Beneath the soft glow of purple stage lights at the Kelly Center — a cozy, underground-style venue tucked into Haverford, PA — internationally touring jazz pianist and accordionist Ben Rosenblum and Juno-nominated vocalist Laura Anglade swept the audience into a smooth, swaying reverie on Saturday night, April 19. With Rosenblum’s nimble touch on the piano and Anglade’s velvet vocals leading the way, the two-hour performance drifted through timeless classics from the Great American Songbook and Brazilian and World music, as the crowd bobbed their heads in steady rhythm, lost in the warmth of the music.
Speaking with the Bi-Co News before the show, Rosenblum praised his partner’s artistry, “She is such a great storyteller… she only picks songs that she really feels — the narrative of the song deeply — and is able to deliver it in a way that I think anybody who’s ever experienced the things that she’s singing about will be able to feel it immediately.” That storytelling came to life in their performance, particularly on pieces like Julie London’s “Meaning of the Blues,” Tony Bennett’s “I’ve Got Just About Everything,” and Frank Sinatra’s haunting take on “Imagination.” Each song unfolded with a careful intentionality, revealing not just technical skill, but an emotional connection that rippled through the room. Rosenblum emphasized that even people who aren’t typically jazz fans often find themselves moved by Anglade’s performances, highlighting her rare ability to connect through music. With a background in translation and fluency in both French and English, Anglade brings a deep sensitivity to words and stories — a gift that, according to Rosenblum, allows her to reach across languages, genres, and expectations to create powerful emotional moments on stage.
Rosenblum’s most recent album, “A Thousand Pebbles,” highlights a similar theme of storytelling, as he brings together what he describes as “cinematic kind of narrative songs.” Developed with his larger ensemble, the Nebula Project, many of the album’s compositions emerged during the pandemic and reflect a deep nostalgia for normalcy. Drawing on world music influences and historical moments — including a piece inspired by the postwar poem “The Bell from Europe” and an arrangement of the Brazilian exile song “Song of the Sabiá” — Rosenblum channels a sense of loss, longing, and the impossibility of truly returning home. Yet, at its core, “A Thousand Pebbles” is rooted in jazz’s enduring role as a universal language: a tool for emotional connection across divides. “If the music I make can attract a wide variety of people and form small bonds across political divides,” Rosenblum said, “then that’s as far as I could hope to ask for what I do.”
Throughout the evening, Anglade and Rosenblum’s chemistry was unmistakable, the result of nearly seven years of making music together across different cities and stages — with only a brief pause during the pandemic. The duo’s setlist blended melancholy and hope, from the dark yet resilient Brazilian anthem “Alegria” to their tender duet on Barbra Streisand’s “People Who Need People,” where the two artists leaned into the quiet power of connection. Performing for her first time in Pennsylvania, Anglade brought a special sensitivity to each ballad, a form she says demands “a certain level of understanding and connection” between musical partners. That emotional trust was palpable as she delivered “Meaning of the Blues,” her voice weaving sorrow and beauty into every note.
Anglade and Rosenblum began their partnership in New York City, where she moved to just a year prior and where he was born and raised. Their connection grew over duo pieces and expanded into a full quartet with bass and drums. Reflecting on the vibrant musical culture that shaped their collaboration, Rosenblum emphasized New York’s unique place in the jazz world.
“Right now I think New York is the best city for jazz because it has the most people passing through in the widest variety of styles within jazz because jazz is many different things… there’s a more traditional jazz, a more modern jazz jazz that combines with Latin music or with different kinds of world music or with hip hop, and these are all considered jazz. In New York, you’re gonna find a great community of people doing all of these things, whereas in another city you might find mostly people doing one or two of the things, but not as many people doing the others.”
Their performance was underscored by a recurring theme of softness and intimacy, with Rosenblum’s solos winning over the crowd after particularly moving pieces such as “La Valse des Lilas.” The show exhibited a strong influence of connection, as Rosenblum spoke of his performances all over the world, including Blue Note Tokyo in Japan, a sophisticated jazz club revered worldwide. Feelings of jazz being a musical family extended from Rosenblum’s interview to the Kelly Center, as the crowd swayed in silence, admiring the intrinsic art on stage.
“Jazz is this kind of universal language that makes global travel much more special. Even when I go to places where I don’t speak any common language at all with the musicians I’m playing with, we can still play music together.”
This feeling of community extends further as Rosenblum acknowledges the importance of connecting with the crowd, “I’ve come to understand a little bit more how to announce… and talk about the music we’re doing in a way that brings the audience into it, even if they’re mostly songs that the audience doesn’t know, I can tell them something that might be interesting… Or something to listen for in a way that brings their attention into an understandable part of the music.” His love of connecting with the audience can be attributed to his own mentors in the jazz world, particularly his relationship with Curtis Lundy, a world renowned bass player. Early in his career, Lundy gave Rosenblum opportunities to perform on short notice, teaching him the importance of communication, trust, and shared language — values Rosenblum now brings to every stage, including his next performance in Philadelphia in November 2025, at the Chris’ Jazz Cafe.
Rana Rastegari contributed to this article.
