Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Tribute to Randy Newman Project is Shinin' -

Jamey Haddad, Ro, Mark Soskin


I completed one half of my Randy Newman tribute in October.  The music is sterling!...in hindsight, we are now adding guitar, by way of the great Steve Cardenas.  We have recorded:  Sail Away, Last Night I Had a Dream, In Germany Before the War, Feels Like Home and Baltimore.  I am loving our new relationship with violinist extraordinaire, Sara Caswell and the addition of Jamey Haddad - who is family for us.  I wish he lived closer, but his percussion magic is special.  More Soon!!!

Sara Caswell












 Mark Soskin and Dean Johnson


Thursday, November 12, 2009

November 9th - Our first recording date! Kenny & Ro Recording

We started the day at Charlestown Rd. studios at 1 pm.  I came with my Tahini Chicken dish, freshly made at midnight the night before with Sarah Wickliffe's help - Thank you..Kenny loves this dish.  Paul Wickliffe, my chief engineer and husband had the piano tuner on hold for the entire afternoon.  I had ten songs in tow and was very excited about our musical prospects for this date.  My manager and best friend,  Jeff Levenson also made the date.  Jeff is very supportive and encouraging, so it's always great to have him at a session.  We started our session with a 1961 hit song that Vince Guiraldi composed: Cast Your Fate to the Wind.  I was playing thru this tune by chance at my piano last week and fell in love with the melody and the message.  We may call this new cd. "Cast Your Fate to the Wind."  I think we got a lovely take of this song.  Then on to Clare Fischer's amazing compostion: Pensativa.  Clare also wrote the lyrics and they are about a Pensive lady.  I've wanted to sing this amazing melody for years and it's not easy, but absolutely beautiful.  Other tunes that we recorded are : Feelin' Good, Upside Down (Flor de lis),  Remember,  Old Devil Moon,  Kiss (a David Budway composition), A Day in the Life of a Fool, Laughing at Life and Soul Eyes.  That's all I can remember right now, but it was a beautiful day of music.  We're planning one more session on December 4th and I can't wait to finish this little project with my old friend. 

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

New Project baking - Kenny Werner & Roseanna Vitro Duo Recording

Fall in New York is so beautiful.  The air is cool and crisp and the leaves are starting to turn from green to red and gold.  Kenny Werner and I have recorded six fine cds together and have actually played together since 1979 ! wow...a life of learning and growing, changing and evolving with love for each others familys and a dedication to creative music.  Kenny and I will embark on an intimate duo recording October 2009.  I have some very special music planned.  Stay tuned!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Roseanna Vitro & Mark Soskin recording a tribute to Randy Newman

Jeff Levenson
New Project is born - pianist Mark Soskin, Roseanna and Jeff Levenson-Half Note Records

Mark Soskin - pianist extraordinaire has written some amazing arrangements of Randy Newman compositions. I have contributed to these arrangements and Marks work is fantastic. We are meeting wed. to run down this new music with a new group. I'm looking for a violinist - surprises to come!

JazzIam moving in different directions

The JazzIam band in Montevideo-
On this posting I'd like to list JazzIam's webpages for any and all fans who would like to keep up with each one of us individually, as we work with different groups and continue to create good music and explore. Hopefully this wonderful group will be together again soon, but until then -
you can find:
Tim Horner at http://timhornermusic.com/
Bob Bowen on Facebook under Robert Emmett Bowen III
Joel Holmes has a Facebook page and website: http://www.joelholmes.com /
and moi' at http://www.RoseannaVitro.com


Monday, July 27, 2009

Looking back on South America

Javeriana University Radio Interview-Bogota, Colombia
Tim Horner, Ro and Joel Holmes
I have been receiving and finding photo's from our tour and I have decided to post a handful of these special moments.
Bob Bowen was featured in the Quito, Ecuador news regarding our wonderful workshops that we presented for Kevin Skillin.

The Arte Bar in Asuncion, Paraguay was a blast and we hung out with great musicians.

My last gig in Santiago, Chile for Father's Day

Sunday, July 12, 2009

The Montreal Jazz Festival - 30 years - young

Ben Harper closing the Montreal Jazz Festival -

I decided to fly up to Montreal to experience for the first time one of the biggest Jazz Festivals left in North America. Andre Menard is one of the original founders of this amazing festival. Michael Bourne (WBGO Personality and top Vocalists friend) was in rare form when we met at the press office this afternoon. I also saw Jeff Levenson (Half Note Records , The Blue Note Jazz Club, NYC.) and Mark Ruffin -main brain for XM Satellite Radio. I was lucky enough to receive a pass to slip in and out of various musical events. How I've missed attending this fantastic festival for half of my life, I don't know? There are venues that line several streets, stages everywhere, big concert halls, little clubs, etc.. several blocks filled with music. From the smallest venue to the largest venue the Montreal Festival consists of some of the greatest musicians you will find anywhere in the world.