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Diane Roblin
Member Since: 2014 | Location: Toronto | Page Views: 1,501 
About Me
Composer, keyboardist, band leader, Diane plays high energy music from the heart!
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.
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This page was last updated on 2025-01-19.
