07/13/2007

Marcus Roberts headlines JazzFest

Traditional pianist caps off day of entertainment

By Tom Carr

tcarr@record-eagle.com

Special to the Record-Eagle
Marcus Roberts headlines the Suttons Bay JazzFest on Saturday, July 28.

The lineup

• 1 p.m. — The Interlochen Arts Camp Big Band; Returning after overwhelming listener demand, this group of select high school musicians under the direction of Vernon Howard will showcase the works of classic jazz legends past and present.

• 2:15 p.m. — Western Jazz Quartet; In residence at Western Michigan University, this ensemble performs a wide variety of sounds, from Dave Brubeck to Brazilian music.

• 3:45 p.m. — The Merling Trio; With violin, cello and piano, the WMU-based group explores the convergence of jazz, classical and tango.

• 5:30 p.m. — The Harry Goldson Quintet; A veteran of the golden age of the big band, clarinetist Goldson leads this group in new interpretations of music from Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, the Modern Jazz Quartet and others.

• 7:30 p.m. — The Marcus Roberts Trio.

SUTTONS BAY — Pianist Marcus Roberts, once a member of Wynton Marsalis' band, will bring his trio here to headline the 15th Annual Suttons Bay JazzFest on Saturday, July 28.

Nowadays, it's Roberts' name on the ensemble, while the youngest Marsalis, Jason, plays drums.

Even though Roberts is the leader, he often lets Marsalis and bassist Roland Guerin set the tone.

"I try to open up the role of the bass and drums,” he said. "They play a huge role in how we play.”

Jazz traditionalist Roberts joined Wynton Marsalis' combo in 1985 and won the first Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in 1987. He was influenced by jazz keyboard players of all eras, including Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Monk and McCoy Tyner.

His recording of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue” ("Portraits in Blue,” 1996) with symphony orchestra and jazz band was nominated for a Grammy Award. He's played with symphonies around the world.

Roberts has received a number of accolades, but having lost his sight at age 5, he lists as his greatest honor the 1998 Helen Keller Award for Personal Achievement, given by the American Foundation for the Blind. One of Roberts' latest recordings is "New Orleans Meets Harlem, Volume 1,” which combines the jazz sounds of those two pivotal locations, he said.

"We know that everything started in New Orleans,” he said. While the two sounds have been combined before, most notably by head honcho of the Harlem sound Duke Ellington, this is their take on it.

Jason Marsalis is a native New Orleanian who was just able to move back there in March after being displaced to Brooklyn by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Roberts said.

He has played with Los Hombres Calientes and lends a Latin flavor to the group.

"Jason likes different grooves,” Roberts added. "He has a lot of very interesting talents as a drummer and influences from all over the world.”

The bassist is Roland Guerin, who is also a composer and arranger and has toured and recorded with George Benson, Gerry Mulligan, Nicholas Payton and Alvin Batiste.

Roberts said Guerin has a foundation in the blues tradition.

When the three are together, there's "an earthiness, mixed with a formal sophistication that happens.”

Roberts, 43, is originally from Jacksonville, Fla.. He now lives in Tallahassee where he teaches music at Florida State University.

"I teach different approaches and strategies for jazz improvisation and putting together a set list,” he said. He also conducts jazz workshops for students.

"Part of our goal is to educate people without preaching to them,” he said. "We give them the music and let them enjoy it.”

Roberts' stature as a world-renowned traditional jazz artist while being one of its modern voices makes him a natural for the festival, since organizers wanted to make a big splash for the event's 15th year, said Piper Goldson, who founded the festival with her husband, clarinetist and bandleader Harry Goldson.

"He's a very engaging personality and a phenomenal artist and we're very thrilled that he's going to be our headliner,” she said, adding that it follows a trend of having top-notch pianists headline the event. In recent years, the featured artists have included Ramsey Lewis, Jamal, Marian McPartland and Bob James.

Roberts hopes to make it special to the audience.

"We'll play a mix of standards; some that folks will recognize, like a Gershwin or tunes made popular by Louis Armstrong or Nat King Cole,” Roberts said. "We're hoping it will be a nice, relaxed event. We look forward to it.”

Roberts is the last act of five scheduled to perform at the festival.

The festival will be at Suttons Bay Marina Park under the big tent with entertainment starting at 1 p.m. Food from area restaurants and Leelanau Peninsula wines will also be available.

Tickets are $25 in advance or $35 at the gate. They are available at Traverse City Visitor Center, selected music and book shops, wineries and other businesses, or by calling (231) 271-4444.

Proceeds from the festival benefit music camp scholarships.