TCJazzFest: Teri Roiger Celebrates the Music of Abbey Lincoln

An American jazz musician, vocalist, pianist, songwriter, educator, and producer, Teri Roiger lives in New York City and also spends time in New York’s Hudson Valley. She began playing piano at age 5, and played church organ throughout her teens. When she discovered jazz in her early 20s – and soon after made her first demo with the legendary stride pianist, Butch Thompson – her musical path was set.

One afternoon in Minneapolis, a young Teri Roiger sat down at a piano amidst a group of seasoned musicians, and played a burning rendition of John Coltrane’s Giant Steps. An astounded nearby bass player said, “Hey, you aren’t supposed to be able to do that,” a remark that ignited Teri’s determination to pursue a life in jazz.

For the Jazz Fest, Teri will perform her tribute to Abbey Lincoln. Teri’s 2012 release, DEAR ABBEY: The Music of Abbey Lincoln, produced by Brian Bacchus, made the Jazz Journalist Association’s “best of” vocal releases list for 2012, and was featured as one of the five best tribute releases in NYC Jazz Record’s January 2013 issue.

Jack DeJohnette, legendary jazz drummer & 2012 NEA Jazz Master: Teri has an intuitive laid back sense of time reminiscent of Abbey Lincoln and Betty Carter but with her own uniqueness.

Mark Myers, JazzWax.com: A vocalist who wraps (Abbey) Lincoln’s complex songs around her finger…

TERI ROIGER (vocals)

PHIL AARON (piano)

JOHN MENEGON (bass)

PHIL HEY (drums)

The Twin Cities Jazz Fest is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission of bringing communities together to enjoy and appreciate the art form of jazz and inspire new generations of youth. What started as a small one­-day event in downtown Minneapolis 26 years ago has grown into one of the largest free civic jazz festivals in the upper Midwest.

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