Carolbeth True

Carolbeth True has been a very active member of the St. Louis musical community for many years. She is adjunct professor at Webster University—teaching jazz and classical piano, and also maintains an extensive private student roster. She fronts both her own group, The Carolbeth Trio, as well as the new group with her son David on drums—Two Times True. She is the pianist with Hard Bop Heritage, a modern jazz ensemble led by local trumpet legend Randy Holmes; with the Sessions Big Band; with Wind of the Spirit praise band at her church; and is an original member of the cast of The Jazz Story, a 1-hour overview of jazz history at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Carolbeth has backed many name jazz artists, and performed a number of concertos with various orchestras. In 2005, she was named St. Louis Musician of the year by St. Louis Magazine, and was the 2007 recipient of the Excellence in the Arts Award from the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis. Carolbeth received the Riverfront Times Jazz Musician of the Year award in 2008.

She is heard on two trio CDs, "New World Harmonica Jazz" with Sandy Weltman, two Sessions Big Band CDs as well as "I’m All Smiles" with vocalist Debby Lennon, and most recently on the 2007 collaboration with her son David True on drums: "Two Times True", on the Victoria Records label, as well as on the soon-to-be-released CD of saxophone-great Larry Johnson entitled “Circles.”