Matana Roberts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matana Roberts
|
|
|---|---|
Roberts at All Tomorrow's Parties
April 2007 |
|
| 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. She plays the saxophone and clarinet. Matana is known for her unique and experimental music. She lives in New York City.
Matana Roberts is famous for her Coin Coin project. This is a series of musical albums that tell stories about history and family. Many music critics have praised these albums. For example, Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis was called one of the best experimental albums by Pitchfork. It was also listed among the top jazz albums by Bandcamp and NPR Music.
Matana has won several important awards. DownBeat magazine, a well-known jazz publication, has named her a "Rising Star" for both alto saxophone and clarinet. She also received the prestigious Doris Duke Impact Award in 2014 and the Doris Duke Artist Award in 2016.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Journey
Matana Roberts was born in 1975 in Chicago, Illinois. She grew up on the city's South Side. When she was young, she studied classical clarinet.
Later, she formed a music group called Sticks and Stones. She played with bassist Josh Abrams and drummer Chad Taylor. They often performed at a place called the Velvet Lounge.
In 2002, Matana moved to New York. She started her career there by playing music in subway stations. She also created a small magazine called Fat Ragged about her experiences.
The Coin Coin Project
Matana Roberts is the creator of the Coin Coin project. This is a multi-part musical work. It explores important themes like history, memory, and family roots. Each part of Coin Coin tells a different story.
In 2008, Matana released an album called The Chicago Project. This album was produced by Vijay Iyer. It featured other talented musicians. Matana also performed at the London Jazz Festival in 2007.
She was once a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). This is a group that supports creative music. In 2012, she was chosen by musician Jeff Mangum to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in England.
In 2015, Matana had a special project at the Whitney Museum of American Art. She created sound art pieces called i call america. The next year, she showed an expanded version of this work at the Fridman Gallery.
Awards and Recognitions
Matana Roberts has received many awards for her musical talent. Here are some of them:
- 2006: Van Lier Fellowship
- 2008: Nominee for "Up and Coming Musician of the Year" by the Jazz Journalists Association
- 2013: Grants to Artists Award from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts
- 2014: Doris Duke Impact Award
- 2016: Doris Duke Artist Award
- 2017: DownBeat Critics Poll, Rising Star Alto Saxophone
- 2018: DownBeat Critics Poll, Rising Star Clarinet
Music Albums
Matana Roberts has released many albums. Here are some of her main solo albums and collaborations.
Solo Albums
- Lines for Lacy (2006)
- The Calling (2006)
- The Chicago Project (2008)
- Live in London (2011)
- Coin Coin Chapter One: Gens de couleur libres (2011)
- Coin Coin Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile (2013)
- Coin Coin Chapter Three: River Run Thee (2015)
- Always (2015)
- Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis (2019)
- Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden (2023)
Collaborations
Matana Roberts has also worked with many other artists and groups.
- Sticks and Stones, Shed Grace (2004)
- Matt Bauder, Paper Gardens (2010)
- Matana Roberts, Sam Shalabi, Nicolas Caloia, Feldspar (2014)
- Matana Roberts / Pat Thomas, The Truth (2020)
With Burnt Sugar
- Not April in Paris (Live from Banlieus Bleues) (2004)
- If You Can’t Dazzle Them with Your Brilliance, Then Baffle Them with Your Blisluth (2005)
- More Than Posthuman – Rise of the Mojosexual Cotillion (2006)
Guest Appearances
Matana Roberts has played as a guest on albums by other artists, including:
- Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Yanqui U.X.O. (2002)
- TV on the Radio, Dear Science (2008)
- Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra, Kollaps Tradixionales (2010)
- Deerhoof, Mountain Moves (2017)
