www.kendrahbw.com
Kendrah Butler- Waters is a Philadelphia based pianist, violinist, vocalist, composer and educator. Musician and scholar, she holds a dual Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Sociology from Temple University and Masters degree in Elementary Education from Drexel University.
As a performer, this brilliant keyboard artist brings
to mind the speed and dexterity of a seasoned artist. She culminates the sounds of Jazz, Classical, and gospel into a wonderfully woven sound that is all her own. Butler Waters has performed at countless jazz venues including the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts, The Philadelphia Clef Club, International House Philadelphia, Museum of the American Revolution, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Mandell Theater, Venice Island Performing Arts Center, Cape May Jazz Festival, Lancaster Avenue Jazz Festival, Ardmore Jazz Festival, Chris’ Jazz Cafe, and abroad. Kendrah’s work has been featured on NPR, WRTI, PBS, and countless other outlets.
Butler-Waters was a 2015-2016 Kimmel Center Jazz Resident and has participated in and/or served as music director in a number of Philadelphia Jazz Project events including; Given: Women Composers Respond to Duchamp in 2020, We Shall: A Lyrical MLK Celebration in 2019 & 2020, PhillyCAM Sessions – television series in 2015 and more. She has also done various solo piano performances, one of which was a solo piano tribute at the Pennsylvania premier of producer/director, Carol Bash’s documentary film, Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band. Kendrah Butler-Waters has also scored music for the documentary titled, “The LaMott Community Garden” sponsored by PBS’s, “Our Community Stories.” Most recently, she performed and composed new work for LeVar Burton and his “LeVar Burton Reads” Tour episode titled, “Driftglass”; a work by famed author/Sci-Fi Innovator Samuel L. Delany. Kendrah was also awarded a Black Music City grant funded through Jazz Philadelphia, WXPN, WRTI, and REC Philly. She composed a body of work dedicated to Trudy Pitts and sacred jazz.
Butler-Waters is a sought after musician, composer, arranger, music director and educator who’s most recent album, “Faith Walk” has been featured on WRTI Radio, NPR, WHYY PBS At Home Concert Series, Jazz Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Jazz Project