In 1952, Ross recorded 'Singin' and Swingin'' with members of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Later that year she recorded an album with vocalist King Pleasure, including the classic example of vocalese, 'Twisted,' which featured her treatment of saxophonist Wardell Gray's solo. It is her most famous song and has been recorded by Joni Mitchell, Bette Midler and many others. Ross also is an accomplished actress and has appeared in a number of films, such as 'Superman III' (1983), 'Throw Mama from the Train' (1987), 'Pump Up the Volume' (1990) and 'Blue Sky' (1994). Her most notable film role was as the jazz singer Tess Trainer in Robert Altman's 'Short Cuts' (1993), in which she also sang. She also appeared as an actress in Altman's 'The Player' (1992). On stage, Ross appeared in 'Cranks' (1955) in both London and New York, 'The Threepenny Opera' (1972) with Vanessa Redgrave, and in the Joe Papp production of 'The Pirates Of Penzance' (1982) with Tim Curry.
Ross has been honored on the ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame, and is the recipient of the prestigious NEA Jazz Masters' Award and the MAC Award for Lifetime Achievement. The story of this illustrious artist has been the subject of 'Twisted: The Annie Ross Story,' a one-woman play, and 'No One But Me,' which premiered at the Glasgow Film Festival in 2012.
Festival Head Programmer Ken Eisen noted "how delighted we are to present a concert with Annie, a key collaborator of Robert Altman, and a true jazz legend one of the few people that overused tag is worthy of."
Ross will perform on the Waterville Opera House stage on Wednesday, July 17 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 and are currently on sale at www.miff.org.