Kenia

New York-based jazz and world music vocalist, born August 26, 1957, in Nova Iguaçu, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Relocated to Long Island, New York, in 1975, back to Rio after studies, then to New York in 1980 and Los Angeles in 1987, back to New York in 1990. Currently resides in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. Sings in Portuguese and in English. Has worked with Claudio Roditi, Justo Almario and James Taylor. Owner of Mooka Entertainment. Known as Kenia, and avoids her possible surnames: Acioly, by birth; Gould, by her first marriage, and Ashby, by her marriage to musical director and musician Jay Ashby.