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Sherri Roberts

When you listen to Sherri's thoughtful way with a vocal line, or her vibrant sense of swing, or her effortless embodiment of a song's emotion, it's hard not to notice the extent of her affection for her songs.

Sherri Roberts was raised in Atlanta, Georgia and received a B.A. in theatre from Antioch College in Ohio. It was there she was first introduced to jazz studies - its history and repertoire - as well as early Renaissance choral music and the 20th Century avant garde. Upon relocating to San Francisco, she became involved in both theatre performance and management, while never abandoning her love of singing and her growing interest in jazz. At a transitional point in her life, she recognized that exploring the rich emotional life of a character through story could be done far more economically in a four minute song than a two hour play; that a well written song is like a miniature play, distilled down to it’s musical essence; and that singing, like acting, offers the means to externalize the deeper internal self. She walked away from the theatre and onto the bandstand and never looked back.

Drawing from this diverse training and experience, Ms. Roberts blurs the line between cabaret and jazz singing. She performs the tunes of Broadway and Tin Pan Alley in modern jazz settings, while her great affinity for Brazilian music and the lyricized compositions of contemporary artists such as Dave Brubeck, Marian McPartland and Bill Evans keeps her song choices personal and exciting. She takes her innate feeling for melody and rhythm and mates it with an attraction for less-known and wrongly-neglected songs.

Ms. Roberts’ interpretation of this repertoire draws inspiration from the Vo- Cool jazz era. Her velvet voice, laidback phrasing, impeccable diction, and subtle understated delivery have invited favorable comparisons to June Christy, Chet Baker and Helen Merrill. Yet her pillowy sound and approach are all her own. "She's a breath of fresh air," exclaimed Kirk Silsbee of Los Angeles City Beat, "Pure and unaffected."

Due out in January of 2013 is her newest recording, "Lovely Days," an intimate, emotionally incisive celebration of the American Songbook's infrequently turned backpages, showcasing the brilliant but little- documented pianist Bliss Rodriguez. A duo session for Blue House Recordings/Pacific Coast Jazz and her fourth recording as a leader, "Lovely Days" shares two defining characteristics with Ms. Roberts previous releases: an intuitive mind-meld with a master instrumentalist, and a smartly curated array of undeservedly neglected songs.

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7
Album Review

Sherri Roberts: Anybody's Spring

Read "Anybody's Spring" reviewed by Geannine Reid


Vocalist Sherri Roberts brings the joy and promise of new beginnings with twelve standards, that offer a spring theme with her 2017 release, Anybody's Spring. Selections come from the jazz compositions of Clifford Brown and Tadd Dameron to the standard and not-so-standard fare of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Hoagy Carmichael, and Blossom Dearie favorite Bob Haymes, the set list is a spring lover's dream come true. The San Francisco based singer is a passionate, expressive singer whose emotive prominence never supersedes ...

3
Album Review

Sherri Roberts with Bliss Rodriguez: Lovely Days

Read "Lovely Days" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


Sherri Roberts has built her reputation with a trio of well-produced albums featuring top-notch players like pianist Mark Soskin, saxophonist Phil Woods and bassist Harvie S, but her fourth album finds the Bay Area-based vocalist expanding her horizons by trimming down the personnel list. Lovely Days gives Roberts a chance to work in a more open environment that highlights the interpersonal relationship that exists between singer and pianist. Roberts has maintained an on-again/off-again gigging relationship with pianist ...

4
Album Review

Sherri Roberts: Lovely Days

Read "Lovely Days" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Lovely Days is a “classical" piano-vocals recital. It is classical in the respect of that this spare pairing is time tested and well respected across musical genres. Bay-area vocalist Sherri Roberts downsizes from her previous three recordings to a duo setting with pianist Bliss Rodriguez. Robert's repertoire comes directly from the Great American Songbook, first half of the 20th Century, but not from the absolutely most dog-eared pages. All ballads, “What's New," “My funny Valentine" and “You'd Be So Nice ...

104
Album Review

Sherri Roberts: Dreamsville

Read "Dreamsville" reviewed by Jim Santella


Singer Sherri Roberts has a pleasant, expressive alto voice, scat-sings and interprets lyrics, uses a vibrato somewhat wider than most, and fades from the limelight at will. The singer, who grew up in Atlanta, earned a degree in theater, and moved to San Francisco, names influences such as Billie Holiday, Chet Baker, and Helen Merrill.

Roberts fares best when she projects firmly with a strong will and with her desired expressions, such as on “It Never Entered My Mind." While ...

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1

Recording

"Lovely Days," New Duo Album By Vocalist Sherri Roberts With Pianist Bliss Rodriguez, Due Jan. 15

"Lovely Days," New Duo Album By Vocalist Sherri Roberts With Pianist Bliss Rodriguez, Due Jan. 15

Source: Terri Hinte Publicity

On her three previous albums, San Francisco vocalist Sherri Roberts collaborated with jazz masters like Phil Woods, Chris Potter, Lew Soloff, and bassist Harvie S, who also presided as producer/arranger for the highly-regarded small-group sessions. Roberts takes a different tack on Lovely Days, her fourth album as a leader and her second for Blue House Recordings/Pacific Coast Jazz. On the new CD, which will be released January 15, she chose to work in a duo setting with Bliss Rodriguez, a ...

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Performance / Tour

Sherri Roberts at Catalina's Wednesday, June 7, 2006, 8:30pm

Sherri Roberts at Catalina's Wednesday, June 7, 2006,  8:30pm

Source: All About Jazz

WHO: Sherri Roberts, nationally acclaimed jazz vocalist and San Francisco based recording artist.

Roberts will be backed up by San Francisco pianist David Udolf ,John Belzaguy on bass, Aaron Serfaty on drums, with guest Bradley Leighton on flutes.

WHAT: A live concert performance and album launch event to celebrate the national release of Roberts' third recording, The Sky Could Send You, which recently arrived in record stores on the Blue House Recordings label, an associate label of Pacific Coast Jazz. ...

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Performance / Tour

Sherri Roberts Bay Area CD Release Celebration at Yoshi's Tuesday, April 18

Sherri Roberts Bay Area CD Release Celebration at Yoshi's Tuesday, April 18

Source: All About Jazz

Sherri Roberts Bay Area CD Release Celebration at Yoshi's Jazz House Jack London Square, Oakland, CA (510) 238-9200 Tuesday, April 18 Sets at 8 & 10 pm Tickets: 8:00 show - $12.00, 10:00 show - $6.00 The band members are: Sherri Roberts - Vocals David Udolf - piano Chris Amberger - Bass Wally Schnalle - drums ...

Recent reviews for Sherri Roberts and her recording 


The Sky Could Send You


“This recording elevates Sherri Roberts to another level within the jazz vocalist galaxy of stars. Her evocative expressions and poetic lyricism envelop the listener in a warm cocoon of sound that you’re sure to enjoy.”


Paula Edelstein, All About Jazz


“...A picture of relaxed professionalism. Roberts swings so warmly and gently that the listener’s tender side will reach out to her...this is clearly a stunner.” 


Richard Bourcier, Jazz Review.com


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Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Anybody's Spring

Pacific Coast Jazz
2017

buy

Lovely Days

Pacific Coast Jazz
2012

buy

The Sky Could Send You

Pacific Coast Jazz
2006

buy

Dreamsville

Brownstone
1999

buy

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From: The Sky Could Send You
By Sherri Roberts

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