Rebecca Cline

Rebecca Cline serves as Professor in the Ensemble Piano department at Berklee College of Music, where she has taught Latin jazz and mixed-styles ensembles, Cuban piano classes, and jazz studies since 2003. An active performer, she leads the Rebecca Cline Trio and has performed for over a decade with the band Mango Blue, while conducting international workshops across Asia, Europe, South America, and the Caribbean.

Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies with a minor in music from the University of North Carolina (1994) and a Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music (2001), supplemented by studies with Charlie Banacos (2001-2005) and Chucho Valdés (1996).

Cline's scholarly and artistic work centers on Latin jazz performance and pedagogy, with deep focus on Cuban piano techniques, clave structures, and cultural immersion. She emphasizes learning directly from source recordings rather than lead sheets, advocating that understanding language, gestures, and customs of Puerto Rican and Cuban cultures is essential for authentic musical expression. Her research bridges music theory, performance practice, and cross-cultural studies.

Her creative output demonstrates consistent exploration of Afro-Cuban rhythms within contemporary jazz frameworks, evolving from foundational work in "Enclave" (2003) through diaspora themes in "Enclave Diaspora" (2008) to mature compositional statements in "Mango" (2010) and her pedagogical book (2013). These works collectively advance understanding of Latin jazz as both cultural practice and artistic innovation.

Professional recognition includes:

• Chamber Music America, New Jazz Works commission (2007)

As an educator, Cline mentors students through ensemble instruction emphasizing cultural context and self-directed learning. Her international workshops and performances with artists like Pedrito Martinez and Giovanni Hidalgo extend her pedagogical impact globally, while her Berklee Press publication serves as a standard text for jazz pianists seeking authentic Latin approaches.

She maintains active performance schedules with both the Rebecca Cline Trio and Mango Blue, contributing significantly to Boston's jazz ecosystem through regular local performances and recording projects that document evolving Latin jazz traditions.