Matana Roberts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matana Roberts
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Roberts at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in April 2007.
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| Background information | |
| Born | 1975 (age 49–50) |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, experimental |
| Instruments | Saxophone |
| Associated acts | Sticks and Stones |
Matana Roberts (born 1975) is an American musician, composer, and artist from New York City. They are known for creating experimental music, which means they like to explore new and unusual sounds. Roberts plays the saxophone and clarinet and is a major figure in modern jazz music.
Roberts is famous for their multi-part project called Coin Coin. This series of albums has been praised by many music critics. For example, Rolling Stone magazine named Coin Coin Chapter Three one of the best avant-garde (or experimental) albums of 2015. Coin Coin Chapter Four received even more awards and was named one of the best jazz albums of 2019 by NPR Music.
For their talent, Roberts has won several awards. The famous jazz magazine DownBeat has recognized them as a "Rising Star" for both the alto saxophone and the clarinet.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Journey
Matana Roberts was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1975. Growing up on the city's South Side, they studied classical clarinet. In Chicago, Roberts formed a jazz group called Sticks and Stones with bassist Josh Abrams and drummer Chad Taylor.
In 2002, Roberts moved to New York City to continue their music career. At first, they would play music in subway stations for money, a practice known as busking. They also created their own magazine, called a zine, about their experiences.
Roberts is a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), an important group that supports creative and original music.
The Coin Coin Project
The Coin Coin project is Roberts' most famous work. It is a series of albums that tells stories about history, family, and memory. Each album, or "chapter," explores different themes and sounds.
In 2008, Roberts released the album The Chicago Project. It featured famous musicians from bands like Tortoise and the great saxophonist Fred Anderson.
Over the years, Roberts has performed at major events like the London Jazz Festival. In 2015, they had a special residency at the Whitney Museum of American Art. There, they created sound art based on their research into American history.
Awards and Recognition
Matana Roberts has received many honors for their unique contributions to music.
- 2008: Nominated for "Up and Coming Musician of the Year" by The Jazz Journalists Association
- 2013: Received a Grants to Artists Award from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts
- 2014: Won a Doris Duke Impact Award
- 2016: Won a Doris Duke Artist Award
- 2017: Named Rising Star for Alto Saxophone in the DownBeat Critics Poll
- 2018: Named Rising Star for Clarinet in the DownBeat Critics Poll
Selected Albums
Here are some of Matana Roberts' most important albums, especially the chapters from their celebrated Coin Coin series.
- The Chicago Project (2008)
- Coin Coin Chapter One: Gens de couleur libres (2011)
- Coin Coin Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile (2013)
- Coin Coin Chapter Three: River Run Thee (2015)
- Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis (2019)
- Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden (2023)
