UC SANTA CRUZ ARTS & LECTURES presents
MARCUS ROBERTS TRIO
The spirit of jazz, past, present and future, comes alive with Marcus Roberts.
DETAILS
» Saturday, February 16th, 2002 at 8pm (pre-performance discussion begins at 7:30pm)
» UCSC Music Center Recital Hall
» Tickets:Adult $23; Senior or Student $19; UCSC Student $13
Tickets may be purchased through the UCSC Ticket Office, 831-459-2159,
or on the web at events.ucsc.edu/artslecs.
UC Santa Cruz Arts & Lectures presents internationally acclaimed jazz pianist Marcus Roberts with his famed trio at the UC Santa Cruz Music Center Recital Hall on Saturday, February 16, 2002 at 8:00pm. Mr. Roberts, one of the pre-eminent jazz pianists of our time, is joined by Jason Marsalis on drums and Roland Guerin on bass. The telepathic chemistry of the trio is evident on their latest album, In Honor of Duke, a celebration of the creative spirit of the great Duke Ellington. Unlike the traditional jazz trio which holds the piano as the central focus, Guerin and Marsalis are featured equally and share responsibility for spontaneously shaping the tempo, mood, texture, and overall form of the music. It's a musical high-wire act, but one that Roberts feels is natural for this group, which has played together for over four years.
A pre-performance Meet-the-Artist Discussion begins at 7:30pm.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The 36 year-old Marcus Roberts made his name as a key member of Wynton Marsalis' ensembles in the late eighties and early nineties. Since then he has established himself as one of the ultimate musical traditionalists for his remarkable keyboard style and thorough perception of jazz as a dynamic influence in the evolution of American music. All of Roberts' recordings, whether solo piano, trio, big band, or with symphony orchestra, have been critically acclaimed, including his Grammy-nominated recording of George Gershwin's signature classic, Rhapsody in Blue. Though this Gershwin classic has been recorded many times, Roberts' version (with full orchestra) on his 1996 Sony release Portraits in Blue marks the first time that the piece has been completely rewritten with the personalized interpretations of a particular artist. In his 1996 release of original compositions, Time and Circumstance (Columbia), the trio explores, as Roberts says, "the nuances and timing of all the critical events of a love relationship." Both 1996 albums have been praised for taking the creative art of improvisation to new heights. As one of the most diverse artists of our time, Marcus Roberts' work is continually evolving with a clear sense of direction. His deep respect for the contributions and achievements of the great masters of jazz and classical music fires his pursuit of new ways to bring the dynamic sounds of these two genres together.
Jason Marsalis, praised highly for his solo albums, has also been touted by his older brothers Branford and Wynton Marsalis as the family member with the lion's share of the jazz talent. His drumming displays vitality, originality and technical virtuosity. Roland Guerin, a native and resident of Baton Rouge, has mastered and redefined the slap bass style, and enriches any musical environment with his musical wit, strong country groove and relaxed swing.
INTERVIEW CONTACT
To request an interview please send a
fax or e-mail to:
Lyn Moore, Marcus Roberts Enterprises, Inc.
E-mail: LLMOR@aol.com
Fax: 617-363-0305; Phone: 617-323-3972
PHOTOS
Color and black and white photos are available via e-mail
by contacting Moon Rinaldo:
moonr@cats.ucsc.edu or (831) 459-4058
UCSC ARTS & LECTURES CONTACTS
Moon Rinaldo
A&L Publicity and
Production Coordinator
831.459.4058
moonr@cats.ucsc.edu
or
Michelle Witt
A&L Manager
831.459.2941
mwitt@cats.ucsc.edu
UCSC ARTS & LECTURES
Mailing Address:
D106 Porter
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
A&L fax: 831.459.4521
A&L e-mail: artslecs@cats.ucsc.edu
A&L on-line: events.ucsc.edu/artslecs
TICKETS
UCSC Ticket Office
831.459.2159 (v/tdd)
UC Santa Cruz Arts & Lectures is committed to presenting artists of national and international reputation to Santa Cruz County and beyond.
The 2001-2002 Arts & Lectures Season presented in partnership with the Santa Cruz Sentinel, KUSP 88.9FM, New Leaf Community Markets and Continental/Seaway Inns.
