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Diane Roblin
Composer, keyboardist, band leader, Diane plays high energy music from the heart!
About Me
SHORT BIOGRAPHY
“This all-field hitter does a great job of delivering the goods… a genuine wild ride you
wish wouldn’t end.” — Chris Spector, MidwestRecords.com
“Roblin’s piano work dazzles.” — canadianmusic.ca
Diane Roblin’s dynamic career has earned her a place among Canada’s most respected
women in jazz. Known for her powerful compositions and expressive keyboard style,
Diane’s performances blend technical agility with a deep commitment to the connective
power of music. As a composer, pianist, electric keyboardist, improviser, and bandleader,
Diane’s spirited, genre-crossing work has led to collaborations with artists ranging from
avant-garde improviser Charles Gayle to the iconic rock band Rough Trade.
Her new album, Breath of Fresh Air, released on Zsan Records in late 2024, continues
this legacy. It showcases Roblin’s expansive musical voice, weaving jazz, funk, and
impressionist harmony into compositions that are both adventurous and deeply moving.
Leading her six-piece ensemble, Life Force, Diane explores high-energy soundscapes
punctuated by intricate, emotionally resonant improvisations. Critics have praised her
work: JAZZFM91 calls her compositions “fascinating,” while WholeNote writes, “Roblin
reminds us of her skill, not only as a pianist but as a new music composer.”
A classical pianist by training, Diane pursued a diverse music education at York University
in Toronto, immersing herself in jazz improvisation, world music, and electronic
composition with David Rosenboom. She has also studied with mridangam master Trichy
Sankaran and participated in the Ornette Coleman/Karl Berger workshop in NYC, where
she worked with luminaries like Lee Konitz, and in the Dutch Improv Academy with
drummer Hans Bennink.
Diane’s collaborations span an impressive range of Canadian jazz and experimental
musicians, and she regularly performs in both traditional and experimental contexts,
including telematic music with Sarah Weaver’s NowNet Inc. Lab Ensemble. Her
performances have reached audiences at major venues and festivals in North America
and Europe, from Toronto’s Kensington Market Jazz Festival to Amsterdam’s Bimhuis and
New York’s Smalls. Diane is also an active member of the Association of Canadian
Women Composers, committed to advancing Canada’s jazz and compositional
community.
