Michele Rosewoman has something for everyone.
The jazz pianist and composer makes her Baltimore debut this Saturday night at An die Musik, accompanied by her band, Quintessence. Rosewoman?s voice is strikingly unique, and her original compositions combine a number of different musical disciplines.
“We are all improvisers [and] we work with the magic of the moment,” she said in her soft phone voice, deep as a purr, as she talked about her music and her overwhelming desire to share it with audiences. “As a composer, my goal is to set up an environment that is conducive to our spontaneous exploration, one that conveys a mystery.”
Born in Oakland, Calif., Rosewoman began playing the piano at age 6. Studying under the famed pianist and organist Ed Kelly, she learned the jazz traditions which would later become the foundation for her original compositions.
During her teenage years, she began playing percussion and studying Cuban and Haitian folkloric idioms. Upon moving to New York in 1978, she was already a seasoned performer, having played in numerous venues in the San Francisco Bay Area.
“She plays with a lot of optimism and takes chances with the genre,” said WEAA Radio DJ Doc Manning, who?s also an An die Musik event programmer. “When you?re well-rounded in the tradition of music, you?re comfortable with taking those chances.”
Quintessence is made of Aaron Stewart on tenor sax, Brad Jones playing bass, Liberty Elman on guitar and Gerald Cleaver on the drums. Their latest release with Rosewoman, “The In Side Out,” has received rave reviews from industry critics and reviewers, including four stars from Downbeat, and Best of 2006 critics? polls from the Jazz Journalist Association, All About Jazz and the Village Voice.
The October 2006 release of “The In Side Out” marks Rosewoman?s first new recording since 2000 and the fifth featuring her ensemble, Quintessence.
“I strive for a unique ensemble sound,” she said. “I work hard for a rhythm section that is other than a time-keeping approach.”
IF YOU GO
Michele Rosewoman and Quintessence
» Venue: An die Musik LIVE!, 409 N. Charles St., Baltimore
» Times: 8 p.m. Saturday
» Tickets: $20/$18 students and seniors
» More info: 888-221-6170 or 410-385-2638
