Marcus Roberts Plays the Jazz Piano Songbook at SFJAZZ Center

"We call him the genius of the modern piano', because he is." - Wynton Marsalis, Artistic Director, Jazz at Lincoln Center

In 2014 Marcus Roberts was honored to have his life and work featured on a segment of the celebrated CBS News television show 60 Minutes, hosted by Wynton Marsalis. The show traced Roberts' life to date from his early roots in Jacksonville and at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind to his remarkable career as a modern jazz musician. Roberts is perhaps best known for the development of an entirely new ap¬proach to the jazz trio performance in which the bass, drums, and piano are all featured equally. While his music is steeped in tradition, the tradition only serves as a springboard for the creation of new sounds, concepts, and ideas. One of the hallmarks of Roberts' piano style is the complete independence of his right and left hands, leading many to comment that it sounds like two pianists playing at the same time....

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"We call him the genius of the modern piano', because he is." - Wynton Marsalis, Artistic Director, Jazz at Lincoln Center

In 2014 Marcus Roberts was honored to have his life and work featured on a segment of the celebrated CBS News television show 60 Minutes, hosted by Wynton Marsalis. The show traced Roberts' life to date from his early roots in Jacksonville and at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind to his remarkable career as a modern jazz musician. Roberts is perhaps best known for the development of an entirely new ap¬proach to the jazz trio performance in which the bass, drums, and piano are all featured equally. While his music is steeped in tradition, the tradition only serves as a springboard for the creation of new sounds, concepts, and ideas. One of the hallmarks of Roberts' piano style is the complete independence of his right and left hands, leading many to comment that it sounds like two pianists playing at the same time.

Roberts grew up listening to his mother's gospel singing and the music of the local church left a lasting im¬pact on his own musical style. After losing his sight at age five, he began teaching him¬self to play piano; he had his first formal les-son at age 12. Roberts later went on to study classical piano at Florida State University with Leonidus Lipovetsky. Among the many competitions that Roberts has won and awards that he has received over the years, the one that is most personally meaningful to him is the Helen Keller Award for Personal Achievement.

Roberts toured with Wynton Marsalis starting at age 21 for six years, then he left to tour and record with his own band.

His program on January 17th will include selections from Cole Porter, W.C. Handy, Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton, and more.

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