Home » Jazz Articles » Marcus Roberts

Jazz Articles about Marcus Roberts

7
Live Review

Marcus Roberts And The Modern Jazz Generation At The Kimmel Center

Read "Marcus Roberts And The Modern Jazz Generation At The Kimmel Center" reviewed by Victor L. Schermer


Marcus Roberts and the Modern Jazz Generation Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts Perelman Theater Philadelphia, PA October 11, 2019 Marcus Roberts is one of the great jazz pianists of his generation, coming up in the 1980s in Wynton Marsalis' band and since then more or less following Marsalis' emphasis on playing jazz classics rather than heading in new directions. He has developed a solid track record on his ...

8
Live Review

Marcus Roberts & The Modern Jazz Generation at The Flynn Center for The Performing Arts

Read "Marcus Roberts & The Modern Jazz Generation at The Flynn Center for The Performing Arts" reviewed by Doug Collette


Marcus Roberts & The Modern Jazz Generation Flynn Center for the Performing Arts Burlington, Vermont October 24, 2014 The last time pianist Marcus Roberts and his trio of bassist Rodney Jordan and drummer Jason Marsalis inhabited the MainStage of the Flynn Center, it was in the company of visionary banjo master Bela Fleck, and the four of them wasted no time in generating intense improvisation permeated with the joy of seemingly telepathic musicianly communication.

25
Album Review

Marcus Roberts: Portraits in Blue

Read "Portraits in Blue" reviewed by Marc Davis


This has to be the most raucous, the most bluesy, the most improvisational “Rhapsody in Blue" ever recorded. And not all of the best improvisation is by Marcus Roberts. Wailing clarinets and wandering trumpets abound. And it is all in a spirit of the original, so much so that I believe jazz-loving George Gershwin would have approved.All of Gershwin's original music is there, but much of it is taken at unusual tempos--speeded up, slowed down or synchopated--with many ...

21
New York Beat

Marcus Roberts: The Music of Jelly Roll Morton

Read "Marcus Roberts: The Music of Jelly Roll Morton" reviewed by Nick Catalano


In the midst of Jazz at Lincoln Center's May celebration of New Orleans music, Marcus Roberts and his trio, accompanied by a choir of horns, constructed a tribute to Jelly Roll Morton. The concert featured classic Morton compositions performed with some enterprising improvisations.Morton's importance as a jazz pioneer cannot be overstated, and the extent of his contributions is being studied properly under the microscope of Jazz at Lincoln Center. His breakthrough stride pianism, his introduction of Latin (tango, ...

762
Interview

Marcus Roberts: Has A Lot More To Do

Read "Marcus Roberts: Has A Lot More To Do" reviewed by Tod Smith


With a foundation in the church and a passion for America's music, Marcus Roberts is easily one of the most prolific pianists of his generation. Hailing from Jacksonville, Florida and influenced by the early exposure to his mother's gospel singing, he decided that he wanted to be a jazz pianist after listening to the music of Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Mary Lou Williams and others on the radio. A student of classical piano at Florida State University, Roberts joined the ...

587
Interview

Marcus Roberts: The Truth is Spoken Here

Read "Marcus Roberts: The Truth is Spoken Here" reviewed by Marc Minsker


Wynton Marsalis is one of the most talented trumpet players on the scene today. Unfortunately, he's also one of the most egotistical musicians out there. As an unofficial “spokesman for jazz," Wynton has helped to promote jazz throughout the world, but he's personally done very little to innovate the art form. This is unfortunate because jazz is all about transformation and change.

Perhaps his greatest contribution to the music is his support of young and upcoming musicians like Marcus Roberts. ...

298
Album Review

Marcus Roberts: Blues For The New Millennium

Read "Blues For The New Millennium" reviewed by AAJ Staff


An old saying claims that the acorn never falls far from the tree. In the world of jazz, that doesn't always hold, but more often than not, it lands at least within shouting distance. Take the case of Marcus Roberts for example. As Wynton Marsalis's pianist of choice for much of the 80's and into the early 90's, Roberts worked extensively with Marsalis until branching out on his own in the mid 90's. From there though, Roberts didn't move very ...


Engage

Contest Giveaways
Enter our latest contest giveaway sponsored by Calligram Records
Polls & Surveys
Vote for your favorite musicians and participate in our brief surveys.
Publisher's Desk
How To Follow Staff Writers
Read on...

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.