Roberto Magris

Roberto Magris
Born	(1959-06-19) 19 June 1959 (age 65) Trieste, Italy
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer, arranger, A&R director
Instrument	Piano
Years active	1978–present
Labels	Soul Note, JMood

Roberto Magris (born 19 June 1959) is an Italian jazz pianist, composer, and arranger.

Early life

Magris was born in Trieste, Italy, on 19 June 1959. ^{[1] [2]} He had piano lessons between the ages of four and sixteen. ^[3] He became interested in jazz after hearing the Oscar Peterson album The Way I Really Play in 1977. ^[3]

Career 1980–2000

In the 1980s, he led the jazz trio Gruppo Jazz Marca and recorded three albums, Comunicazione Sonora (1982), ^[4] Aria di Città (1983) ^[5] and Mitteleuropa (1986), ^[6] re-issued in 2006 by the English Label Arision. ^[7] In 1987 he founded his Italian quartet, which operated for nearly 20 years, performing tours in Europe, Asia, Australia and South America and recording four albums, Life in Israel (issued by Jazzis), ^[8] Maliblues, ^[9] Live In Melbourne and Love Is Passing Thru (recorded in 2005 and issued by JMood in 2024). ^{[10] [11] [12]} In the 1990s he founded the acid-jazz groups DMA Urban Jazz Funk and Alfabeats Nu Jazz, performing in Europe and in America and recording two albums, Up to the Beat (2003) and Stones (2006). ^[13]

In 1998 Magris formed the Europlane Orchestra ^[14] (a central-European jazz venture sponsored by INCE-CEI Central European Initiative ^[15] including several jazz musicians from various European countries. ^[14] With the Europlane Orchestra he recorded 3 albums, ^[14] Live At Zooest, ^[16] Plays Kurt Weill ^[17] and Current Views (issued by Soul Note). ^[14]

Career 2000–present

In 2005, Magris partnered with Hungarian saxophonist Tony Lakatos on the album Check-In (issued by Soul Note). ^{[18] [19]} In 2006 Magris collaborated with bassist Art Davis and drummer Jimmy "Junebug" Jackson on the album Kansas City Outbound (issued by JMood). ^[20] That same year, he collaborated with alto saxophonist Herb Geller on the album Il Bello del Jazz (issued by Soul Note) ^[21] and some years later, the JMood released a more album with Herb Geller entitled An Evening with Herb Geller & The Roberto Magris Trio – Live in Europe 2009 . ^{[22] [23]}

In the United States, Magris became the musical director of JMood Records ^[24] and recorded two albums in tribute to the trumpeter Lee Morgan, ^{[25] [26] [27]} two albums on trio with Elisa Pruett and Albert "Tootie" Heath devoted to the music of pianist Elmo Hope, ^{[28] [29]} and another to the legacy of alto saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley. ^[30] He recorded one album in Los Angeles with Idris Muhammad and saxmen Paul Carr and Michael O'Neill, Mating Call , ^[31] one album with Philadelphian Sam Reed, ^[32] one double CD set in tribute to the bebop era, Aliens in a Bebop Planet , ^[33] one album on a small big band format with the JM Horns, High Quote , ^[34] and three albums with his trio from Kansas City ( Enigmatix , ^{[35] [36] [37]} Need to Bring Out Love ^[38] and World Gardens ^{[39] [40]} ). He recorded three albums in Miami, Roberto Magris Sextet Live in Miami @ The WDNA Jazz Gallery ^{[41] [42] [43]} with a group including Brian Lynch, Sun Stone featuring Ira Sullivan ^{[44] [45] [46]} and Match Point . ^{[47] [48] [49]} He also recorded three albums in Chicago, Suite! , ^{[50] [51] [52] [53]} with a group including trumpeter Eric Jacobson and tenor saxophonist Mark Colby, Shuffling Ivories on duo with bassist Eric Hochberg, ^{[54] [55] [56] [57] [58]} and Duo & Trio on duo with Mark Colby a.o. ^{[59] [60] [61]}

In Europe, Magris has performed at festivals and jazz clubs with the MUH Trio (Roberto Magris/František Uhlíř/Jaromir Helešic Trio), which has its base in Prague and recorded the albums Prague After Dark in 2016 ^{[62] [63]} and A Step into Light in 2020 ^{[64] [65]} (both issued by JMood).

Magris has performed concerts on piano solo and for jazz piano, orchestra, and strings with the Big Band Ritmo Sinfonica from Verona and the Orchestra Giovanile del Veneto, recording the album Restless Spirits - Big Band Ritmo-Sinfonica Città di Verona plays the music of Roberto Magris (issued by Velut Luna). ^[66]

Critic Edward Blanco at AllAboutJazz called Magris "one of the finest piano players on the planet". ^[67]

Playing style

Jazz critic Ira Gitler wrote: "As a pianist, [Magris] reflects some of his most admired models – Wynton Kelly, Tommy Flanagan, Bill Evans, Kenny Drew, Jaki Byard, Randy Weston, McCoy Tyner, Andrew Hill, Paul Bley, Don Pullen and Steve Kuhn – (a varied group indeed) in his own way. There is a quick, supple right hand and the rich harmonies of the two-handed transition in his playing that don’t necessarily summon up instant comparisons to any of the above or others." ^[68]

Discography

• Life in Israel, with Larry Smith, Marco Castelli, Ofer Israeli, Luigi Rossi and Davide Ragazzoni (Jazzis, 1990)
• Music of Today , with Martin Klingeberg, Achim Goettert-Zadek, Marco Castelli, Joerg Drewing, Albrecht Riermeier, Rudi Engel and Davide Ragazzoni (Splasch, 1992)
• Maliblues (Map, 1994)
• Check-In , with Tony Lakatos, Michael Erian, Robert Balzar, Gabriele Centis and Fulvio Zafret (Soul Note, 2005)
• Il Bello del Jazz , with Herb Geller, Darko Jurkovic, Rudi Engel and Gabriele Centis (Soul Note, 2006)
• Current Views , with Philip Catherine, Bill Molenhof, Roberto Ottaviano, Vitold Rek a.o. (Soul Note, 2009)
• Kansas City Outbound with Art Davis and Jimmy „Junebug“ Jackson (JMood Records|JMood, 2008)
• Mating Call , with Paul Carr, Michael O'Neill, Elisa Pruett and Idris Muhammad (JMood, 2010)
• Canzoni Italiane in Jazz (Pop-Eye, 2011)
• Morgan Rewind: A Tribute to Lee Morgan Vol. 1 , with Brandon Lee, Logan Richardson, Elisa Pruett and Albert "Tootie" Heath (JMood, 2012)
• One Night in with Hope and More Vol. 1 , with Elisa Pruett and Albert "Tootie" Heath (JMood, 2012)
• Aliens in a Bebop Planet , with Matt Otto, Dominique Sanders, Brian Steever, Pablo Sanhueza and Eddie Charles (JMood, 2012)
• Ready for Reed - Sam Reed Meets Roberto Magris , with Sam Reed, Kendall Moore, Steve Lambert, Dominique Sanders, Brian Steever and Pablo Sanhueza (JMood, 2013)
• Cannonball Funk'n Friends , with Hermon Mehari, Jim Mair, Dominique Sanders and Alonzo Scooter Powell (JMood, 2013)
• One Night in with Hope and More Vol. 2 , with Elisa Pruett, Brian Steever and Albert "Tootie" Heath (JMood, 2013)
• Morgan Rewind: A Tribute to Lee Morgan Vol. 2 , with Hermon Mehari, Jim Mair, Peter Schlamb, Elisa Pruett, Brian Steever and Pablo Sanhueza (JMood, 2013)
• An Evening with Herb Geller & The Roberto Magris Trio – Live in Europe 2009 , with Herb Geller a.o. (JMood, 2014)
• Enigmatix , with Dominique Sanders, Brian Steever, Pablo Sanhueza and Monique Danielle (JMood, 2015)
• Need to Bring Out Love , with Dominique Sanders, Brian Steever, Julia Haile and Monique Danielle (JMood, 2016)
• Live in Miami @ The WDNA Jazz Gallery - Roberto Magris Sextet with Brian Lynch, Jonathan Gomez, Chuck Bergeron, John Yarling and Murph Aucamp (JMood, 2017)
• World Gardens , with Dominique Sanders, Brian Steever and Pablo Sanhueza (JMood, 2018)
• Sun Stone , with Ira Sullivan, Mark Colby, Shareef Clayton, Jamie Ousley, Rodolfo Zuniga (JMood, 2019)
• Suite! , with Mark Colby, Eric Jacobson, Eric Hochberg, Greg Artry, PJ Aubree Collins (JMood, 2019)
• Live In Melbourne, with Ettore Martin, Rob Severini, Enzo Carpentieri (RSP, 2020)
• Shuffling Ivories , with Eric Hochberg (JMood, 2021)
• Match Point , with Alfredo Chacon, Dion Kerr, Rodolfo Zuniga (JMood, 2021)
• Duo & Trio , with Mark Colby a.o. (JMood, 2022)
• High Quote , with Matt Otto, Monique Danielle, Jim Mair a.o. (JMood, 2023)
• Love Is Passing Thru , with Ettore Martin, Danilo Gallo, Enzo Carpentieri (JMood, 2024)
• Freedom Is Peace, with Tony Lakatos, Florian Brambock, Lukas Oravec, Rudi Engel, Gasper Bertoncelj (JMood, 2024)

with the MUH Trio (Magris/Uhlir/Helesic Trio)

• Prague After Dark , with František Uhlíř and Jaromir Helešic (JMood, 2017)
• A Step into Light , with František Uhlíř and Jaromir Helešic (JMood, 2020)

with the Gruppo Jazz Marca

• Comunicazione Sonora (IAF, 1982 - re-issued by Arision, 2005)
• Aria di Città (IAF, 1983 - re-issued by Arision, 2009)
• Mitteleuropa (Gulliver, 1986 - re-issued by Arision, 2006)

with the Europlane Orchestra

• Live at Zooest (Zooest, 1998)
• Plays Kurt Weill, with Ines Reiger (Pull, 2000)

with the Big Band Ritmo-Sinfonica Città di Verona

• Restless Spirits - Big Band Ritmo-Sinfonica Città di Verona plays the music of Roberto Magris (Velut Luna, 2009)

with the DMA Urban Jazz Funk

• DMA Urban Jazz Funk - Up to the Beat (Map, 2003)

with the Alfabeats Nu Jazz

• Stones (Oasis, 2006)

References

1. Partage, Jerome. "Roberto Magris: From Trieste to Kansas City". Jazz Hot .
2. Nastos, Michael G. "Roberto Magris". AllMusic . Retrieved 24 July 2020.
3. D’Souza, Jerry (8 November 2004). "Roberto Magris: Forging Ahead". allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
4. Comunicazione Sonora at All Music All Music
5. Aria di Città at All Music All Music
6. Mitteleuropa at Rateyourmusic.com Rateyourmusic.com
7. Arision Recordings Rateyourmusic.com
8. Jazzis Records Discography Jazzis Records
9. Nuovo Jazz Italiano by Roberto Franchina Nuovo Jazz Italiano
10. Dan McClenaghan Roberto Magris: Love Is Passing Thru All About Jazz
11. Edward Blanco Roberto Magris: Love Is Passing Thru All About Jazz
12. Eric Harabadian Jazz, blues and alternative views – part 5 Aoide Magazine
13. Alfabeats Nu Jazz at All About Jazz All About Jazz
14. Edward Blanco Roberto Magris & The Europlane Orchestra: Current Views All About Jazz
15. Europlane Orchestra members Europlane Orchestra
16. Live At Zooest at Discogs Discogs
17. Plays Kurt Weill at All About Jazz All About Jazz
18. Ray Comiskey (July 29, 2005). "Roberto Magris Europlane feat. Tony Lakatos: Check-In". The Irish Times.
19. Jack Bowers Roberto Magris Europlane: Check-In All About Jazz
20. Jerry D’Souza Roberto Magris: Kansas City Outbound All About Jazz
21. Budd Kopman Roberto Magris Europlane: Il Bello Del Jazz All About Jazz
22. Jack Bowers An Evening With Herb Geller & The Roberto Magris Trio All About Jazz
23. C. Michael Bailey An Evening With Herb Geller & The Roberto Magris Trio AllAboutJazz
24. Kazunori Harada Roberto Magris, a pianist / composer / arranger who has produced a number of masterpieces from the up-and-coming label J Mood Diskunion
25. Edward Blanco Roberto Magris Quintet: Morgan Rewind Vol. 1 All About Jazz
26. Edward Blanco Roberto Magris Septet: Morgan Rewind Vol. 2 All About Jazz
27. Sean J. O'Connell Roberto Magris: Morgan Rewind Vol. 2 Down Beat
28. Edward Blanco Roberto Magris Trio: One Night In With Hope and More Vol. 1 All About Jazz
29. C. Michael Bailey Roberto Magris Trio: One Night In With Hope and More Vol. 2 All About Jazz
30. Jack Bowers Roberto Magris Quintet: Cannonball Funk'n Friends All About Jazz
31. Edward Blanco Roberto Magris Quintet: Mating Call All About Jazz
32. Jack Bowers Sam Reed Meets Roberto Magris: Ready For Reed All About Jazz
33. John Ephland Roberto Magris Space Trek: Aliens in a Bebop Planet Down Beat
34. Jack Bowers Roberto Magris: High Quote All About Jazz
35. Edward Blanco Roberto Magris: Enigmatix All About Jazz
36. Jack Bowers Roberto Magris: Enigmatix All About Jazz
37. Carlo Wolff Roberto Magris: Enigmatix Down Beat
38. Edward Blanco Roberto Magris: Need To Bring Out Love All About Jazz
39. Marc Myers Roberto Magris: World Gardens JazzWax
40. Raul D’Gama Rose Roberto Magris: World Gardens JazzdaGama
41. Carlo Wolff Roberto Magris Sextet: Live In Miami @ The WDNA Jazz Gallery Down Beat
42. Randy Freedman Roberto Magris Sextet: Live In Miami @ The WDNA Jazz Gallery Chicago Jazz Magazine
43. Raul D’Gama Rose Roberto Magris Sextet: Live In Miami @ The WDNA Jazz Gallery JazzdaGama
44. Yves Sportis Roberto Magris Sextet: Sun Stone Jazz Hot
45. Marc Myers Roberto Magris Sextet: Sun Stone JazzWax
46. Jerome Wilson Roberto Magris: Sun Stone All About Jazz
47. Scott Yanow Jazz Cd Reviews April 2022 Los Angeles Jazz Scene
48. Yves Sportis Roberto Magris: Match Point Jazz Hot
49. Eric Harabadian Jazz, blues and alternative views – part 2 Aoide Magazine
50. Dan McClenaghan Roberto Magris: Suite! All About Jazz
51. Edward Blanco Roberto Magris: Suite! All About Jazz
52. Karl Ackermann Roberto Magris: Suite! All About Jazz
53. Hrayr Attarian Roberto Magris: Suite! Chicago Jazz Magazine
54. Dan McClenaghan Roberto Magris & Eric Hochberg: Shuffling Ivories All About Jazz
55. Edward Blanco Roberto Magris & Eric Hochberg: Shuffling Ivories All About Jazz
56. Scott Yanow Roberto Magris & Eric Hochberg: Shuffling Ivories Los Angeles Jazz Scene
57. Ralph A. Miriello Shuffling Ivories Musical Magic by Roberto Magris & Eric Hochberg Notes on Jazz
58. Jerome Partage and Yves Sportis Roberto Magris & Eric Hochberg: Shuffling Ivories Jazz Hot
59. Jack Bowers Roberto Magris: Duo & Trio All About Jazz
60. Marc Myers Roberto Magris: Duo & Trio JazzWax
61. Yves Sportis Roberto Magris: Duo & Trio Jazz Hot
62. C. Michael Bailey MUH Trio: Prague After Dark All About Jazz
63. Jack Bowers MUH Trio: Prague After Dark All About Jazz
64. Edward Blanco MUH Trio: A Step into Light All About Jazz
65. Jerome Partage and Yves Sportis The MUH Trio: A Step Into Light Jazz Hot
66. Raul D’Gama Rose Big Band Ritmo Sinfonica from Verona: Restless Spirits All About Jazz
67. Edward Blanco Review of Magris album Roberto Magris: Need to Bring Out Love All About Jazz
68. Mick Carlon Roberto Magris: Eyes to the (Swinging) Future, A Complementary, but not Conflicting, Approach to Jazz JazzTimes, October 8, 2015

External links

• Roberto Magris at JMood Records JMood Records
• Mike Jeffers Interview with Roberto Magris Chicago Jazz Magazine