Meet The Marcus Roberts Trio
THREE PERFORMANCES
Friday, September 13 @ 7:30 PM
Saturday, September 14 @ 2:30 PM
Saturday, September 14 @ 7:30 PM
*Join us 45 minutes before each concert for a free 25-minute pre-concert talk
Join us at the Gardner Theatre on September 13 and 14 for an unforgettable concert featuring the renowned Marcus Roberts Trio. Known for their profound musical chemistry and dynamic interpretations, the Marcus Roberts Trio has captivated audiences around the world with their masterful performances and unique blend of traditional and modern jazz elements.
Roberts, a protégé of the legendary Wynton Marsalis, has been hailed for his remarkable ability to meld classical and jazz influences, creating a sound that is both deeply rooted in tradition and strikingly original. His deep understanding of Gershwin’s music promises to bring a fresh and thrilling perspective to Gershwin’s Concerto in F.
Learn more about Marcus Roberts (piano), Martin Jaffe (bass), and Jason Marsalis (drums) below!
PROGRAM:
—George Gershwin: Lullaby
—George Gershwin: An American in Paris
—George Gershwin: Concerto in F
marcus roberts
piano
Pianist Marcus Roberts is often hailed as “the genius of the modern piano”. He is known throughout the world for his many contributions to jazz music as well as his commitment to integrating the jazz and classical idioms to create something wholly new. Roberts’ melodic and soulful group improvisational style uses musical cues and exotic rhythms as the foundation for his modern approach to the jazz trio.
Roberts grew up in Jacksonville, FL where his mother's gospel singing and the music of the local church left a lasting impact on his music. He began teaching himself to play piano at age five after losing his sight but did not have his first formal lesson until age 12 while attending the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. At age 18, he went on to study classical piano at Florida State University with the great Leonidas Lipovetsky. In 2014, Roberts’ life and work were featured on a segment (entitled “The Virtuoso”) of the CBS television show, 60 Minutes.
Roberts has won numerous awards and competitions over the years, including the Helen Keller Award for Personal Achievement. Most recently, he was honored to receive the 2024 Dorothy and David Dushkin Award by the Music Institute of Chicago. Roberts’ critically acclaimed legacy of recorded music reflects his tremendous artistic versatility as well as his unique approach to jazz performance. His recordings include solo piano, duets, and trio arrangements of jazz standards as well as original suites of music for trio, large ensembles, and symphony orchestra. His first recording with orchestra (Portraits in Blue, Sony Classical, 1996) featured his innovative arrangement of “Rhapsody in Blue” and was nominated for a Grammy. Since that time, he has performed Rhapsody in Blue countless times, and, as he often says, “each version is completely different.” His popular DVD recording with the Berlin Philharmonic showcases his ground-breaking arrangement of “Gershwin's Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra” as well as “Rhapsody in Blue” (A Gershwin Night, EuroArts 2003).
Roberts launched his own record label, J-Master Records, in 2009 and since then he has released several popular recordings on that label including New Orleans Meets Harlem, Romance, Swing, and the Blues, Trio Crescent: Celebrating Coltrane, and many others. One of Roberts’ more recent endeavors is his band called the “Modern Jazz Generation” (MJG). This multigenerational band is the realization of his long-standing dedication to training and mentoring younger musicians.
In addition to his renown as a performer, Roberts is also an accomplished composer. He has received numerous commissioning awards, including those by Chamber Music America, Jazz at Lincoln Center, ASCAP, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and the Savannah Music Festival (who co-commissioned him to write his first piano concerto—"Spirit of the Blues: Piano Concerto in C-Minor”). In 2016, Roberts premiered his second piano concerto (“Rhapsody in D for Piano and Orchestra”), commissioned by Seiji Ozawa and the Saito Kinen Orchestra. In 2020, he was commissioned by the American Symphony Orchestra to write a short suite of music for jazz band and strings (conducted by Leon Botstein). This short film entitled United We Play was released in late 2020. Then, in 2021, Roberts was awarded a grant by South Arts and the Doris Duke Foundation for the creation of a new audio-video project, Tomorrow’s Promises. This suite blends music and storytelling and was premiered in June of 2022. It will be released on J-Master Records later this year. Also in 2022, Roberts and his trio were featured on a recording by violinist Daniel Hope entitled America. That same year, Roberts joined Botstein again with the American Symphony Orchestra for the world premiere of two orchestral works at Carnegie Hall —"New World A-Comin’” and “Three Black Kings.” all-new Roberts arrangements of Ellington’s orc
Marcus Roberts is known for his generosity as a musician, providing support and mentoring to a large network of younger musicians. He also continues to strive to find ways to serve the blind and other disabled communities, working with organizations such as the American Foundation for the Blind and others. Finally, in June of 2024, Roberts was the featured soloist (along with vocalists Angel Blue, Latonia Moore, Audra McDonald, and host, Queen Latifah) at the Philadelphia Orchestra’s inaugural gala concert for the opening of the Marian Anderson Hall (formerly Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center).
Roberts is a Professor of Music at the Florida State University College of Music and a Distinguished Professor of Music at Bard College. He holds honorary doctoral degrees from The Juilliard School, Brigham Young University, and Bard College.
Martin Jaffe
Bass
Martin Jaffe is an exciting new voice on the double bass. He is known for his deep sense of groove, and his rich and lyrical sound. His musical roots are in jazz, but his background includes both classical and Brazilian music. Jaffe is one of New York City’s most in-demand young bassists and he has frequently shared the stage with such musical icons as Marcus Roberts, Harold Mabern, Sergio Mendes, and Wynton Marsalis.
Originally from Conway, Massachusetts, Jaffe moved to New York in 2012 to enroll at Columbia and The Juilliard School, where he studied with bassists Ron Carter, Ray Drummond, and other musical giants. In 2012, he was named a Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and in 2013, he won the International Society of Bassists’ annual jazz competition.
Jaffe’s compositions and arrangements have been widely performed, including at the Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center. He has recorded widely with artists such as Jen Allen, Miro Sprague, Ben Rosenblum, and Chris Pattishall, to name a few. Jaffe co-leads an innovative trio with guitarist Jason Ennis and pianist Miro Sprague, which features their original compositions and draws on influences from Brazilian music, classical chamber music, and jazz improvisation.
Jason marsalis
drums
Jason Marsalis has held the drum chair in the Marcus Roberts Trio for almost 30 years. Marsalis is the youngest son of the late pianist and educator, Ellis Marsalis, and he began sharing the stage with his father at age seven. During his last year of high school, he began touring with Marcus Roberts and he has been with him ever since.
In addition to his renown as a drummer, Marsalis has also led his own vibes quartet since 2008. His skill at the drum set is an integral part of the sound and philosophy of the Marcus Roberts Trio, and he has been featured on all of Roberts’ group recordings for more than 25 years. Marsalis has released five of his own critically acclaimed recordings on vibes and drums and has been featured on more than two dozen other recordings.
Marsalis’ style is heavily influenced by the greats of jazz and classical music. With Marcus Roberts, he has performed with symphony orchestras all over the world. He is a versatile and gifted musician who has made enormous contributions to jazz music. When he is not touring, he can be found working to train other young musicians.