BIO | GALLERY
With early classical piano lessons and a foundation in choral music, Arrika Brazill first took the stage at 18, performing “God Bless the Child” at the Jazzhaus in Lawrence, Kansas—an experience that sparked her lifelong connection to jazz. After moving to Kansas City in 2002, she found her artistic footing at the historic Mutual Musicians Foundation, joining the city’s vibrant late-night jazz scene and performing throughout the 18th & Vine district. She was featured on the front page of the newspaper following her performance at the Coleman Hawkins Jazz Festival and sang on several albums of some of Kansas City's most prominent musicians.
Alongside her musical path, Arrika built a successful career in project coordination and administration, including work on the Sprint Center Arena in Downtown Kansas City—where she proudly signed the final steel beam during construction, a lasting symbol of her ties to the city. In 2006, she opened The Cellar Gallery & Lounge, a unique venue at 19th & Main that fused live jazz with visual art. As curator, booker, and manager, she transformed the space into a creative hub, earning praise from The Jazz Ambassadors Magazine for its relaxed, artistic energy and commitment to local talent.
Arrika relocated from Kansas City to New Orleans in 2014, where she performed at notable venues including Fritzel’s European Jazz Club, the New Orleans Mint, and at a number of private gallery events. In 2019, she traveled from New Orleans to Colorado’s Front Range to launch Silver Senior Entertainment Services, providing music and arts programming to seniors living with memory loss and dementia. Stepping back from the stage to build the business, she witnessed firsthand how music can spark memory, joy, and connection—deepening her belief in its transformative power to heal.
As a vocalist, Arrika blends gritty edge with soft phrasing and emotional depth. Influenced by artists from Irving Berlin and Billie Holiday to Mahalia Jackson and James Taylor, her style draws from classic jazz, Motown, folk, and timeless American songwriting. She’s known for her ability to bring lyrics to life—honoring the original form before making a song her own. In addition to singing, she is a songwriter and has composed several original songs, showcasing her unique creative voice.
She returned to Kansas City in 2022, rejoining its rich jazz community and bringing with her a renewed sense of purpose and creative depth. Since then, she has performed in New Orleans, St. Louis, Detroit, and back in Kansas City—reconnecting with audiences and rediscovering the joy of live performance and being on stage.
With new horizons ahead, Arrika enters a new chapter—one that continues to bridge the intimacy of sharing music in personal spaces with the power of performance on a larger platform. Her mission remains clear—to share music that moves, matters, and reminds us who we are.