Joel Holmes, piano; Blake Meister, bass/piano; Charlie Sigler, guitar; Robert Shahid, drums; Devin Arne, guitar; Herman Burney, bass; Earl Wilson, guitar; Jacob Yoffee; piano/sax; Mike Matthews, bass; Jesse "Jay" Moody, drums; Brandy Brewer, bass; Darius Scott, piano; Derrick Thompson, piano; Sarah Carlisle, bass; Todd Simon, piano/sax; Anthony "Blue" Jenkins, bass
WAVE: Rick Udler, guitar
YESTERDAYS & SOFTLY AS IN A MORNING SUNRISE: RR, vocals & flute; Jacob Yoffee, piano; Mike Matthews, bass; Robert Shahid, drums
IDYLLIC DAY (BE THERE NOW) & THE GENTLE ECSTASY composed by Rhonda Robinson, featuring the Musical Mind Treatment band of Spiritual Empowerment Center. RR, piano on THE GENTLE ECSTACY
Influences
Dianne Reeves, Carmen McCrae, Sarah Vaughn, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Nina Simone, Sade, Thelonius Monk, Mary Lou Williams, Jason Moran, Betty Carter, Janet Lawson, Oscar Peterson, Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan, Teena Marie, Natalie Merchant
Baltimore-based jazz vocalist/flutist Rhonda Robinson began performing at an early age. Growing up in Indian Head, MD (Southern Maryland), she sang in church choirs, performed in school plays and musicals, played flute in the school band, and studied piano. She studied acting, voice, dance, and speech at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Sande Shurin Acting Studio in New York City and at the Peabody Preparatory in Baltimore. After performing professionally in plays and musicals, she became interested in jazz after a workshop and private study with Grammy®-nominated jazz vocalist, Janet Lawson. Her interests include researching & speaking on the history of jazz musicians & compositions and the relationship of the evolution of musical theater, particularly African-American musicals, with jazz. She enjoys the depth of self-expression one can experience in jazz performance.
The Rhonda Robinson Quartet has distinguished itself performing at clubs, festivals, and events such as:
*Opened for poet/activist Amiri Baraka and Blue Ark Ensemble at Univ. of Baltimore
*Federal Hill Jazz & Blues Festival
*Columbia International Day Festival
*The Johns Hopkins University
*Lexington Market Concert Series
*Tremont Park Hotel Lounge/Tug's Restaurant
*Old Town Bowie Concert Series
*Charles Village Festival
*Sub Basement Art Gallery
Rhonda can also be heard most Sundays playing piano/flute/vocals at the Spiritual Empowerment Center with the "MUSICAL MIND TREATMENT" band. www.spiritualempowermentcenter.org
Read an account of Rhonda's experience as an Artist-In-Residence in the Baltimore City Schools on page 3 of the June 2008 Baltimore Jazz Alliance newsletter http://baltimorejazz.com/NLJune2008.pdf
Read about "Echoes of the Harlem Renaissance", a theatrical music program Rhonda created with fellow Baltimore Jazz Alliance members on page 3 of the April 2009 BJA newsletter. http://baltimorejazz.com/NLApr2009.pdf
Thanks for puttin' music up! (Although the digital recording doesn't really do you justice) The Reginal F Lewis museum, eh? Pretty cool, I've been wanting to check that place out anyway. Hope to see you soon.
Just wanted to let you know that there was a bit of confusion at A Bit of Zen and we are rescheduling the date. I am in Baltimore, though, and will probably go hear Marianne sing tonight. If you feel like going, see you there. I'm heading to NYC tomorrow.
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