Pamela Wise (Harrison) is an internationally known jazz pianist and composer. Pamela has performed concerts, taught and organized workshops, master classes throughout the USA and the Middle East. Pamela is widely known for her works in fusing afro cuban rhythms with jazz harmonies and she has received many awards for this endeavor. In addition, her diverse catalog of compositions has been recorded and produced on the legendary Tribe Record label co founded by her husband saxophonist/clarinetist Wendell Harrison as well as WenHa Music.
Pamela bumped into Wendell Harrison in a recording studio while taping some of her compositions. Wendell (who later became her husband) became interested in her music and started featuring her compositions on his recordings as well as featuring her in his ensembles. Pamela was blessed with the opportunity to be performing and composing for legendary artists such as Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, Leon Thomas and Eddie Harris (to name a few).
In 1989, Pamela started forming her own ensemble with saxophonist James Carter, trumpeter Dwight Adams, bassist Jaribu Shahid, drummer Ali Muhammad and percussionist Andrew Daniels. Then Pamela received two Creative Artist Grant awards from the Arts Foundation of Michigan to write compositions demonstrating the link between Afro Cuban and jazz music. Pamela landed additional awards including; The prestigious Kresge Creative Artist Fellowship Award that came with a $25,000 prize for her work as a pianist, teacher, composer and cultural warrior. Pamela was awarded another award from the Kresge Foundation in 2019 for her production, Matrix X Detroit-The Gentrification Nation.
Another award in 2021 from New Music USA for a new composition coming from Pamela Wise along with her jazz guru husband Wendell Harrison. Harrison composed a piece with Pamela entitled AMBIGUOUS REALITIES reflecting the worldwide effects of COVID19 .