

For forty years now Kaye’s non-stop touring career has taken her all over the entire Pacifica Northwest, Southwest and abroad to Paris and Japan. With multiple appearances at the International Monterey Blues Festival, Eureka Blues by the Bay, the Fountain Blues Festival San Jose, Gilroy Garlic Festival and many other festival appearances from Los Angeles to Seattle. Kaye also loves the intimacy of performing in a dinner show environment, showing off her vocal and performance chops with a scaled down musical combo.  Kaye has recorded a few social consciousness singles with “Woman in the Whitehouse, in 2015, The Country I love in 2020 and Stand Up and Fight in 2023.

Kaye notes now, “coming out of the pandemic gave me two wonderful things, a much need sabbatical and 16 new original inspiring tunes.” Kaye always steps out with top notch, American Roots musicians, well-seasoned in Blues, Jazz and Soul. She is currently promoting her Rat Pack to Rhythm and Blues Show and is in production on her 6th full length album entitled “Better,” scheduled to be released by the end of 2024.