RITA SELBY sings and writes songs to bring comfort into a world that has too little of it. To bring together people from all walks of life through the healing balm of shared musical experience. Her own songs – as well as her interpretations of classics from The Great American Songbook – explore the landscape of human emotion blending jazz-infused harmonies with lyrics that are at times metaphorical, always deeply personal. Her debut cd release Serenade To Bluish Grey (Snee Records) won critical acclaim and continues to sell internationally. The late Gene Kalbacher, founder/publisher of Hot House Jazz Magazine and foremost jazz journalist, was moved to describe her as “…the young Ella on the way up.” Others, upon hearing Serenade To Bluish Grey, have called it, simply, “a masterpiece”. Rita has led her band at some of New York’s top jazz venues including Chez Suzette, Birdland, Metronome and The Cornelia Street Café as well as New Jersey hotspots Jono’s and Trumpets. Her group has featured some of the world’s finest musicians many of whom are leaders in their own right: pianists Joe Tranchina, Matt King, John DiMartino and David Hazeltine; guitarists Paul Meyers and Peter Bernstein; bassists Andy Eulau, Gene Perla, Dave Richards, Joe Martin and Melissa Slocum; drummers Joe Farnsworth and Pete MacDonald; tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander. When asked about her influences, the singer immediately cites Ella Fitzgerald as her primary musical mentor. But more inspiration flows from diverse sources ranging from Bach and Chopin, to Judy Garland, Karen Carpenter and Barbra Streisand…to Sarah Vaughan, Johnny Hartman and Dinah Washington…to Bill Evans, Miles Davis and Chet Baker… to James Taylor and Stevie Wonder…and of course to the great Antonio Carlos Jobim and Brazilian divas Joyce, Elis Regina, Gal Costa and Astrud Gilberto. Rita began to read music shortly before learning to read written words. Descended from a richly artistic family, her studies began at the piano with her grandmother in their New Jersey home. Concentrating on classical music, Rita continued studies with noted teacher Leontine Bodenlosz Geib and as her protégé went on to compete in the first of many piano competitions at the age of 7. Studying under internationally-acclaimed pianist Gary Kirkpatrick (and later with maestro Peter Serkin), Rita refined her virtuoso piano technique to become active as a soloist as well as accompanist, orchestral pianist and chamber musician. She was pianist with the Wayne Chamber Orchestra in addition to the New Jersey Percussion Ensemble under the direction of Raymond Des Rosches and taught private students extensively while completing her Bachelor of Music Degree in Classical Piano and minor in Classical Voice (studying with noted soprano Nan Guptill-Crain) at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ.

But not before falling hopelessly in love – with jazz singing.

The raw enthusiasm for jazz was bursting at the seams at the world-renowned Jazz Department of William Paterson University. As she practiced classical piano 6-10 hours a day in a windowless room, the camaraderie of jazz sounds wafted into the hallway and came through the walls. Fascinated, she studied jazz ear training and history and attended the ensemble masterclasses (otherwise known as “Dialogues”) led by master bassist Rufus Reid. Rita also made the acquaintance of fellow students many of whom are leaders on the world stage today: Matt King, Peter Bernstein, Pat Bergeson, Doug Weiss, Rob Henke, Eric Alexander, Anton Denner, Dan Faulk, Jesse Davis, Joe Farnsworth, Pete MacDonald, and Bill Stewart. And she vigorously pursued post-grad jazz piano studies with masters Jim McNeely, Kenny Werner, Barry Harris and Dena DeRose, and voice studies with jazz great Anne-Marie Moss and technique master Neil Semer, vocal coach for the cast of the Broadway hit Miss Saigon. A trained actress with two independent films to her credit, Rita’s work in music led her to an additional career as a jazz journalist writing numerous articles for Hot House Jazz Magazine (under founder/publisher Gene Kalbacher) as well as Jazz Singer Magazine (published by Kevin Mahogany), interviewing the likes of Al DiMeola, Wesla Whitfield, and the incomparable Jackie & Roy.

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