From his youngest years pianist and composer Karel Boehlee (1960) was a revelation in the Dutch jazz scene. His first records were an immediate success, especially in Japan. Over the years, Karel Boehlee emerged as one of the greatest pianists in the Netherlands, which resulted in performances with the very greatest international jazz musicians. He has been playing for over twenty years as a pianist with such great artists as Toots Thielemans and Philip Catherine. He also plays regularly with famous Dutch artists such as Toon Roos, Fay Claasen and Trijntje Oosterhuis. Additionally, he is much in demand as a session musician with pop artists like Gino Vanelli and many others.

His recognizable piano playing and compositions are increasingly popular in Japan and Korea, where Karel Boehlee increasingly performs as a solo artist.
In addition to his career as a pianist Karel Boehlee is a principal subject teacher at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.