It is an exciting time for fans of the District’s jazz scene. The last ten years have seen an explosion of young talent, and while the availability of venues for them to play is still an issue, there is no shortage of great players in the area. This up-and-coming pool of musicians share not only a dedication to craft, but also a strong sense of community and desire to spread the word about jazz in the nation’s capital. There is no better exemplar of this ethos than pianist Amy K. Bormet.
If there is a word that comes to mind when one encounters Bormet, it is “enthusiasm.” Her petite frame belies a dynamic and animated personality that is no doubt a big reason why she is such an in-demand player. A member of several groups, her playing runs the gamut from straight-ahead and Brazilian jazz to the occasional performance on accordion with her guitarist husband, Matt Dievendorf. She also performs regularly with the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra.
A local native, Bormet graduated from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where she studied with saxophonist and educator Davey Yarborough. That relationship continues to this day in her work with Yarborough’s Washington Jazz Arts Institute. Bormet continued her formal training under the tutelage of Geri Allen and Ellen Rowe at the University of Michigan and recently finished her graduate studies at Howard University, where she performed with and composed for the school’s jazz ensemble.
The past two years have seen Bormet’s star begin to rise. In February 2010, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra commissioned and performed an arrangement of one of her pieces. Later that year, she participated in the Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead and Mary Lou Williams Emerging Artist programs at the Kennedy Center. Things are only getting busier nowadays. In February of this year, Bormet released her latest album, Striking, an easy going affair that showcases Bormet’s light touch on the piano and her airy voice. She is also the driving force behind the inaugural Washington Women in Jazz Festival, which will take place over four Wednesdays in March at Twins Jazz.
Bormet took time out of her busy schedule to speak with DCist about her latest recording and the upcoming festival.
