Marcus Roberts and the Modern Jazz Generation

When jazz legend Marcus Roberts sits down at the piano, you want to be in that room. He’s got the wild style of Thelonious Monk with a little Fats Waller thrown in for good measure. He’s won countless awards (his most cherished is the Helen Keller Award for Personal Achievement), launched his own record label, been commissioned by prestigious jazz festivals and been profiled on CBS’ 60 Minutes. But his greatness doesn’t stop there.Roberts has a driving passion to train the next generation of jazz musicians — a principle of mentoring that he finds critical to the evolution of the form. Partnering with his longtime collaborators Rodney Jordan (on bass) and Jason Marsalis (on drums), they’ve founded the Modern Jazz Generation. The music born from this multigenerational group is charged with history and innovation — truly shaping the next generation of jazz.This presentation is funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.Pre-show DinnerJazz up your evening with a three-course prix fixe dinner at NC State’s 1887 Bistro. Inspired by Roberts’ ingenuity, our chef has prepared a special menu for the evening. Dinner is $32.95 per person and includes two glasses of wine or beer. For dinner reservations call 919-515-1100. Click here for the menu.Pre-show TalkWhat does it take to pull jazz into the next generation? Come hear members of the band talk about their history together and the future of America’s art form. Join us for a pre-show talk at 7 p.m. in Talley Student Union, room 3222.