Helmbrecht, Carla

Grammy-nominated singer/song-writer, Carla Helmbrecht, began her love affair with music at the age of eight. A native of Wisconsin, Carla was raised in a large music-loving family and had an inherent desire for music. It was her father who introduced her to jazz, and it was not uncommon for the entire family to spend endless evenings making music. By age 13, she was singing professionally and continued her musical studies through high school and college. Early influences included Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Julie London, Shirley Horn, Nancy Wilson, and Blossom Dearie. Her dual career in music and Speech Pathology has given her a unique understanding of the balance between vocal efficiency and expression in this fragile instrument – the voice.