AT 96-YEARS-YOUNG, PIANIST, VOCALIST. COMPOSER AND L.A. JAZZ LEGEND BETTY BRYANT (“COOL MISS B”) RELEASES HER 15th ALBUM
NOTHIN‘ BETTER TO DO
Available January 16, 2026
BETTY BRYANT is a Los Angeles treasure. The singer, pianist, and composer has been a regular on the Southern California jazz scene since 1955, when she moved from her hometown of Kansas City, MO, where she was mentored by the late, great Jay McShann. Now, at the remarkable age of 96, Bryant is releasing NOTHIN’ BETTER TO DO, her 15th album. It follows her 2024 release Lotta Livin.’
Dubbed “Cool Miss B” by Robert Kyle, after he wrote a song for her first album in 1997 entitled “Cool Miss B,” her blues-based piano and vocal stylings have garnered a legion of fans at numerous jazz clubs and night spots up and down the West Coast and beyond. She has performed in the Middle East and Brazil, and for many years was a popular attraction at the upscale Tableaux Lounge in Tokyo, Japan. She was also a featured performer at the Boquete Jazz and Blues Festival in Boquete, Panama. Back home, she had a long-term engagement at celebrity chef Susan Feniger’s Hollywood restaurant, Street. The “Betty Bryant Birthday Bash” is still a hugely popular annual event at Los Angeles’ famed Catalina Jazz Club, and she also performs monthly at the historic L.A. Athletic Club and semi-yearly at Herb Alpert’s posh Vibrato Jazz Club.
Although she had been actively engaged in all the production aspects of her previous albums, she was happy to hand the reins to ROBERT KYLE, to handle most of the production work. Kyle, a saxophonist and flutist, is a mainstay on the Los Angeles jazz scene as well as a touring and recording artist. He has played on and either produced or co-produced most of Bryant’s albums. She says, “Rob and Alan Eichler, who is the executive producer of this album, saw to it that all I had to do was come in and play and sing. I’ve slowed down quite a bit and can’t record more than one song a day, so a lot of the responsibility for the recording, mixing and organization fell on Rob’s shoulders.” Kyle notes, “I’m grateful to Miss B and Alan Eichler for trusting me again to produce this latest collection of music. We’ve been making music together for nearly 35 years, and she continues to inspire and delight! It’s an honor and a joy to make music with her and to have her as my dear friend.”
Also joining Bryant on NOTHIN’ BETTER TO DO are some of the stellar musicians that live in Southern California, including RICHARD SIMON (bass), KEVIN WINARD (drums), AARON SERFATY (drums), HUSSAIN JIFFRY (bass), TONY GUERRERO (trumpet), KLEBER JORGE (guitar), LUANNE HOMZY (violin and viola), and NED TARO (cello).
NOTHIN’ BETTER TO DO features three original tunes (one by Bryant, one by Bryant and Kyle, and one by Kyle) as well as several tracks that are off the beaten path. With Bryant and Kyle out front, the music swings with an appealing bluesy, lilting quality. The arrangements are mostly by Bryant and Kyle, with string arrangements on two tracks by Jim McMillen. Although her vision is very poor and her step is not as steady as it once was, her music and the witty lyrics she still writes for her own compositions show a joie de vivre that is simply infectious. Bryant says, “I’ve been playing the piano for 90 years. It’s a big part of who I am. I still have a lot of music to make.”
Bryant sets the tone for the album with the opening number, “You Are Not My First Love.” A swinging tune, Bryant sings it with her characteristic smile and tongue-in-cheek attitude. “I Can’t See for Looking” is a soulful bluesy number, originally recorded by Nat King Cole, who credits his wife, Nadine Robinson, as co-writer. “He May Be Your Man” is a Bryant original, which she says, “is kind of a mash up of a few really old blues songs.” The song features solos by Simon on bass, Kyle on tenor, and Bryant on piano. “I Haven’t Got Anything Better to Do” is a sly song about lost love featuring the witty line, “I think about him on alternate Thursdays, when I haven’t got anything better to do.” The tune has a bossa nova feel enhanced by longtime friend and collaborator, guitarist Kleber Jorge, who adds an authentic Brazilian flavor. Kyle (on tenor) and Jorge offer sensitive solos, and the beautiful string arrangement adds a lush quality to this track.
“Time Was” was written in 1936 by Mexican composer Miguel Prado and lyricist Gabriel Luna de la Fuente. Originally titled “Duerme,” American lyricist S.K. Russell wrote new English lyrics in 1941 and changed the title. Arranged with an Afro-Cuban groove, Kyle is featured on flute. “Mama Sue” is a toe-tapping New Orleans-inspired original composed by Bryant and Kyle about how to get to a heavenly rib joint. Bryant shows off her swing chops on “Thanks for You,” a rarely done tune that was first recorded in 1947 by Frankie Laine and Carl Fischer’s Orchestra. “Awrite Then,” composed by Kyle, is a laid-back instrumental blues shuffle with solos by Kyle, Bryant, Guerrero, Simon, and Winard. Closing the album, “Winter Warm,” features lush strings and flute. A seasonal love song originally performed by Gail Storm in 1957, it’s one of Bacharach and David’s lesser-performed songs.
At 96 years old, Betty Bryant might need a little help climbing up on a stage, but her singing and playing have not lost a step. She continues to entertain and touch the hearts of audiences on both her recordings and live performances.
About Betty Bryant
Betty Bryant was honored in 1987 when her hometown of Kansas City declared “Betty Bryant Day” and gave her the keys to the city. A famous photograph of Betty with Jay McShann hangs in the lobby of the American Jazz Museum there. She moved to the west coast in 1955, where she immediately got an engagement at Beverly Hills’ famed “Ye Little Club.” This was the beginning of mostly solo appearances in Los Angeles. Her reputation grew, and she quickly became a popular act on the west coast. Bryant’s past releases include 14 critically acclaimed CDs, including 2009’s No Regrets, which received airplay on over 100 jazz stations nationwide. Her 2018 release Project 88 spent nine weeks on the JazzWeek chart, hitting #22. Her original song “Catfish Man” was a huge hit on jazz radio, bringing her new fans worldwide.
NOTHIN‘ BETTER TO DO will be available digitally on all platforms on January 16, 2026. Physical copies will be available at Bandcamp. Distribution by City Hall Records via AMPED/Alliance Entertainment.
ONLINE:
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