Review Text
Katy Roberts- Jazz Pianist, Composer, Arranger Katy Roberts is known for her solo piano performances, her accompanying skills, and for her skills as a composer, arranger and bandleader. She has been on the Parisien scene since 1990 and has lead her own trio, quartet, and more recently, her quintet and septet. She recently performed with her quintet at the Maine International film festival (July, 2004) and at the Madagascar Jazz Festival (Oct., 2004.) She performed July, 2005 at the Zanzibar International Film Festival . Katy currently performs regularly in the Parisien scene, and will be back performing with her quintet on the east coast of the U.S. in September, 2007 Her performances are top-notch, and the music has been quoted as '...jazz like we love it, swinging elegantly, moving the soul', (Jazz Magazine, April, 2003), '...power, energy and beauty, there is no shortage of swing here!',(Eric Jackson, WGBH radio, Boston), '...clean, angular phrasing full of stabbing chords...' (Cadence Magazine, Nov., 2003). 'As for Roberts, she makes you think of...all the modern pianists that mix swing and a harmonic-rhythmic approach (Horace Tapscott, John Hicks, Larry Willis).', and '...music that prolongs the legacy of Coltrane in his insistent sound and lively lyricism.' (Jazz Hot, April, 2003.) Katy has recorded and produced three new CD's in the past 4 years that are Katy Roberts Septet, The Vibe, released in Jan., 2003, and Katy Roberts Quintet, Live à l'Archipel, released in April, 2004, and Katy Roberts Quintet, Live at Twins and More, released in 2006. Katy is also a professor of Jazz Piano at the Bill Evans Piano Academy in Paris. Discography: Katy Roberts Quintet, Live at Twins and More, 2006 Katy Roberts Quintet, Live à l'Archipel, 2004 Katy Roberts Septet, The Vibe, 2003 Katy Roberts, Trios, 1998 Mra Oma and Brotherhood, 1998 Ku-Umba Frank Lacy Quartet, Live at Moods, 1995 Rasul Siddik Quintet, music for the film 'Art Brut', 2000. JAZZ HOT June, 2004 (Translation from French) Katy Roberts 'Live à l'Archipel' Zoltan,Carol's Caprice, You Are Too Beautiful, Lush Life, Shade of Jade, Oliver Missed the Spring, Horace T., Gigolo Katy Roberts (p.) Rasul Siddik (tpt.) Salim Washington (ts., fl., oboe), Dominique Lemerle,(bs.), Brian Willson (perc.) Recorded July 3, 2003, Paris. Length: 1hr.41min. Independently produced (katyroberts@free. F) The readers of Jazz Hot must know Katy Roberts, regular pianist at the Relais de l'Isle, music teacher at the Bill Evans Piano Academy, disciple of John Hicks, Horace Tapscott, Larry Willis, Ronnie Mathews and Mulgrew Miller. We reviewed her last CD with much merited ecstasy. (The Vibe, Jazz Hot n°599). Outside of 'Horace T.', 'Zoltan', and the splendid 'Oliver Missed the Spring', dedicated to Oliver Johnson, the tunes are different than those on The Vibe, as are the players. With tributes to Woody Shaw, Lee Morgan, Joe Henderson, Strayhorn and two beautiful originals, we find the program quite tempting, especially since it is a live performance at the Archipel. Although there is a form of tension coming from the universe of Coltrane, Roberts doesn't neglect the melody in her memories of her friends ('Carol's Caprice', 'Oliver'). In fact, the presence of Oliver Johnson, Horace Tapscott and Woody Shaw reflects her sincere inspiration from and admiration for them. Sophistication and aggressiveness, freedom yet group cohesion, make the music of Katy Roberts traditional yet contemporary, loyal and personal at the same time. The gutsy voice of Rasul Siddik and the vibrant voice of Salim Washington, between Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, are on the same magical wavelength. The bassist Dominique Lemerle will be for many a new discovery making him join the ranks of other great Parisian bassists such as Wayne Dockery or Gilles Naturel. Brian Willson assures the rhythmic foundation with precision and elegance. It is a music of moods and aggressiveness, of drive and vividness, and we would advise
