Ann Arbor Jazz Hero
When jazz pianist and educator Ellen Rowe moved to Ann Arbor in 1996 to help develop the University of Michigan’s jazz studies program, she quickly integrated into the state’s vibrant jazz scene. A native of Richfield, Connecticut and a graduate of Eastman School of Music, Rowe had already established a reputation as a serious jazz pianist and composer, earning praise from jazz legends such as Bill Evans, who commended her remarkable grasp of melody; Marian McPartland; and composer/producer Quincy Jones, who told her she was a “natural writer” after hearing her arrangement of one of his well-known works.
Though Rowe is highly respected worldwide, having performed with groups led by bassist John Clayton and trumpeters Tom Harrell and Kenny Wheeler, her influence as a jazz educator is what makes her a Jazz Hero. She previously served as director of jazz studies at the University of Connecticut. At the University of Michigan, where she is the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation, she has mentored generations of students and has played a key role in transforming the UMSM jazz studies program into a national powerhouse.
She’s made particular efforts to support aspiring female arrangers and composers, work that garnered recognition this year with the Rhetaugh G. Dumas award from Center for the Education of Women at UM. The first woman chair of a major university jazz department and among the first woman directors of a university jazz ensemble, “Rowe receives the award for her sustained efforts to promote gender diversity in jazz ensemble composition and arranging, and overall commitment to advancing the role of women in jazz,” the citation says.
Despite her busy teaching schedule, Rowe continues to compose and lead innovative projects such as Momentum-Portraits of Women in Motion, featuring saxophonist Tia Fuller, bassist Marion Hayden (2016 Detroit Jazz Hero), trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, and drummer Allison Miller. Rowe’s impact on Michigan’s jazz community has been profound and deeply valued, enriching jazz through her live performances and unwavering dedication to jazz education.
—Charles L. Latimer, 2024 Detroit Jazz Hero
