Matana Roberts
{{Short description|American jazz musician (born 1975)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Matana Roberts
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| image = Matana_Roberts.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Roberts at All Tomorrow's Parties
April 2007
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1975}}
| origin = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
| genre = Jazz, experimental
| occupation =
| instrument = Saxophone
| years_active =
| label =
| associated_acts = Sticks and Stones
| website = {{URL|matanaroberts.com}}
}}
Matana Roberts (born 1975{{cite web |title=Matana Roberts |url=https://www.foundationforcontemporaryarts.org/recipients/matana-roberts |website=Foundation for Contemporary Arts |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=2013}}) is an American sound experimentalist, visual artist, jazz saxophonist and clarinetist, composer and improviser based in New York City.{{cite news |first=Martin |last=Johnson |title=Chicago's Avant-Garde Musicians |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB120519095466225539?mod=2_1168_1 |work=The Wall Street Journal |publisher=Dow Jones & Company |date=March 11, 2008 |access-date=January 3, 2012}} They have previously been a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), and a member of the B.R.C. Black Rock Coalition.{{cite news |first=Matthew |last=Lurie |title=Relative Chords |url=http://www.timeout.com/chicago/articles/music/18209/relative-chords#articleAfterMpu |work=Time Out Chicago |publisher=Time Out Group Ltd. |location=Chicago |date=April 4, 2005 |access-date=June 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009131033/http://www.timeout.com/chicago/articles/music/18209/relative-chords#articleAfterMpu |archive-date=October 9, 2008 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite news | last=Morgan | first=Frances | url=http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/12279/matana_roberts_genealogy_of_jazz | title=Matana Roberts' Genealogy of Jazz | journal=In These Times | date=December 12, 2011}}
The works in their multichapter Coin Coin project have received wide acclaim: Coin Coin Chapter One: Gens de Couleur Libres was named in multiple JazzTimes 2011 Critics’ Lists;{{cite web |title=Critics' Lists 2011 |url=https://jazztimes.com/features/lists/critics-lists-2011/ |website=JazzTimes |date=April 26, 2019 |access-date=7 March 2021}} Coin Coin Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile was called "stunning" by both the Chicago Reader{{cite web |last1=Margasak |first1=Peter |title=Matana Roberts drops the stunning second chapter of her Coin Coin project |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2013/10/04/matana-roberts-drops-the-stunning-second-chapter-of-her-coin-coin-project |website=Chicago Reader |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=4 October 2013}} and SPIN;{{cite web |last1=Walls |first1=Seth Colter |title=Matana Roberts Weaves Stunning Avant-Jazz Tapestry on 'Coin Coin Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile' |url=https://www.spin.com/2013/10/matana-roberts-coin-coin-chapter-two-mississippi-moonchile-constellation/ |website=SPIN |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=3 October 2013}} and Coin Coin Chapter Three: River Run Thee was named among Rolling Stone's Best Avant Albums of 2015.{{cite magazine |last1=Weingarten |first1=Christopher R. |title=20 Best Avant Albums of 2015 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/20-best-avant-albums-of-2015-38002/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=29 December 2015}} Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis has garnered their greatest accolades, and was included in Pitchfork's Best Experimental Albums,{{cite web |title=The Best Experimental Albums of 2019 |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-experimental-albums-2019/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=16 December 2019}} Bandcamp's Best Jazz Albums,{{cite web |last1=Sumner |first1=Dave |title=The Best Jazz Albums of 2019 |url=https://daily.bandcamp.com/best-of-2019/the-best-jazz-albums-of-2019 |website=Bandcamp |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=17 December 2019}} and the top ten of the NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll in 2019.{{cite web |last1=Davis |first1=Francis |title=The 2019 NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/01/13/795888693/the-2019-npr-music-jazz-critics-poll |website=NPR |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=14 January 2020}} Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop called the album "one of the decade's most compelling jazz projects".{{cite web |title=Matana Roberts - COIN COIN Chapter Four: Memphis |url=https://www.theneedledrop.com/articles/2019/11/matana-roberts-coin-coin-chapter-four-memphis |website=The Needle Drop |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=14 November 2019}}
The annual DownBeat Critics Poll has named Roberts Rising Star in both the alto saxophone{{cite web |title=Wadada Leo Smith, Mary Halvorson Among Winners in DownBeat Critics Poll |url=https://downbeat.com/news/detail/wadada-leo-smith-mary-halvorson-among-winners-in-downbeat-critics-poll |website=DownBeat |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=26 June 2017}} and clarinet categories.{{cite web |title=DownBeat Announces Winners of the 2018 Int'l Critics Poll |url=https://downbeat.com/news/detail/downbeat-announces-winners-of-2018-critics-poll |website=DownBeat |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=25 June 2018}} Roberts received a Doris Duke Impact Award in 2014 and a Doris Duke Artist Award in 2016.{{cite web |title=2014 Doris Duke Impact Awards |url=https://www.ddcf.org/grants/Grant-Recipients/2014-doris-duke-impact-awards/ |website=Doris Duke Charitable Foundation |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=2014}}{{cite web |title=2016 Doris Duke Artist Awards |url=https://www.ddcf.org/grants/Grant-Recipients/2016-doris-duke-artist-awards/ |website=Doris Duke Charitable Foundation |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=2016}}
Early life and career
File:Matana roberts 05N1480.jpg 2010]]
Born in 1975 in Chicago, Illinois, Roberts was raised partly on the city's South Side and studied classical clarinet during their youth. They formed a trio, Sticks and Stones, with bassist Josh Abrams and drummer Chad Taylor, with whom they regularly performed at the Velvet Lounge.{{cite news |first=Hank |last=Shteamer |title=Roots Radical |url=http://www.timeout.com/newyork/articles/music/3547/roots-radical |work=Time Out New York |publisher=Time Out Group Ltd. |location=New York |date=November 30, 2006 |access-date=June 28, 2008 |archive-date=October 9, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009132137/http://www.timeout.com/newyork/articles/music/3547/roots-radical |url-status=dead }} In 2002, Roberts moved to New York, initially busking in subways and publishing a zine, Fat Ragged, about their experiences.
Roberts is the composer of Coin Coin, a multichapter musical work-in-progress exploring themes of history, memory and ancestry.{{cite web |last1=West |first1=Michael J. |title=Matana Roberts' 'Coin Coin' Project is a Sonic Patchwork of American History |url=https://downbeat.com/news/detail/matana-roberts-coin-coin-sonic-patchwork-american-history |website=DownBeat |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=1 November 2019}} Roberts performed at the London Jazz Festival in 2007.{{cite news |first=Mike |last=Flynn |title=Matana Roberts |url=http://www.timeout.com/london/music/events/648176/matana_roberts.html |work=Time Out London |publisher=Time Out Group Ltd. |location=London |date=January 14, 2008 |access-date=June 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009131740/http://www.timeout.com/london/music/events/648176/matana_roberts.html |archive-date=October 9, 2008 |url-status=dead }} In 2008, Central Control released Roberts' The Chicago Project.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/g6gb/ |title=Matana Roberts Chicago Project: Review |access-date=June 25, 2008 |last=Reynolds |first=Nick |date=February 8, 2008 |work=BBC Music |publisher=BBC }} The album, produced by Vijay Iyer, includes performances by members of Prefuse 73 and Tortoise along with AACM saxophonist Fred Anderson.{{cite web |url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=15815 |title=Saxophone Maven Matana Roberts Releases the Chicago Project on Central Control International February 2008 |access-date=June 26, 2008 |author=Allegro Media |date=November 6, 2007 |work=All About Jazz |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008113203/http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=15815 |archive-date=October 8, 2008 |url-status=dead }}
They have previously been a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM).
In January 2010, Roberts was the guest curator at The Stone.{{cite journal |last=Longley |first=Martin |date=January 2010 |journal=All About Jazz - New York |title=The Stone |issue=93 |page=7 |publisher=Allaboutjazz.com |location=New York |url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/newyork/aaj_ny_201001.pdf |access-date=July 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100714131006/http://www.allaboutjazz.com/newyork/aaj_ny_201001.pdf |archive-date=July 14, 2010 |url-status=dead }} Roberts was chosen by Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival that he curated in March 2012 in Minehead, England.{{cite web|url=http://www.atpfestival.com/events/jeffmangum.php |title=ATP curated by Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) - All Tomorrow's Parties |publisher=Atpfestival.com |access-date=April 3, 2015}} Roberts held a residency at the Whitney Museum of American Art in the summer of 2015, during which they produced a series of research-based sound works entitled i call america.{{Cite web|url=http://whitney.org/Exhibitions/MatanaRoberts|title=Matana Roberts:i call america {{!}} Whitney Museum of American Art|website=whitney.org|access-date=December 8, 2016}} The following summer, they had a solo show at the Fridman Gallery entitled I Call America II that was presented as an expanded version of the Whitney exhibition.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fridmangallery.com/matana-roberts---i-call-america|title=Fridman Gallery|website=Fridman Gallery|access-date=December 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221055134/http://www.fridmangallery.com/matana-roberts---i-call-america|archive-date=December 21, 2016|url-status=dead}}
Awards
- 2006: Van Lier Fellowship{{cite web |last1=Margasak |first1=Peter |title=Jazz Genealogy |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/matana-roberts-jazz-african-american-history/Content?oid=3726878 |website=The Chicago Reader |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=5 May 2011}}
- 2008: The Jazz Journalists Association "Up and Coming Musician of the Year" nominee{{cite web |url=http://www.jazzhouse.org/2008finalists.html |title=Finalist nominees for the 2008 Jazz Awards |access-date=June 28, 2008 |year=2008 |work=Jazzhouse.org |publisher=Jazz Journalists Association }}
- 2013: Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists Award
- 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
Discography
=Solo / as band leader=
- Lines for Lacy (self-release, 2006)
- The Calling (Utech, 2006)
- The Chicago Project (Central Control, 2008)
- Live in London (Central Control, 2011)
- Coin Coin Chapter One: Gens de couleur libres (Constellation, 2011)
- Coin Coin Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile (Constellation, 2013)
- Coin Coin Chapter Three: River Run Thee (Constellation, 2015), solo
- Always (Relative Pitch, 2015), solo
- Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis (Constellation, 2019)
- Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden (Constellation, 2023)
=As collaborator / side musician=
- Sticks and Stones'' (482 Music, 2002)
- Sticks and Stones, Shed Grace (Thrill Jockey, 2004)
- DePaul University Jazz Ensemble, Bob Lark, Shade Street (Blue Birdland, 1999)
- Ras Moshe and the Music Now Society, Schematic (Jump Arts, 2002)
- Ayelet Gottlieb, InTernal/ExTernal (Genivieve, 2004)
- Matt Bauder, Paper Gardens (rec. 2006; 482 Music, 2010)
- Guillermo E. Brown, Handeheld (Melanine Harmonique, 2008)
- Exploding Star Orchestra featuring Roscoe Mitchell (/ Rob Mazurek), Matter Anti-Matter (Rogueart, 2013)
- Matana Roberts, Sam Shalabi, Nicolas Caloia, Feldspar (Tour de Bras, 2014)
- Matana Roberts / Savion Glover / Reg E. Gaines, If 'Trane Was (SG self release)?
- Matana Roberts / Pat Thomas, The Truth (Otoroku, 2020)
==With [[Burnt Sugar (band)|Burnt Sugar]]==
- Not April in Paris (Live from Banlieus Bleues) (TruGroid, 2004)
- If You Can’t Dazzle Them with Your Brilliance, Then Baffle Them with Your Blisluth (TruGroid, 2005)
- More Than Posthuman – Rise of the Mojosexual Cotillion (TruGroid, 2006)
- Making Love to the Dark Ages (LiveWired, 2009)
=As guest artist=
- Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Yanqui U.X.O. (Constellation, 2002), on "Rockets Fall on Rocket Falls"
- Various artists, Juncture (Pi, 2004), with Vijay Iyer: "Imperium (Peace Prize/War Crimes)"
- Daniel Givens, Dayclear & First Dark (Aesthetics, 2005), on "Rolling Blackout"
- Savath and Savalas, Golden Pollen (Anti-, 2007), on "Te amo...¿Por que me odias?"
- TV on the Radio, Dear Science (4AD/Interscope, 2008), on "Lover's Day"
- Alexandre Pierrepont / Mike Ladd, Maison Hantée (RogueArt, 2008), on "Chamber 72"
- Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra, Kollaps Tradixionales (Constellation, 2010), on "There Is a Light"
- Deerhoof, Mountain Moves (Joyful Noise, 2017), on "Mountain Moves"
- Krononaut, Krononaut (Glitterbeat, 2020), on "Wealth of Nations," "Examen," and "Convocation"
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{Official website|http://www.matanaroberts.com}}
- [https://bombmagazine.org/articles/2015/03/18/matana-roberts/ Interview with Christopher Stackhouse in Bomb Magazine]
{{Matana Roberts}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Matana}}
Category:African-American jazz composers
Category:American jazz alto saxophonists
Category:Jazz musicians from Illinois
Category:Jazz musicians from New York (state)
Category:Musicians from Chicago
Category:Musicians from New York City
Category:21st-century American saxophonists
Category:Constellation Records (Canada) artists
Category:21st-century American jazz composers