Moses, Kathryn

Websites:  https://www.rhapsodybyleo.com/concert-band-members/woodwinds/kathryn-moses/
Origin: Wynwoode, Oklahoma, 🇺🇸 - Toronto, Ontario, 🇨🇦
Biography:

Kathryn Moses: Voice of the Flute, Spirit of Canadian Jazz

Kathryn Moses (September 23, 1943 – May 17, 2021) was a visionary jazz flutist, saxophonist, vocalist, composer, and arranger whose work bridged classical discipline with the soulful spontaneity of jazz. Born in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, she began her musical journey as a classical flutist, performing with the Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra while still in her early twenties. But it was her move to Canada in 1967, alongside her then-husband, jazz trumpeter Ted Moses, that sparked the most transformative chapter of her career.

Settling in Toronto, Kathryn quickly became an integral part of the city's thriving jazz and folk communities. Her expressive flute playing—lyrical, agile, and deeply melodic—found a home on the recordings of such artists as Bruce Cockburn, Murray McLauchlan, and Hagood Hardy, while her work in the Ted Moses Quintet further cemented her credentials as a formidable jazz soloist. She also contributed to film soundtracks, studio sessions, and ensemble work with notable Canadian composers like Phil Nimmons and Fred Stone.

In 1975, Kathryn stepped confidently into the spotlight as a bandleader, forming the Kathryn Moses Quartet and later a Quintet. Her regular collaborators included guitarist Rob Piltch, bassist David Piltch, and drummer Claude Ranger—players who helped her shape a unique sound that balanced jazz improvisation with pop, funk, and Brazilian influences. The group’s performances, including a celebrated appearance at the Ontario Science Centre's "Sound of Toronto Jazz" series in 1978, showcased her virtuosic range and genre-defying approach.

Moses released two critically acclaimed albums during her recording career. Her 1976 self-titled debut, Kathryn Moses, was a genre-blending statement of musical identity and won the inaugural Canada Council Award for Best Jazz Recording of the Year. Her follow-up, Music in My Heart (1979), built on that foundation with a wider palette of textures and global rhythms, reflecting her adventurous spirit as both a composer and performer.

A gifted and generous artist, Kathryn Moses also made her mark as an educator and mentor to young musicians, advocating for greater space for women in jazz and contemporary music. Her work extended into the world of film composition as well—her score for the 1992 documentary Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives earned international attention and reflected her commitment to socially conscious art.

Kathryn Moses passed away in her hometown of Wynnewood, Oklahoma, on May 17, 2021, leaving behind a lasting legacy in Canadian music history. Her voice—whether carried by the flute, saxophone, or her own vocal lines—remains a singular presence in the story of jazz in Canada: elegant, daring, and deeply human.
-Robert Williston