Rachel Eckroth

In a recent WBGO interview, Simon Rentner proclaims ‘Pianist, singer and
composer Rachel Eckroth is more than a musical chameleon. Her shapeshifting is
so dramatic that there is no upper limit to her creativity.’ Fueled by curiosity,
preparation, and opportunity, Rachel has been on world stages as an artist and an
in-demand keyboardist for everyone from Rufus Wainwright to St. Vincent to NBC.
Her musical training was an inherent part of her upbringing. Born into a musical
family and being generously exposed to the arts gave Rachel a solid foundation in
the art of listening. This became the cornerstone of her musical contribution
which fostered her ability to make other artists shine.
A student of legendary pianist Stanley Cowell, Rachel earned a Master’s
Degree in Jazz Piano from Rutgers University in 2005. She identifies as a
composer first, and throughout her career, she has written for her own projects -
duo, trio, nonet - as well as jazz ensembles, orchestras, and television. Her
songwriting and voice are also featured in the Emmy-winning documentary ‘Dick
Johnson Is Dead’ (Netflix 2020). She is represented by the publishing agency
Brava Jazz, a female-led agency featuring the work of women composers. Rachel
frequently travels the country and abroad as a clinician and guest artist with
universities and various jazz programs. She has held positions at the University of
Nevada, Las Vegas and Phoenix College and has been on the faculty at The
Brubeck Summit, Langnau Jazz Nights and Engelsholm Jazz Week in Denmark.
Most recently, ou can hear her keyboard work on St. Vincent’s ‘All Born
Screaming’ (2024) which recently won the Grammy for Best Alternative Music
Album (2025). Rachel’s 2021 album, The Garden, on the Rainy Days Records
label was nominated for a Grammy (Best Contemporary Instrumental Album) in
2022. It features some of her most compelling work to date, with the help of world
renowned musicians Tim Lefebvre, Donny McCaslin and Christian Euman. Since
then, Rachel has released three more albums - all with different musical styles and
purposes. The urge to grow and try different styles and ‘languages’ of music is
the driving force behind this exploration in her catalog.
Her personal catalog includes three singer-songwriter albums, an improvised solo
piano album, a live quartet record, an album of jazz standards featuring only voice
and bass, experimental jazz, and recently a duo project with drummer/composer
John Hadfield. This album, ‘Speaking In Tongues’ (2025 on Adhyaropa Records)

received a four-star review from Downbeat magazine and is proving to be a
formidable duo on the improvisational music scene.
For Eckroth, new ideas abound and need to be explored. Both collaborations
and significant time spent in her Phoenix, AZ studio have made exploration
possible, with the tools of technology and the innate desire to listen to herself -
and everyone else.