Renee Rosnes has emerged as one of the premier jazz pianists and composers of her generation. She has released a series of nine highly acclaimed recordings for Blue Note Records, four of which have garnered Juno Awards, the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy. In an interview with Canada Watch, they asked Renee: “Have you ever considered where the jazz canon would be without the Great American Songbook?” She replied: Along with the blues, original jazz compositions, and other open forms, the American Popular Songbook is a major cornerstone of jazz repertoire. The song form was a direct influence on many jazz compositions and it’s hard to imagine one existing without the other. For example, how would bebop have progressed without the rhythm changes form and chord progression, which was based on George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm,” or Tadd Dameron’s “Hot House,” which was based on Cole Porter’s “What Is This Thing Called Love?” It’s like asking what classical music would sound without Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart.
Read the full interview here.
As part of our Jazz in July series at the 92nd Street Y, six concerts have been programmed for the series; one evening is Piano Jam: With Respect to Oscar on Jul 23 with Renee.
[Jazz in July Summer Festival]
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