Support Ann’s composition efforts by becoming a “patron” at http://patreon.com/annreynolds

In 2000 Ann went to Cuba for the first time and fell in love… with the music and the people. She got tremendous support from the generous teachers at the National School for the Arts. For two weeks each year she had the wonderful experience of being in a top musical conservatory, and her studies of piano and Cuban music helped her blossom into a mature musician.

By 2004 Ann was composing pieces and had found her lifelong dream - to compose and perform music that has movement to it and is representative of her life experience. In recent years, she has discovered her artistry in musical composition and finds that people respond to her authentic compositions and expressive performance.

Her music was recorded in 2014 in the debut album by Clave Gringa, “Para Cuba con Amor” and in the second recording “Joy” in 2019. Both recordings received nominations for best jazz recording in the northwest. You can find Ann performing with Clave Gringa and other groups in the Seattle/Puget Sound region.

In 2021, Ann recorded 4 of her compositions influenced by 4 great women composers who contributed mightily to the development of jazz - Mary Lou Williams, Carla Bley, Geri Allen, and Christine Jensen. The recording by her trio (Kelsey Mines, Christopher Icasiano, and Ann) named “Inspired by Women Composers” was awarded the Earshot Golden Ear Award for Best NW Jazz Recording of 2021.

See an extended version of Ann Reynolds’ bio.

I teach jazz, blues and latin styles and I incorporate all these styles as well as classical music when I teach piano to beginners.

• Private piano lessons are taught from my home or via Zoom

• Special classes available – Cuban music for the traveler, Cuban music for the dancer, Cuban Music for the musician

• Presentations to groups, schools or facilitation of workshops on request.

Contact Ann for information

 ANN’S TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

In music, rhythm and keeping time is of greatest importance. For jazz, you need to swing; for Latin (Cuban, Brasilian) it is a straight groove with wonderful syncopation. I work to help people establish the rhythm within their body to anchor them in their playing.

Playing from your soul and with a true expression of self is also paramount. When you learn to express your own voice, it is a powerful personal experience and a powerful experience for those listening to you.

From the time I was very young, I wanted to compose songs. But I never gave myself the time until I went to the Whiteley Center at the Friday Harbor labs in 2002 to do a weeklong retreat, though I had studied composition briefly in college. After I began composing some songs, I found the wonderful composer Kenneth Benshoof in Seattle and studied composition with him 2009-2014.

It takes time to uncover a voice, shed the inhibitions built up from decades of protecting oneself. I feel I have peeled away the layers to really express what is my nature and it is exciting,  as well as sometimes surprising.

My compositions have been predominantly focused on Cuban styles and these are represented in my recordings Para Cuba Con Amor (2014) and Joy (2019). (see more information on Cuban music styles). To see a current project on jazz compositions honoring women composers, see the Women Composers Project page.