Matana Roberts
Matana Roberts (born 1975) is an American sound experimentalist, visual artist, jazz saxophonist and clarinetist, composer and improviser based in New York City. 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).
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; Coin Coin Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile was called "stunning" by both the Chicago Reader and SPIN; and Coin Coin Chapter Three: River Run Thee was named among Rolling Stone's Best Avant Albums of 2015. Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis has garnered their greatest accolades, and was included in Pitchfork's Best Experimental Albums, Bandcamp's Best Jazz Albums, and the top ten of the NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll in 2019. Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop called the album "one of the decade's most compelling jazz projects".
The annual DownBeat Critics Poll has named Roberts Rising Star in both the alto saxophone and clarinet categories. Roberts received a Doris Duke Impact Award in 2014 and a Doris Duke Artist Award in 2016.
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