PROGRAM BIO

CONNIE CROTHERS (pianist) is known for her wide range of expression, originality, uncompromising spontaneous improvisation.

Her quartet, featuring alto saxophonist Richard Tabnik, drummer Roger Mancuso and bassist Ken Filiano.has appeared in New York City at The Stone, Birdland, Brecht Forum, the Rhythm in the Kitchen Festival, with poet Mark Weber at “Cooler in the Shade,” and at The Outpost Performance Space in Albuquerque, NM. The quartet’s latest CD, “Music Is A Place,” New Artists (with bassist Ratzo Harris) was chosen by Stuart Broomer, Bill Shoemaker and All About Jazz/New York for their best-of-the-year lists, 2007. In December 2009, Howard Mandel chose it for his best of the year list, in a listening category. A CD release is planned for 2010 on New Artists, a live set from The Stone.
The Mutable label has just released a duo CD with bassist Michael Bisio, “Session at 475 Kent.” She performed with Bisio in October, 2009 at Location One, presented by Roulette.

“Conversations,” a duet CD with clarinetist Bill Payne, New Artists, was selected by Art Lange and Bill Shoemaker for their best of the year lists, 2008. She performed with Payne at The Stone.
Crothers curated The Stone in September, 2009. This curation was selected by Time Out magazine for a preview, getting the #2 spot for best live performance in New York City.

Her recent solo performances include the 2008 Vision Festival, the "Interpretations" series in Merkin Concert Hall where she also performed a duet with Roscoe Mitchell, Northampton Center for the Arts in the "World of Piano" series; other solo appearances include the Berlin Jazztage, Cooper Union, the New Music America Festival, the DuMaurier International Jazz Festival in Toronto, the Middleheim Festival in Belgium.

She appeared with alto saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc’s quartet at The Stone, with bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Chad Taylor. She appeared in a trio performance with Moondoc and Grimes and a duet with Grimes at The Stone. She has performed with Moondoc at Hallwalls in Buffalo and at Tonic, NYC, and at the 2003 Vision Festival in a quintet which included trumpet player Nathan Breedlove, Adam Lane and drummer John McCutcheon.
She recently formed a trio, TranceFormations, with singer Andrea Wolper and Filiano, appearing at The Stone and Brecht Forum.
In 1982, she recorded duo with Max Roach as part of his historic duets recording project-- “Swish,” New Artists. She co-led an engagement with Roach and dancers Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. More recently, she performed duo with Roach in Bologna, Italy, the New Orleans Jazz Festival, Tokyo, Japan and Harvard University where she was co-honored as Visiting Jazz Artist.

In a Roulette concert at Location One she performed duo with percussionist and composer Kevin Norton. Roulette also presented her duo with electroacoustic improviser and composer Ben Manley.

Five of her other recordings have appeared on critic’s 1O best lists, one of them getting the #1 record of the year spot in Wire from Jack Cooke--”Love Energy,” New Artists, her quartet, co-led with tenor saxophonist Lenny Popkin, featuring bassist Cameron Brown and drummer Carol Tristano. This band toured Europe and Canada and appeared at the Blue Note, Sweet Basil, Birdland, the Spoleto Festival.

After attending the University of California in Berkeley, she moved to New York in 1962 to study with Lennie Tristano, who presented her in three solo concerts at Carnegie Recital Hall; the Lennie Tristano Jazz Foundation presented a fourth concert in that venue. She also performed there with tenor saxophonist Warne Marsh, Roger Mancuso, and bassist Joe Solomon. She co-led an engagement with Marsh at the Village Vanguard, with bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Peter Scattaretico.