Kane Kalas is a Philadelphia based classically trained crooner, whose style evokes music’s Golden Age with a contemporary twist. His voice is a heavy baritone that wraps around you like a comforting memory. He is also the son of Hall of Fame Sportscaster and Philadelphia Phillies announcer, Harry Kalas.
His new single is his rendition of Frank Sinatra’s classic “Luck Be a Lady.” As a professional poker player, this song carries a different meaning for Kane than for most others. Since he first participated in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas when he was 21, it has become a personal tradition to play “Luck Be a Lady” on his ride from the airport to the venue.
Kane’s rendition evokes a contemporary big band sound, using an orchestra of strings, horns, percussion, and choir. The song is carried by Kane’s warm vocals.
“Luck Be A Lady” comes from his upcoming album High Hopes.
In this interview spotlight, we chat about favorite songs, dream collabs, musical memories and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
What can you share with readers about your new project?
On April 6th 2023, I will be releasing my debut album, High Hopes. The album, named after the Sinatra classic, is dedicated to my father, Harry Kalas, who broadcast for the Philadelphia Phillies for 37 seasons. He was known to sing “High Hopes” whenever the Phillies made the playoffs.
High Hopes includes 18 original compositions of some of the most recognizable music from the American Standards genre. The album includes cameo appearances from local celebrities Merrill Reese and Joe Conklin.
How does this project compare with your other projects you had in the past?
Most of my prior work as an artist has come in the way of live performances — concerts, musicals, and operas. I also perform the Star-Spangled Banner for the Philadelphia Phillies each Opening Day and whenever they make the playoffs and World Series.
Singing into a microphone, in a studio, is a totally different experience than performing live, on stage. The microphone picks up on minor nuances in the voice that are lost in a large hall. It also accentuates breaths, allowing an artist to really make a statement with his or her phrasing. Over the course of this project, I fell in love with the process of studio recording and the unique opportunities for true intimacy that it facilitates.
What about this project makes you most proud? Was there a specific goal you were trying to accomplish with this release?
High Hopes has absolutely no computer-generated music!
As sound engineering technology has improved, the fidelity of computer-generated instrumentation has skyrocketed while its cost has come down. Consequently, nearly all modern music contains at least some components of computer-generated instrumentation.
For High Hopes we commissioned over fifty of the best jazz musicians from the Philadelphia and bordering tri-state area for the orchestra and chorus. Every note on the album was played by a real musician or sung by a real vocalist.
Since the album is dedicated to my father and the city of Philadelphia, supporting Philly’s exceptionally talented musicians was extremely important to me.
What inspires you to create music? What motivates you to keep going?
I’ve always loved big band music. For some time, mainstream music has strayed further and further away from strong melodies in favor of the spoken word and computer-generated beats.
I want to immerse my older fans with feelings of nostalgia. I want younger generations to experience the type of live performance their parents and grandparents used to in which the elegance of the venue, staging, and orchestration makes the audience feel like royalty.
If you could collaborate with anyone – dead or alive, famous or unknown – who would it be and why? If it’s an indie/DIY artist, please include a link so readers can check them out.
I’d want to collaborate with the greatest opera composer of all time, Giuseppe Verdi. Unlike most operatic composers of the 19th century, who featured primarily tenors in the principal male roles, Verdi had an affinity for the baritone voice and always included a principal baritone role in his operas. His baritone arias — some of the most vocally difficult and dramatic repertoire ever written — have spawned the eponymous term, “Verdi baritone,” a vocal fach classified by an ability to sing with ease in the highest part of the baritone range but with a dark and rich timbre.
Verdi’s music is so legato and so melodic but he died before the Great American Songbook emerged as a genre. I would be fascinated to hear to type of compositions he could conjure for the male baritone crooner.
What was the last song you listened to? Favorite all-time bands/artists?
About thirty minutes ago I was listening to “Love is Here to Stay,” by Frank Sinatra on YouTube. He helped mold the genre setting the gold standard for all crooners to follow.
Sinatra was masterful at bringing songs to life — making the audience feel the lyrics. He did this through a combination of masterful phrasing and vocal “presence,” keeping everything he sang in the mask. Sinatra never failed to deliver on the most intimate passages of a song; unlike many popular artists of his time (and since) who tend to come off the voice to create intimacy, Sinatra would do the opposite. He’d instead sing hard vowel sounds and gradually scoop up to or down from the note, conveying both passion and vulnerability.
Where is the best place to find you and stay connected?
Connect with me here:
http://instagram.com/KaneKalas
https://www.tiktok.com/@KaneKalas
https://www.youtube.com/@realkanekalas
https://www.facebook.com/Kane.Kalas
I really appreciate your time. Is there anything you’d like to share before we sign off?
Two singles from my upcoming album have already been released.
“Luck Be a Lady” & “Eagles’ Victory Song”
You can check them out here:
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/kane-kalas/1666024036
Pre-orders for the High Hopes album are available now!
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