Mary Larose

Mary Larose grew up in Brooklyn, NY, where early encounters with jazz came through her brother’s piano playing in his debut ensemble alongside guitarist Jack Wilkins. Prior to committing herself to music professionally, she devoted time to visual arts, with several of her paintings exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum. During her twenties Larose shifted her attention to jazz vocals, crafting fresh interpretations of the vocalese tradition established by Eddie Jefferson and Jon Hendricks. Across New York venues she has performed vocal renditions of key post-bebop works by composers including Monk, Mingus, Ornette, and Braxton. In 1995 she issued her independently produced album Cutting the Chord on Ledhead Productions, earning positive notice in Downbeat, JazzIz, and Jazz Times. The subsequent release, Walking Woman, appeared on GMRecordings toward the end of 1999.