Born and raised in Colorado Springs, CO, saxophonist, composer, and educator Anisha Rush began playing the saxophone at the age of 10 and went on to study music and psychology, earning a BM in Jazz Studies from the Thompson Jazz Studies Program and a BA in Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
As a performer, Anisha’s noteworthy collaborations include performances alongside luminaries such as Makaya McCraven, Ron Miles, Matt Wilson, Dawn Clement, Greg Gisbert, Shane Endsley, Art Lande, and others. Anisha has performed at several festivals including Bonnaroo, DC Jazz Festival, Winter Jazz Fest, Telluride Jazz Festival, and Five Points Jazz Festival.
Anisha actively performs as bandleader of ‘Anisha Rush and the Encounter’, a dynamic ensemble that transcends boundaries and captivates audiences with its unique fusion of genres while still utilizing the improvisational traditions of jazz. The band refuses to be put in a box, and will often play music reminiscent of not only jazz but also soul, R&B, and gospel.
In 2023, Anisha was selected for the Next Jazz Legacy, an apprenticeship program led by New Music USA and the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice. Additionally, Anisha Rush and the Encounter is a recipient of a 2024 grant from Chamber Music America’s Performance Plus program, funded through the generosity of the Doris Duke Foundation.