KYLA Brox, one of Britain’s top blues singers, will perform this month at Silsden’s newest live venue.

She is playing Silsden Town Hall after wowing local fans in recent years at blues venues in the Keighley area.

The Kyla Brox Blues Band will play on Saturday May 11 as the first of several planned Blues Club events this year during the town hall’s Silsden Live programme.

The concerts are being organised by a volunteer committee that on April 1 this year officially took on a lease to run by the Bradford Council-owned town hall.

Town hall spokesman Ray Colling said: “We have agreed to run a number of entertainment events under the name of Silsden Live. A Blues Club was one of our choices and the team have put together a programme of Blues Club events for the rest of the year.

“To kick off this new venture we wanted to book a headline act and were delighted we secured the brilliant Kyla Box Blues Band which we consider a real scoop for us.

A spokesman for Kyla Brox said her voice was a stunning example of the soul singer’s art.

He added: “Her voice excels in turning up the heat by degrees, lulling and charming before unleashing emotional catharsis, and blurring the distinction between pleasure and pain like the soul greats of old.

“Whether fronting the mighty Kyla Brox Band, or harnessing undiluted soul power in a duo with Danny Blomeley, Kyla Brox is without doubt the most authentic UK blues and soul singer of her generation.”

Born in Lancashire in 1980, Kyla was exposed to the passion of Afro-American music from her blues singing father, Victor, who played Caiaphas in the original cast recording of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Kyla began singing with Victor on stage at the age of 12, then started performing with his regular touring group the Victor Brox Blues Train.

She spent a decade in Victor’s old stomping grounds in North West pubs and clubs, before a career-making performance at Colne Blues Festival in 2002 sealed Kyla’s reputation as the first lady of British blues.

The next Blues Club Event will be on September 14 with Tom C Walker, and the popular Hayley Sisters and Jester B will perform as High On Harmony on Saturday June 14.

Visit silsdentownhall.org.uk for further information.