Ada Rovatti
Italian native Ada Rovatti started playing saxophone in high school after years of classical piano training.
After winning a scholarship from Berklee College of Music in Italy she divided herself between Boston where she studied with Joe Viola, George Garzone and Fred Lipsius and Italy where she was regular working in Big Band with guest artists such as: Phil Woods, Lee Konitz and many more.
After spending one year in Paris touring Europe and Africa she moved in New York City. She has performed in important festivals such as JVC in NYC Rochester Jazz Festival, IAJE, Detroit Jazz Fest, Montreal Jazz Fest, San Francisco Jazz Fest, NorthSea Jazz Fest and a regular on the JazzCruise, appearing and performing with an impressive and diverse list of artists and bands such as: Mike Stern, John McLaughlin, Anne Ducros, Bob Mintzer, Victor Bailey, Joanne Brackeen, Tony Levin, John McLaughlin , James Moody, Aretha Franklin, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Heath, Patti Austin, Joe Bonamassa and many others.
In 2003 she released her first 2 CDs as a bandleader with the Elephunk Band and with her quartet with guests: Randy Brecker, Mike Stern and Don Alias.
Ada was part of 2 Grammy winning CDs by Randy Brecker –“34 th N Lex” and “Rocks” with NDR Big Band along with David Sanborn, and on the acclaimed CD of John McLaughlin “Industrial Zen” and also appeared in the movie ‘Mona Lisa Smile’ featuring Julia Roberts
Dena DeRose
It’s no small accomplishment to be thought of as “The most creative and compelling singer- pianist since Shirley Horn”, but that’s exactly how Joel Siegel of the Washington City Paper described Dena DeRose. If she comes to your city and you want to catch the show, go early, because the room is going to be packed. She not only awes her audiences and music critics with her facility on the piano and her swinging, soothing vocal style but, as Richard Scheinin of the San Jose Mercury aptly put it, “… she exudes joy … what soul!” DeRose always delivers “…vivid and often exciting demonstrations of how innovative her musical concepts are…” (Philip Elwood, San Francisco Examiner).
She has brought that vitality and innovation to performances alongside the likes of Ray Brown, Clark Terry, Marian McPartland, Benny Golson, Scott Hamilton, John Scofield, Benny Green, Ray Drummond, Houston Person, Tootie Heath, Deborah Brown, Ken Peplowski, John Clayton, Jeff Hamilton, Kenny Burrell, David ‘Fathead’ Newman, Sheila Jordan, Jay Clayton, Mark Murphy, Marvin Stamm, and many, many others.
Carolyn Trowbridge
Austin Music Award-nominated multi-instrumental musician, performer, and composer, Carolyn Trowbridge is an energetic, multifaceted artist. Her innovative fluency with her craft creates sonic experiences, fueled by a zealous passion for all things “sound”.
She has recorded, collaborated and performed with several well-known artists including Grammy Award nominees Black Pumas, Adrian Quesada, Graham Reynolds, Alex Coke, Star Parks, Hard Proof, Mike Portnoy, and many more.
In 2023, Trowbridge began writing for her own 5-piece project, and recorded her debut album, Found Memories, an evocative homage to all the impactful moments within her mind, from a spirited grackle attack to the winding staircase of her Czech childhood home.
In 2009, Trowbridge performed with Grammy-winning choir A Company of Voices for a PBS special, going on to support Snoop Dogg’s performance at ACL Live at the Moody Theater with KP and the Boom Boom in 2014 and making further appearances at both SXSW and ACL festivals over multiple years, most recently with Adrian Quesada's Boleros Psicodélicos which also included a live taping.
Emily Gimble
The best storytellers always do a careful dance. Details offered, details withheld. Drawing you in one raised eyebrow at a time, whispering here, bellowing there. Are you listening? These are secrets being told, not to mention joys, sighs, even – if you can detect them – sly bits of advice. Lean into it. Close your eyes. They’ll carry you softly home.
It’s a dance singer-songwriter Emily Gimble performs on her debut album “Certain Kinda,” with songs as soulful as they are winsome, broody as they are beautiful. It makes sense for a woman who grew up with music in her blood, singing and playing on-stage since she was seven years old. Maybe it couldn’t be helped: when your dad is Dick Gimble, beloved guitarist and upright bass player, and your grandfather is Johnny Gimble, one of the most beloved fiddle players of all time, there’s really no choice but to play, is there?
Piano beckoned Emily early on – in fact, the Austin Music Awards named her “Best Keyboards” of the city three times (2013, 2014, 2018) – as did another instrument, full of natural range and feeling: her voice. “A Case of the Gimbles,” the 2005 album she recorded with her father and grandfather, showcased her vocals and launched Emily on a national family tour, playing folk festivals and charming audiences across the country.
Peggy Stern
In 2020, LuluFest became virtual out of necessity, because of Covid-19. Music being presented on film - even if live-streamed was not feasible for LuluFest 2021, so we used the space and time, to create an archive of Festivals over the years. Hence, the mini-Doc to be shown at LuluFest 2022, memorializing all 17 years of the Festival(s), and the women who participated. This is our re-entry into the live festival tradition, and we are very much looking forward to presenting another eclectic and joyous celebration of women band leaders!