Marcus Roberts
Marcus Roberts grew up in Jacksonville, Florida where his mother's gospel singing and the music of the local church left a lasting impact on his own musical style. After losing his sight at age five, he began teaching himself to play piano a few years later. He had his first formal lessons at age twelve and ultimately went on to study classical piano at Florida State University with Leonidus Lipovetsky. While at FSU, Roberts won the first of many competitions and awards, the young artist's competition at the 1982 National Association of Jazz Educators annual conference. His many other awards include first prize at the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in 1987, a National Academy of Achievement award in 1995 and the Helen Keller Award for Personal Achievement in 1998.
At age 21, Roberts began touring with Wynton Marsalis and stayed with the group for over six years. He signed his first recording contract with BMG/Novus in 1988 and completed six recordings for them before signing with Columbia Records early in 1994. All of his recordings have been critically acclaimed, and several have reached the No. 1 spot on Billboard's traditional jazz chart. Roberts’ recording legacy reflects his tremendous versatility as an artist and includes solo piano, duets, and trio arrangements of jazz standards, original suites of music, large ensemble works, and symphony orchestra recordings.
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Live Review
- Marcus Roberts And The Modern Jazz Generation At The Kimmel Center
- Marcus Roberts & The Modern Jazz Generation at The Flynn Center for The...
Album Review
- Portraits in Blue by Marc Davis
New York Beat
Interview
Album Review
- Blues For The New Millennium by AAJ Staff
April 21, 2019
The swinging art of the jazz trio - at its best
February 17, 2016
Jazz this week: Marcus Roberts, Bethany Pickens, a tribute to Lee...
May 09, 2014
Jazz This Week: Marcus Roberts Trio, Denise Thimes with Cyrus Chestnut...
November 29, 2012
Jazz This Week: John Pizzarelli, Kirk Whalum, Marcus Roberts, Four in...
November 28, 2012
The Sheldon, Metrotix Offering "Buy One, Get One Free" Discount on...
November 18, 2012
STLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Deep in the Shed with Marcus Roberts
September 04, 2012
Marcus Roberts: Romance, Swing, and the Blues October 12-13 in Rose...
February 08, 2012
Kevin Eubanks Band, Walter Trout, Bela Fleck & The Marcus Roberts Trio...
March 21, 2011
The Music of Bud Powell & Earl Hines - April 29 & 30 - Rose Theater
February 21, 2010
Marcus Roberts Reprises His Seminal 1990 Release "Deep in the Shed"
Mr. Roberts... plays almost completely free of cliches, and while the intellectual construct within which he works is old - the application of the modern on a foundation of tradition—his ability in all his idioms seemed startlingly thorough. —Peter Watrous, New York Times
That the huge crowd at Orchestra Hall on Friday night responded...with an instantaneous standing ovation said a great deal about Roberts' ability to keep an audience in his spell. —Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune
The sheer power and beauty of Roberts' creations...warrant further investigation. —Larry Blumenfeld, Jazziz
[Roberts'] writing is often brilliant in its juxtaposition of distant musical eras, ...its believable evocation of mood, ...and the way solos are made to emerge organically from the ensembles. —Thomas Conrad, Downbeat
Although classically trained, Roberts is primarily a jazz pianist and composer
Primary Instrument
Piano
Willing to teach
Advanced only
Credentials/Background
On the faculty at Florida State University School of Music
Clinic/Workshop Information
Does clinics and workshops in a wide range of settings. Is Director of Educational programs for Savannah Music Festival
Photos
Albums
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