Kari has Bachelor and Masters degrees in jazz from Leeds College of Music, as well as a Postgraduate Certificate in performing arts education from Royal Northern College of Music. She is Principal Lecturer and Programme Leader at Leeds College of Music where she teaches a range of subjects alongside working as a freelance vocalist and composer.
Kari played a central role in the establishment of the LIMA collective – Leeds Improvised Music Association- and organised the LIMA festival in 2008. She also wrote commission music for the LIMA Orchestra performed at the FUSE festival.
Kari has toured internationally since 2002, and has performed at festival and venues in countries including Norway, Finland, Germany, UK, Canda, USA, Zimbabwe and Australia. She has performed with a range of bands, projects and collaborations. They include ‘Røyst Trio’, ‘Sonic Stories’ with Rune Mandelid, The Tommy Evans Orchestra, ‘Vehere’ with Sean Foran and Joachim Badenhorst, Laura Cole’s ‘Metamorphic’, ‘Ravner’ with Dave Lynch, Christophe DeBezenac and Chris Sharkey, Matt Anderson’s ‘The Voice of the Ridings’ and many more.
Kari has featured on several album releases with these projects, and they have been released on labels in Norway, Australia and the UK. Kari also occasionally undertakes work of a more commercial nature, and her voice has been featured in TV programmes, radio jingles and movie soundtracks. Her voice will also feature on an upcoming release by the London based indie band KIN.
In 2012 Kari was named ‘Vocalist of the Year’ by the Jazz Yorkshire Awards.