Happy New Year - a new Decade - 2011 -

A New Year , a new decade - an age for serious life work. Every note must count now.
2011 - friends , family, music - - -

Thank you - Ruby, Paul, Sarah, Deb, Karen, Jeff, Barbara, Mary and my treasured friends for your love and support.

This will be a beautiful Year .

NJCU Jazz Singers Record at Charlestown Road Studio -Great Job!

Today four fine jazz singers recorded at Charlestown Rd. Studios. Paul Wickliffe is the chief engineer. Paul gave a fine tutorial to start the class, discussing mic techniques and issues such as 'not stopping' the band if a singer makes a mistake, just waiting and fixing it in an overdub. I was very proud of these singers today. They are a true inspiration to me; writing wonderful arrangements, taking charge of the music and the band with creativity, heart and soul.
Kristen Dziuba, Kari Vanderkloot, Moi', Rafaela Gurtler and Kyo Kim
Also pictured is my right hand pianist/partner; Jason Teborek, (behind me) , Pete McCullough bassist and Jon Difiore drummer.

November 13th & 14th - The Seattle Trip - Nich Anderson's World

Nich Anderson - is nourishing and preserving the art of Jazz Singing in Seattle by creating 'House Concerts' - http://www.jazzvox.com (check out his series!) Thank you Nich!

The Carr's pictured in this photo
also offer up their gorgeous home
in Camano Island for concerts and delicious food. Thank you Patty and Andrew.
Roseanna Vitro and Mark Soskin - Duo!
Mark and I had a blast. We presented an afternoon workshop at Cornish College of Music and then headed to Camano Island to play for a lovely crowd at Patty's gorgeous house.

Saturday we had a workshop with the beauty's in the picture up top and that evening a full house at Nich's. A good time was had by all. You have to hit Nich's hang...

November 9th -Ark.Jazz Hall of Fame Show- Amina Claudine Meyers and Jerry Atkins Inducted 2010

This was a wonderful event produced by Cece Rich and Dave Rodgers and James Thomson of the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame group in Little Rock, Arkansas. I nominated Jerry Atkins, who passed away last year. Jerry was a great 'jazz head', tenor player, jazz journalist and jazz dj in Texarkana, my home town. Amina Claudine Meyers was also inducted into the Hall of Fame for her talent. Anita hails from Blackwell, Arkansas and she sings like Roberta Flack with a little edge to her music. I liked her talent and personality very much and it was fantastic to hang out with her. I consider her a 'sister in the cause' of good music. We performed on November 9th with Joe Vick on bass, Tom Cox piano, Byron Atkins guitar (Jerry's son) and Dave Rodgers on drums and Barry McVinney on tenor. Shirley Chauvin also drove over from Hot Springs and sang a couple of songs (she was fantastic) and in the front of this picture is Bonnie Atkins, Jerry's wife. She was always by his side. Also in attendance was Scott Atkins and his wife Angie. I thank everyone who made this happen (Gloria and Albert too) Thanks to Dwayne Walden for making the drive to attend too. I can rest at peace now, knowing that my dear friend Jerry Atkins received some respect for the service he gave to the music that we love; jazz.

Listen! WBGO - Live with Michael Bourne November 21st 12 noon til 2 pm.

Celebrating 25 Years on WBGO - Live Performances -...88.3 fm...join us on your radio!

November 21st. – WBGO Radio 88.3 fm-tune in 12 noon til 2 pm.- 25 years with Michael Bourne Show ‘Live Performances with Allen Farnham on piano, Roseanna Vitro, Bob Dorough, Carolyn Leonhart, Wayne Escoffery, Tom Lellis & Carol Fredette.

Heading to Seattle ! Concerts & Masterclasses -November 12th & 13th

I am excited to announce two concerts and two masterclasses November 12th & 13th in the Seattle area. The great Mark Soskin and I will be performing as a duo in Nich Anderson's concert series. Nich is a great singer himself and supporter of vocal jazz artists around the world. To buy tickets and get information - please go to Nich's website:

http://www.jazzvox.com/ November 12th and 13th in the evening!

We will also be presenting two Masterclasses in the afternoons.
The first Workshop will be for Students of Cornish College of Music: November 12th (friday) at 12 noon in Poncho Concert Hall at: http://www.cornish.edu/

November 13th is open! Special Masterclass at Nich Anderson's condo- http://www.jazzvox.com/vitroworkshop/ This class will include a cd and work packet for each student to take home and practice with! All participants must email me to tell me what they want to work on and accomplish in this clinic. Please check the link for all information regarding this workshop. Looking forward!

Ro

Whirlwind Weekend; Jazz at Newport, Or. to the Monk Vocal Finals

I performed October 1st. & 2nd. in a sweet festival in Newport, Oregon. Holly Hofmann sheperds this festival bringing in the smart choices of John Clayton, Bruce Foreman, Bennie Green, Houston Person, Todd Strait, Alvester Garnett, Bill Cunliffe, Mary Ann McSweeney, Randy Porter and Holly performs too. What a great cast of musicians performing in various groups and also giving panels and workshops. The concert is held in the Performing Arts Center and the audience are jazz fans from all over the country who fly in to hang out for three days in this beautiful spot.
Thank you Holly!

Then I headed to the Thelonious Monk Jazz Vocal finals. I had been a preliminary judge along with Peter Eldridge and Alan Harris. We listened to 237 singers and chose 12 amazing singers from all over the world. Sunday at the American Indian Museum, I had the opportunity to finally see the people whose voices were merely a number when we first heard them. They were all fantastic! What an inspiring time it is for jazz singers. I'll write a full report, but for now you can go to:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2010/10/05/130344927/cecile-mclorin-salvant-vocalist-wins-thelonious-monk-jazz-competition

It's nice to be back in my bed.

Bob Bowen-Bassist -His Memorial is September 27th -Information below!

Remembering Bob Bowen- Great Spirit/Bassist









Bob Bowen played bass with me for many years in many different bands and situations. I met Bob at Cleopatra's Needle one night and he told me that he was a total fan of mine and that he would love to play with me, no matter what the money scene was?! I asked him to 'sit in' so I could hear him play-he was great. Bob's - Spirit, Passion and Musicianship blew me away. Bob knew all of my arrangements from my recordings and I could always count on hearing a hardy "Yeah!" behind me when I was singing. When I had an opportunity in 1999 to play the JazzYatra in Bombay, India, I could have taken any bassist with me because I received a grant from Arts International to bring a real upright bassist. Bob Bowen is who I brought with me. That was a trip that neither one of us would Ever forget. Bob wrote a blog about it. The Gully Trail, I think was the title of his blog which described the unbelievable sights, sounds and smells that Bob experienced in Mumbai. Last year, 2009 Bob was the bassist who toured with the JazzIam Band through South America for the Rhythm Road program. We ended our tour by playing the Estoril Festival in Portugal with Kenny Werner, Bob Bowen, Tim Horner and myself - there is a video posted on Youtube of "Freedom Jazz Dance" from that final concert together.
You don't come across many people like Bob Bowen in this life. His sense of family, his creativity, joy and most of all - spirit. Bob was alive at all costs and I really loved him and will miss him.

Kenny Werner releases an Amazing new cd. that you must hear! No Beginning, No End; Half Note Records

Roseanna Vitro Kenny Werner has released a masterpiece new project:; No Beginning, No End. This is dedicated to his beautiful daughter Katheryn-You have to hear it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxFYFvGGeyI

No Beginning No End, Kenny Werner

www.youtube.com

A presentation of Kenny Werner's new album, No Beginning No End. See it also at: www.nobeginningnoend.org. Follow the making of my documentary about Kenny and his family at: www.uncoveredheart-thefilm.com

Vitro/Werner go to Seoul, South Korea ! Sept. 8th & 9th

• Sepember 8th – Kenny Werner and Roseanna Vitro – www.olympushall.co.kr- 8 pm. Olympus tower B1, Samsung Dong 114-9, Kangnamgu, Seoul, Korea Our duo in Concert -plus special guests Martin Zenker on bass and Ben Ball on drums

• I am very excited to announce our workshop at the Paekche Institute of Arts on September 9th. Big Thank you's to Hyejin Cho - the Jazz director and former star graduate student of mine from NJCU in Jersey City.
  
• September 9th -Paekche Institute of Arts, Seoul, South Korea – Workshop Roseanna Vitro and Kenny Werner

Sound Files go to: http://www.reverbnation.com/roseannavitrokennywernerduo

August 19th - Jazz at Foxhollow - Woodbury, LI. Special Event!

Rare Show on Long Island this Week!
Please stop by and hang out with us -

August 19th - 7 pm. til 11 pm. You can find me at The Foxhollow in Long Island - for directions please go to: http://www.thefoxhollow.com
I am really psyched to be singing with the great pianist and spirit: Ben Lepley. Ben is a creative and soulful pianist and he is also the priest that married Paul and I so many years ago. How's that for a reunion! Check him out: http://www.robertlepleymusic.com/

The FoxHollow
7725 Jerico Trnpke
Woodbury NY 11797

Monday-August 9th ! The Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra - NYC Blue Note

Monday , August 9 th -
- Blue Note Jazz Club-
Sets 8 pm. and 10:30 pm.
$10. cover -
Grammy nominated; Pete McGuinness -
Arranger, Composer, Trombonist and Singer
Extraordinaire
Special Guest: Roseanna Vitro

( Pete and I are collaborating on a new Johnny Mandel project. I will be featured with Pete on
"Emily" and solo on "A Time for Love" )

More Photos from our Istanbul Concert !

Dean Johnson, Ferit Odman, Ro, Onder Focan
Zuhal Focan (4th-p-Onder Focan, 7th-p-Ferit Odman, Ro, Mark Soskin
The Turkish girls - Ro & Sibel Kose, Zuhal (someone will soon help me with the names that I'm missing in these photos!
our concert
I am lucky that Zuhal and Onder Focan from the Nardis Club in Istanbul took some photos. I am anxiously awaiting the D Channel's interview and video from our concert.

June 30th Concert in Istanbul, Turkey

We've just returned from a great two days in Istanbul. The Sheraton Atakoy (http://www.sheratonistanbulatakoy.com.tr/) is putting on a jazz festival this month. Bennie Golson and Ingrid Jensen among others have been featured. I was thrilled to bring Mark Soskin, Dean Johnson and Tim Horner for this gig. We did miss our girl, Sara Caswell (she was in concert elsewhere). I've got some pics of our concert. We would like to Thank: Onder & Zuhal Focan and Manifesto Productions for everything! We had a great show and a Lot of good Turkish food.

June 30th - Istanbul, Turkey - Concert!

World Travelers and Jazz Lovers in Istanbul - Just Jazz Series of Istanbul Sheraton Atakoy Hotel” featuring ; Mark Soskin, Dean Johnson and Tim Horner http://www.sheratonistanbulatakoy.com.tr/ 10 pm. concert

Sail Away Video - New ! - The Randy Newman Project

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aefRTToU5Yg


Our first video of the amazing Randy Newman composition: Sail Away.

The Randy Newman Project - Video and Group/ New Photo

Friday, May 14th, 2010 - The Randy Newman Project band is Mark Soskin-piano, Dean Johnson-bass, Sara Caswell -violin, Tim Horner-drums and moi' -we met at the arts building located at NJPAC (The New Jersey Performing Arts Center). Special 'Thank you' to Jeff Griglak for allowing us to use the black box theatre at NJPAC's Arts Building to record our video. I have been teaching in the Wachovia Jazz for Teens Program for ten years and this is a performance theatre where the teachers and students perform and record.
Paul Wickliffe, great recording engineer, photographer and videographer agreed to make a video of three of our new Randy Newman tunes which are part of the new Randy Newman cd. project. (Paul@Skylinepro.com) I could not 'Thank' Paul enough for his help and unwavering support! I would also like to thank; Jeff Levenson, my manager and best friend for his support, shuttling musicians, 2nd camera men, Sokphalla, the make up artist, making coffee, running the sound board, wearing all hats that we could put on him and he neary' complained! Thank you!! We are nearing completion of the record that Mark Soskin and I have worked on for over a year. The Randy Newman Project is just about to officially lift off. Stay tuned for news of our release date, the label and a tour.

May 13th - NJCU Jazz Vocalists in Concert, Hosted by Roseanna Vitro

Dear Friends,

I have four fantastic students that I have been working with at New Jersey City University. Please join us at Cleopatra's Needle, Thursday May 13th at 7 pm., 8:30 pm. and 10 pm. As always we will be performing with an amazing group comprised of Mark Soskin (piano), Dean Johnson (bass) and Jon DiFiore (drums). Kristen Dziuba, Gabriella Gurtler, Vanessa Perea (graduating this semester!) and Kyo Kim. All beautiful and interesting singers. I will perform some tracks from the new, Randy Newman Project: Sail Away.
Please join us for this special night of music.
Cleopatra's Needle -Broadway between 91st. and 92nd. NYC . 212 769 6969

President Doris Leuthard snaps and scats; "Centerpiece" closing Jazzaar's 2010 Great American Songbook Concert

As I sit and drink my coffee, finally relaxed at home, I can enjoy my triumph accomplishment at the 2010 Jazzaar American Songbook Concert featuring The Aargau Youth Orchestra, plus Buster Williams on bass, Corey Allen; piano, Danny Gottlieb; drumss, Steve Reid; trumpet, Mark Gross; alto, George Robert; clarinet. Fritz and Helen Renoud put together two fantastic concerts and this program is a study/workshop/concert experience for young musicians. I sang for the President of Aarau and she was snappin' and tappin' on my encore where eight hundred of the crowd scatted "Centerpiece" with me and call and answered '4's' scatting, plus great solo's with Buster & student Dave on bass, drummer/student Dave, Mark Gross' sax section and non-stop clapping - an unbelievable close to a great show. Kevin Fields - is a great conductor, Bob Freedman's charts were interesting and entertaining. I will write more soon about Fritz and Helen's incredible hospitatlity in the face of all of the musicians that were held up in Aarau because of the Volcanic Eruption! Many are still there, I am lucky to be home after a 4 day layover in Aarau. Thank you Fritz and Helen.

Jazzaar -2010 www.jazzaar.com - 3 days & Counting!

We have three days to go before Saturday's concert. Here is a photo of our rehearsal with Kevin Fields as Maestro! He's excellent. The kids are fantastic, we've been coaching a rhythm section and each boy will play on certain songs with me; Yannick on piano, Dave and Dave on bass and drums. Buster Williams has been great on bass and as a hanging buddy. Danny Gottlieb and Corey Allen, the same - both great musicians and teachers. I'll print pics soon of my workshop with Annette Phillip, Sharmistha Chaterjee, Ujwal Nagar and Chayan Adhikari - wonderful Indian singers and we had a great workshp!

Jazzaar -2010 www.jazzaar.com - The Great American Songbook

Fritz and Helen Renold Present the most amazing program for young musicians to participate in. The Aargau Youth Pops Orchestra play: The Great American
Songbook, arranged by Bob Freedman – Roseanna Vitro, Vocalist –
Kevin Field, Conductor – http://www.jazzaar.com (April 11th – 17th – Jazzaar 2010 – Aarau, Switzerland...).
April 16th will be a special "Indian Night" featuring a host of great Indian singers and musicians. Check out the link: http://www.jazzaar.com

9:am. WBGO Interview!!! April 5th -New Jersey City University - Kevin Mahogany Featured with the NJCU Big Band, directed by Ed Joffe Also: Ms. Roseanna Vitro

April 5th -please join us at 7:30 pm. at the Margaret Williams Theatre (http://www.njcu.edu/) 2039 Kennedy Boulevard, Jersey City, NJ 07305 Tickets:  $10. students and seniors; $15. adults



Here these two Together! 

March 5th - Trumpets Jazz Club - The Randy Newman Project !

 Roseanna Vitro vocals

Please join us tomorrow night at
March 5th !

www.trumpetsjazz.com   6 Depot Square  Montclair, NJ.
(973) 744-2600         8:30 pm. & 10:30 pm.                                                                                                            

The Randy Newman Project

Mark Soskin piano


                                                                            Sara Caswell violin

 

                        

                                                              


Andy Eulau bass

Marko Marcinko drums