photo by Steve Robinson

NEA Jazz Master Hank Jones and Roberta Gambarini, the singer he calls “the best I’ve heard since Ella Fitzgerald”, are featured on Jazz Northwest on Sunday March 9 at 1 pm Pacific Time on 88.5, KPLU. Their recent performance at Dimitrou’s Jazz Alley was recorded especially for Jazz Northwest. Joining Hank Jones and Roberta Gambarini in this performance are Neil Swainson on bass, and Willie Jones III on drums.

Hank Jones will celebrate his 90th birthday this year and has had many honors come his way including the highest honor in Jazz, the NEA Jazz Masters Award bestowed on Mr.Jones in 1989. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) honored him with the Jazz Living Legend Award in 2003. In a career spanning six decades he has recorded over 60 albums as a leader and participated in hundreds of others with dozens of jazz legends including Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald, to name a few.

Roberta Gambarini was born in a music-loving family in Torino, Italy and began her professional singing career in Europe. She moved to the US in 1998 where her extraordinary talent was first noted by musicians she performed with including the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band. The DownBeat Critics’ Poll in 2007 named her No.1 talent deserving wider recognition. She has developed a world-wide following and has appeared at most of the world’s great jazz festivals and concert halls.

Roberta Gambarini and Hank Jones first performed together at The Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival a few years ago and immediately established a mutual admiration society. Their duo CD “You Are There” has recently been issued and they have been recording for a second CD with trio.

Dimitirou’s Jazz Alley is one of the world’s great jazz clubs. It provided a perfect setting for our recording, with a Steinway concert grand, great house sound and an attentive, appreciative capacity audience. This program will also be available as a podcast from kplu.org after the airdate.

Listen to the Audio Preview below.

Category:
KPLU