Andru Dennis is a local Northeast Ohio pianist and composer born in North Canton. His style blends honest soul imparted from his musical upbringing in the church with knowledge and perspective granted by his study and love of the wide realm of jazz and its many related genres. Andru is an alumnus of the Tri-c jazz studies program as well as the Jackie Mclean institute of Jazz at the University of Hartford.  

From the start of his highschool career at Glenoak highschool Andru was exposed to jazz through participating in vocal jazz ensembles. In these ensembles he performed advanced material by groups such as The New York Voices, Manhattan Transfer, Singers Unlimited and more that sparked his hunger for a deeper knowledge of what he had heard. Upon graduating he enrolled in the Tri-c jazz studies program where he was fortunate to have studied with great Cleveland players and educators such as Jackie Warren, Joe Hunter, Ernie Krivda, Dave Sterner, Dave Steinmetz and Steve Enos. Afterwards at the University of Hartford Andru studied with great musicians and educators including Rick Germanson, Steve Davis, Nat Reeves and Javon Jackson and also received education in recording arts and audio engineering. 

 Currently Andru is performing regularly around NE Ohio and the tri-state area with various musicians and groups of many different genres, accompanying high school and college choirs in the area, playing for various church functions and teaching private piano lessons. He also leads his own jazz fusion group under the name “Mana Cannon”. Whether teaching or performing Andru’s focus is centered on imparting the joys of improvisation and the awareness of music as a language that is prevalent throughout every persons daily life.