Ann Tappan grew up in Montclair, New Jersey where she started playing piano at the age of four. After a brief romance with the folk guitar in her teens and a two-year residence in Europe, she entered Berklee College of Music to study jazz composition and arranging. She returned to New York in the mid-70's and connected with the improvisational avant-garde loft scene.

In 1975 Ann moved to Berkeley, CA, to study with ECM pianist Art Lande and became part of his experimental jazz school, first as a student then as an instructor. During her time in the Bay Area she wrote and arranged for many live and recorded projects and performed with such giants as Eddie Henderson and Joe Henderson.

In 1993 she migrated to Montana where she quickly became a busy performer, private educator, and teacher of the award-winning Bozeman High School Jazz Combo. She was the author and administrator of a 2001 MAC/NEA/Jazz Montana grant, a year-long creative music program linking national and local professional musicians to state-wide audiences and K-12 students.

Since living in Montana she has recorded eight CDs with the groups ThreeForm, Springhill and the Tappan/Roberti/MJ Williams Trio and Quartet. She has performed widely in the Northwest, including concerts at the Myrna Loy Center in Helena, Yellowstone Art Museum in Billings, Bumbershoot Arts Festival and Jazz Alley in Seattle, the Jazz Montana Festival, Madison River Music Festival and opening performances for Joan Armatrading and Dave Grusin in Bozeman. Tappan traveled to the 2002 Prague International Jazz Festival in the Czech Republic. She returned to the Czech Republic in October 2003 and 2005 with Springhill for performances at several international jazz festivals in and around Prague.

She toured in Montana with NYC vocalist Roseanna Vitro in 2005 and 2007 and performed with David Murray in Bozeman in 2006. In 2005 and 2006 she began a collaboration with vocalist Carola Vossen, from the Netherlands, and bassist Kelly Roberti. She was featured on the Montana PBS arts program, “11th and Grant”, which aired in April 2007.

Ann allows creative expression to span style. She cherishes great melodies and uses space cleverly, creating an open, modern sound. Her bi-coastal ties and frequent trips to Europe help keep her approach fresh.