Early life

Rosnes was born in Regina, Saskatchewan and grew up in North Vancouver, British Columbia, where she attended Handsworth Secondary School. She was three when she began taking classical piano lessons. She became interested in jazz music in high school, introduced to it through her band director Bob Rebagliati. She then attended the University of Toronto, where she pursued classical performance with pianist William Aide. In 1985, Rosnes was awarded a Canada Council of the Arts grant, and moved to New York City to further her studies.

Career

After tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson hired her to play with his quartet in 1986, Rosnes began an international career. In 1988, she was a member of the Wayne Shorter Band and in 1989, she joined trombonist JJ Johnson's Quintet and remained his pianist of choice until he retired in 1997. In 1989, she also began working with tenor master James Moody and was the pianist in his quartet for the next 20 years. Rosnes frequently performs with vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, and recorded "For Sentimental Reasons" with his quartet in 2007. Rosnes was a founding member of the SFJAZZ Collective, and played with the all-star octet from 2004 through 2009. Since 2012, she has been a member of bassist Ron Carter's Foursight Band. The group toured Europe during the Fall of 2015. As a leader, Rosnes has released twelve recordings, nine of which are on the Blue Note Records label. The most recent (from 2010) is Manhattan Rain (Pony Canyon Japan), featuring Steve Nelson on vibes, Rich Perry on tenor sax, Peter Washington on bass and Bill Stewart on drums. She also made four Japanese trio recordings for the VideoArts label with The Drummonds, featuring herself, drummer and ex-husband Billy Drummond and the unrelated Ray Drummond on bass.

Rosnes married jazz pianist Bill Charlap on 25 August 2007, and the couple released a two-piano duet recording titled Double Portrait on Blue Note Records in 2010. She was also the host of "Jazz Profiles", a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation one-hour radio show, in which Rosnes profiled famous names in Canadian jazz. Guests included pianists Paul Bley, Joe Sealy and Oliver Jones, bassists Don Thompson and Michel Donato, trumpeters Guido Basso and Kenny Wheeler, and drummer Terry Clarke.

Discography

As leader

• 1989: Face to Face (Toshiba/EMI)
• 1990: Renee Rosnes (Blue Note)
• 1990: For the Moment (Blue Note)
• 1992: Without Words (Blue Note)
• 1996: Ancestors (Blue Note)
• 1997: As We Are Now (Blue Note)
• 1999: Art & Soul (Blue Note)
• 2001: With a Little Help From My Friends (Blue Note)
• 2002: Life on Earth (Blue Note)
• 2003: Renee Rosnes and the Danish Radio Big Band (Blue Note)
• 2004: Deep Cove (CBC Records)
• 2005: A Time For Love (Video Arts Japan)
• 2008: Black Narcissus: A Tribute to Joe Henderson (Pony Canyon/M&I Japan)
• 2010: Double Portrait (Blue Note; with Bill Charlap)
• 2010: Manhattan Rain (Pony Canyon Japan)

With SFJAZZ Collective

• Live 2004: Original Works and the Music of Ornette Coleman
• Live 2005: Original Works and the Music of John Coltrane
• Live 2006: Original Works and the Music of Herbie Hancock
• Live 2007: Original Works and the Music of Thelonious Monk
• Live 2008: Original Works and the Music of Wayne Shorter
• Live 2009: Original Works and the Music of McCoy Tyner

As sideperson

• Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap, The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern (RPM/Columbia)
• Superblue, Superblue 2 (1989, Blue Note Records)
• Joe Henderson, Humpty Dumpty (BRC)
• Joe Henderson, The Blue Note Years (Blue Note)
• J. J. Johnson, Let’s Hang Out (Verve)
• J. J. Johnson, The Brass Orchestra (Verve)
• J. J. Johnson, Heroes (Verve)
• Marian McPartland, A Jazz Christmas (NPR Classics)
• Marian McPartland, Just Friends (Concord)
• George Mraz, Duke's Place (Milestone)
• Joyce, Astronauta - The Songs of Elis (Blue Jackel)
• Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Friends Forever (Milestone)
• The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band (Blue Note)
• Carnegie Hall Salutes the Jazz Masters (Verve)
• Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band, Things To Come (MCG Jazz)
• Bobby Hutcherson, For Sentimental Reasons (Kind of Blue)
• Todd Coolman, Lexicon (Doubletime Records)
• The Drummonds, When You Wish Upon A Star (VideoArts)
• The Drummonds, A Beautiful Friendship (VideoArts)
• The Drummonds, Letter To Evans (VideoArts)
• The Drummonds, Once Upon A Summertime (VideoArts)
• The Drummonds, Pas de Trois (True Life)
• Gerald Wilson, In My Time (Mack Avenue Records)
• Gerald Wilson, New York, New Sound (Mack Avenue Records)
• Gerald Wilson, Monterey Moods (Mack Avenue Records)
• Gerald Wilson, "Legacy" (Mack Avenue Records)
• Michael Dease, "Coming Home" (D Clef Records)
• Brandi Disterheft, "Gratitude" (Justin Time)
• Billy Drummond, Native Colours (Criss Cros)
• Billy Drummond, The Gift (Criss Cross)
• Ray Drummond, Vignettes (Arabesque)
• Robin Eubanks, Karma (JMT, 1991)
• Jon Faddis: Into The Faddisphere (Epic)
• Jon Faddis: Hornucopia (Epic)
• Renée Fleming, "Christmas In New York" (Decca)
• Sonny Fortune, Invitation (Century)
• Peter Leitch, Blues On The Corner (Reservoir)
• David Hajdu, "Waiting For The Angel: Songs With Words by David Hajdu" (Miranda Music)
• Slide Hampton, Inclusion (Twin Records)
• Vincent Herring, Secret Love (MusicMasters)
• Steve Kaldestad, "New York Afternoon" (Cellar Jazz)
• Tom Kennedy, "Just Play" (Capri Records)
• Joe Magnarelli, Why Not (Criss Cross)
• Native Colors, One World (Concord)
• Lewis Nash, "Highest Mountain" (Cellar Records)
• Greg Osby, Season of Renewal (JMT, 1990)
• Rich Perry, So In Love (Steeplechase)
• Nancy Wilson, A Nancy Wilson Christmas (Telarc)
• Jimmy Scott, But Beautiful (Milestone)
• Jimmy Scott, Moon Glow (Milestone)
• Jim Snidero, Strings (Milestone)
• Howard Alden, Take Your Pick (Concord)
• Gary Thomas, The Seventh Quadrant (Enja, 1987)
• Gary Thomas, While the Gate Is Open (JMT, 1990)
• Steve Turre, One4J (Telarc)
• Libby York, Sunday In New York (BlueJazz)
• Walt Weiskopf, Anytown (Criss Cross)
• Walt Weiskopf, LIVE (Capri Recordings)
• Pete Yellin, How Long Has This Been Going On? (Jazzed Media)
• Dave Young, Two by Two, Vol. 1 (Justin Time)
• Dave Young, Two by Two, Vol. 2 (Justin Time)
• Chip White, Personal Dedications & Percussive Tributes

Awards and recognition

• 1991: nominee, Juno Award for Best Jazz Album, Renee Rosnes
• 1992: winner, Juno Award for Best Jazz Album, For The Moment
• 1995: winner, Juno Award for Best Mainstream Jazz Album, "Free Trade"
• 1997: winner, Juno Award for Best Mainstream Jazz Album, Ancestors
• 1998: nominee, Juno Award for Best Mainstream Jazz Album, As We Are Now
• 2000: nominee, Juno Award for Best Traditional Jazz Album - Instrumental, Art & Soul
• 2003: winner, Juno Award for Traditional Jazz Album of the Year, Life On Earth
• 2003: winner, SOCAN Composer of the Year
• 2005: winner, Western Canadian Music Award for Outstanding Jazz Recording of the Year, "Deep Cove" Ryga Rosnes Quartet
• 2015: winner, Sikh Centennial Gala Award for outstanding achievement in music from the Sikh Foundation of Canada

[ Source: Wikipedia ]