Mary Pearson made a strong impression with her recording debut from 2000, You and I, which teamed her with pianists Lynne Arriale and Fred Hersch. Pearson began her career singing almost everything but jazz in a wedding band and at piano bars, including folk music and cabaret. In 1975 she realized that her way of improvising was jazz, and she dug deeper into the jazz repertoire. Her first major jazz engagement was at the Surfmaid in New York, sitting in with pianist Claude Garvey and occasionally Fred Hersch. In the early '80s she formed her own group. In 1984 she began to learn to play piano, and by 1986 was confident enough to work as a singer/pianist. Since the mid-'80s, Mary Pearson has worked regularly in the New York area. Some of her most important musical associations have been with Dr. Billy Taylor, Harvie Swartz, Lynne Arriale, the Diva band, Claire Daly, John Hart, and George Gee's Make-Believe Ballroom Orchestra. She also whistles on commercials and writes children's musicals. ~ Scott Yanow