What do Wynton Marsalis, Jon Faddis, Rodney Whitaker, Greg Hutchinson, Bobby Watson, have in common? They have all had Rick Roe guest in their piano chair. Winner of the 1994 Great American Jazz Piano Competition, Rick Roe is a skillful jazz pianist who particularly emulates the styles of some of the great modern jazz pianists such as Theolonius Monk and Bill Evans. Twice a semifinalist in the Thelonius Monk International Jazz Piano Competition (1993 and 1999), he has been a featured performer in the Jacksonville (Florida) Jazz, Savannah (Georgia) Onstage International Arts, Montreaux/Detroit Jazz, Birmingham Jazz, Lansing Jazz, Flint Jazz, and Hawaii Jazz (with Frank Morgan) Festivals.

He has produced and co-produced twelve recordings (CDs) on his own RNR Unknown Records label with original compositions and arranged jazz standards with some of the most accomplished jazz musicians in the world. Such recordings include “The Changeover” (1997), “Monk’s Modern Music” (1995), and “Sphere” (2005).

Mr. Roe has served as an educator/clinician at the University of Arizona, North Texas University, Michigan State University, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the University of Michigan, and the Montreaux/ Detroit Jazz Festival. More artist collaborations include performances with Marcus Belgrave, Donald Walden, Rodney Whitaker, Frank Foster, Andrew Speight, Wycliffe Gordon, Gerald Cleaver, Victor Goines, Louis Smith, Randy Gelispie, Vincent York, Wendall Harrison, Dwight Adams, and many others.