For decades, Louisville has been a home for music lovers of all kinds. Many aspiring music artists reside within the city limits and engage in a constant search for opportunities to perform and promote their songs. Popular spots for performing include “Fourth Street Live” and “Waterfront Wednesday. Joining the Louisville music scene for his world tour, Ben Rosenblum, a Jazz piano artist, travels to the 502 again after visiting Lexington in 2018. Now, he is on a mission to introduce his long awaited album A Thousand Pebbles. 

Rosenblum has garnered a global following for his exceptional mix of Jazz music– taking inspiration not only from his Jewish upbringing but the cultures of his childhood. Rosenblum is grateful for his opportunity to learn at Juilliard University and he shared that his experiences there, when combined with growing up in New York, sparked his passion for music. New York, he says, gave him the opportunity to, “See the highest master’s of music from all around the world perform at the highest level.”  However, seeing these artists wasn’t enough. Rosenblum notes that his greatest achievements have been a result of hands-on experiences he has accumulated. “I really learned how to play jazz through performing with people and some of my earliest mentors,” Rosenblum notes, naming Curtis Lundy, Art Harper and Deborah Davis as a few. “They’re very much part of the jazz tradition.” 

Now, Rosenblum is bringing his experience to Derby City.

Performing with his trio, Rosenblum has a goal of seeing just how much music can change his life. Through his show in Louisville, specifically, he hopes to capture the hearts and minds of Jazz enthusiasts and to open the  genre to those for which it is unknown. He prides himself on his music being a fusion of cultures and sound cultivated into one. He says he feels the most appreciated as a performer when he is able to open the door to promoting jazz around the world– “bring[ing] music to communities of people who might not usually be able to see [it].”

Jazz music has, historically, made a significant impact around the world. As a bandleader, Rosenblum faces responsibilities and challenges, including communicating expectations and creating a space where everyone can express themselves, while also maintaining his own creative vision and well-being. One of Rosenblum’s personal creative visions is derived from the music-creating process. As opposed to translating poems to music directly, he tries to translate the emotions. “[I try to] communicate that experience of reading that poem for the first time,” Rosenblum says.  

If you are interested in Jazz music or want to become more involved with Rosenblum and his work, be sure to mark your calendar for his trio performances at Ascension Lutheran Church. The event promises to be an exciting presentation of “A Thousand Pebbles” (the trio’s latest album) and has a goal of bringing together a community of Jazz lovers and those interested in Jazz. 

The performance is scheduled for Sunday, October 29th, with the presentation starting at 4:00PM. The performance is free, but donations are encouraged. Don’t miss out!

Find out about Ben Rosenblum and new album A Thousand Pebbles.