Connie Crothers, American jazz pianist, Died at 75

  Music

Connie Crothers was born on May 2, 1941, and died on August 13, 2016.

She was a jazz pianist.

Connie majored in music at the University of California, Berkeley before becoming a student of Lennie Tristano.

She started studying classical (or “European”) piano at age 9 and went on to major in composition at the University of California at Berkeley.

While she was at Berkeley, her teachers emphasized “procedure and structure” and “compositional rigor” over emotional expression, which did not sit well with Crothers.

Following Lennie Tristano died in November 1978 she became President of the Jazz Foundation formed in tribute to him.

Crothers also was known for works done with Max Roach in the 1980s, such as the album Swish.

Whilst he was a leader, she headed a quartet with Richard Tabnik and Roger Mancuso.

She died due to cancer.

Connie Crothers passed away at 75 years old.