Vanessa is known mainly for her work as a jazz and funk Hammond B-3 organist. She also plays a wide assortment of other musical roles, including Salsa/Merengue pianist and church organist.

Vanessa Rodrigues was born on November 17th, 1978 in Edmonton, Alberta. She began playing piano at age 5, and then became fascinated with the pipe organ at age 8. However, due to very limited access to organs, piano remained her main instrument for a long time. In addition to piano, she also played double bass and viola for several years, taking advantage of the many unique educational and travel opportunities presented to her through the Edmonton Public Schools String Program.

Vanessa built a strong foundation in classical music throughout her childhood, then discovered jazz music at age 14 through the University of Alberta's "Summer Jazz" program under the direction of Tommy Banks. After completing high school in 1996, she attended the reputable International Jazz Workshop at the Banff Centre for the Arts. She moved to Montreal later that year, and graduated from the McGill University Jazz Performance program with a degree in jazz piano in June of 2000.

During her time at McGill, Vanessa was the pianist for Montreal's then premier Salsa/Merengue band "Orquesta Pambiche". Near the end of her degree, she took the opportunity to try out a Hammond B-3 organ that was sitting in a friend's basement, and after playing one note she was instantly rendered a life-long devotee. She formed her own 11-piece Tower of Power style funk band in 1999, "Groove Prophecy", for which she was musical director, organist, and manager.

At this time, Vanessa felt she needed to get even more serious about the Hammond organ. Due to the relative obscurity of the instrument, it is necessary to seek out and learn from those who have truly mastered it. So, in February of 2002, she traveled to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to spend one month as a live-in student, crashing on world-renowned jazz organist Dr. Lonnie Smith's couch!

She went on to perform in the Montreal International Jazz Festival in July 2002 with her own original soul-jazz organ trio, and hosted a popular organ jam session for the duration of the festival. On one of the evenings during the festival, acclaimed jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco came to jam!

In April of 2003, Vanessa produced and performed in two concerts featuring New York baritone saxophone legend Ronnie Cuber. She then returned to the Banff Centre, this time on Hammond B-3 organ, where she had occasion to perform with world-class faculty members Mike Murley, John Abercrombie, and Dave Douglas. She is the first and only organist to attend the program to date.

Vanessa has always been interested in a wide variety of musical styles, and is actively pursuing different projects involving jazz, funk, soul, world and also classical. She has finally been able to address her life-long passion for the pipe organ; for the past few years she has enjoyed playing service music at several Montreal churches.

Vanessa currently resides in Montreal, where she performs and records regularly on both piano and organ, and also composes and arranges music for various artists in Montreal and abroad.
(excerpts from the Biography on Vanessa's website)

One of the most pleasant surprises of the '04 Ottawa International Jazz Festival was organist Vanessa Rodrigues, who appeared as part of saxophonist Dave Turner's quartet . At a mere 26 years of age, she delivered accompaniment so empathic and solos so well constructed that the only disappointment was that her work had never been documented on record. Until now. With Soul Project Rodrigues steps out with infectious grooves and outstanding playing, paying homage to the established organ trio tradition while remaining completely modern.

While Rodrigues has a strong background in everything from classical piano to more spiritual works on church pipe organ, it's clearly the soul-drenched music of artists like Dr. Lonnie Smith, with whom Rodrigues spent a month as a live-in student, that is her main passion. On Soul Project Rodrigues is teamed with guitarist Donna Grantis, a player with a warm, Grant Green-esque tone and similarly blues-informed approach; and drummer Jean-Pierre Levesque, who is as comfortable with the New Orleans second line approach of "Marble Rye" as he is the deeper funk of "The Red Dirt Jam." Turntablist DJ Killa-Jewel is featured on four of tracks, adding a taste of hip hop to the mix.

The album's vibe bears some precedence in guitarist John Scofield's collaboration with Medeski, Martin and Wood, A Go Go , in terms of its in-the-pocket approach, but it avoids the more idiosyncratic playing typical of Scofield and Medeski. That's not to say Rodrigues and her trio are without energy and edge. Rodrigues is a more inside player, but with a keen sense of development - check out her playing on "The Red Dirt Jam," where she fashions a solo that builds in intensity so gradually one is almost unaware that it's happening. Similarly, on "Be Careful What You Wish For," Levesque takes DJ Killa-Jewel's solo and invisibly pulls up the dynamics. As much as everyone's playing reflects an intellectual bent, the inherent physicality of the group gives it much of its appeal. Read more

John Kelman (All about Jazz)