BIO

"Singing gives me a chance to open to and play with aspects of life that are an expansion of my daily landscape.  The songs offer me an opportunity to explore a palette of characters, emotions, stories, rhythms and moods.  It is through my voice that I experience the shapes, shadows and subtlety of the movements that allow me to step out of daily routine."  Meryl Romer

"We all do laundry, make breakfast, and show up for work on time; music is a source that allows us to sweeten and soften our relationship to each moment".  Meryl Romer

My earliest experiences with music came through the world of dance.  From age 11 in Brooklyn, New York I recall dancing and singing through the rooms of our apartment to the jazz sound of "77 Sunset Strip".  I sensed then that the sounds of jazz would be woven into my life through dance or song.  I went on to study and immerse myself in the world of dance well into my twenties...Ballet, Modern, Jazz, African, and Improvisation.  After college I continued my studies into the realm of Dance/Movement Therapy.  Much later I found the courage to explore the natural extension of movement....the voice.

I started to sing in January of 2002 at the age of 50.  For forty years I resisted using my voice, when I finally decided that I've Waited Long Enough.  A year later when I began studying voice with my singing teacher, Casey Collins and musicality with my music teacher and director, Erik Deutsch, it was as if I had stepped onto a musical express train, one I'd always longed to board and never wanted to step off.  Finally, I had the opportunity to make heard the sounds I'd been singing softly to myself my entire life.  The time had arrived; suddenly I was So Sure of my intention and commitment to explore and unleash the sounds I had been exposed to during the early part of my life, and I feel Right on Time.

I remember listening, along with my dad after a long day of work, to records of Gershwin and Rachmaninoff; Ella Fitzgerald on the airwaves; Lena Horne and Sarah Vaughan on television; Nina Simone records; and the exotic sounds of Pharoah Sanders on his LP, "Karma".  Later on, in 2003, when I heard the jazz standard, "Blues in the Night", aka My Momma Don Tol' Me, I felt as if I were home.  The original sounds of jazz in Brooklyn had re-entered my life.

Music is my avenue to give voice to what flows through my heart and soul.  My soon to be released CD, "So Sure" is a collection of original and covers songs that tell the stories that are closest to my heart.

I have been fortunate to study with wonderful, talented and generous musicians.  Casey Collins, my long time vocal coach inspired me to believe in my sound and to embody my instrument.  Jazz Pianist Erik Deutsch stood by me through my frustration of learning music and taught me that I can count from 1 to 4, sing, and snap my fingers at the same time.  Guitarist Bill Kopper convinced me that rhythm is not only my feet hitting the ground, but a complete story on the music chart.  Sheila Jordan taught me to trust my love of the music and to scat only if I'm really feeling it.  Jazz Master, Art Lande taught me to listen to the chords, collaborate and enjoy the community in song.  Mark Miller is teaching me to trust my improvisation intuition.