Degrees: BMUS, 1979, Mannes Coll Music

Bio:

HOLLI ROSS has been called a "Voice of experience" by the late jazz critic, Stu Troup, of New York's Newsday. Her vocal ensemble experience is well documented on recordings with the Washington DC based quartet Mad Romance, the NY based quintet 5 Steps Beyond, (formerly Group Five, made up of todays’ top jingle singers) and has been a regular participant in the annual Jazz Nativity in New York, where she gets to share the stage with such greats as Jon Faddis, Lionel Hampton and Jackie and Roy.

In pursuing her own solo career, Holli has performed in top jazz clubs, country wide, from New Orleans’ Snug Harbor, to California's' Monterey Jazz Festival, to NYs’ Blue Note. Holli has appeared with various groups that have performed at the Nachtcafe in Munich and most recently Group Five appeared with Peter Nero and the Philadelphia Pops Orchestra. Holli has toured Europe with vibraphonist Wolfgang Lackerschmid, with whom she has also recorded and written and received glowing reviews.

Holli received her degree from Mannes College of Music (Performance in Bassoon) and supplemented her musical theater studies with Hal Holden at the Herbert Bergoff Studio. It was around this time she began to study with Tristano disciple, Warne Marsh, and came to the attention of singing giant, Jon Hendricks.

As a published songwriter for ASCAP and GEMA, Holli has penned lyrics to compositions by Miles Davis, Roger Kellaway, Harold Danko, Bill Mays, Mal Waldron, Ivan Lins, Roberto Menescal, and Claudio Roditi, with whom she has performed. Her songs have been recorded by Mark Murphy, Meredith D’Ambrosio, String of Pearls and 5 Steps Beyond.

Holli was honored to be asked to lyricize a composistion by the late Sarah Vaughan that was recorded by Janis Seigel of Manhattan Transfer with the Count Basie Band under the direction of Dennis Wilson. On a soon to be released recording, Holli can be heard with jazz luminaries Ted Rosenthal, Rufus Reid, Matt Wilson, Claudio Roditi, and Dennis Wilson.

Holli teaches extensively in the New York area, most notably at Hofstra University, Montclair State University, and Mannes College of Music. She is also a licensed, certified speech therapist specializing in voice disorders.