Likes & Influences: Louis Armstrong, Billie, Ella, Sarah, Carmen McRae, Dinah Washington, Benny Carter, Bird, Diz, Duke, Count Basie, James Moody, Slide Hampton, JJ Johnson, Bud Powell, Frank Wess, Hank Jones, Eddie Jefferson, Jon Hendricks, Bill Evans, Shirley Horn, Maria Callas, Elis Regina, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Horace Silver, Joao Gilberto, Jimmy Heath, Billy Higgins
"Gambarini is a true successor to Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Carmen McRae." - Kevin Lowenthal, BOSTON GLOBE
Roberta Gambarini was born in Torino, Italy, into a family where jazz was much loved and appreciated. She began listening to this music as a child and started taking clarinet lessons when she was twelve years old. By the time she was 17, she began singing and performing in jazz clubs around Northern Italy and at the age of 18, she decided to move to Milan to pursue a career as a jazz singer.
Soon after her move to Milan, Roberta took third place in a national jazz radio competition on TV, leading to performance opportunities at jazz festivals throughout Italy. She performed on Jazz broadcasts on Italian radio and TV channels and in 1986 began recording both under her own name and as a guest. In 1997, she worked with French Hammond organ player Emmanuel Bex, touring jazz clubs throughout Italy.
In 1998 she moved to the United States with a scholarship from the New England Conservatory in Boston. Two weeks later, Roberta stunned many in the jazz world with a third place finish in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocal Competition.
A dynamic performer with virtuosic vocal chops, she draws rave reviews and enthusiastic fan support wherever she performs. And until her North American debut, Easy to Love (Groovin’ High/Kindred Rhythm), was released on June 6, 2006, she had done so with just word of mouth alone.
On Easy to Love, Roberta showed off her instrumental approach and warm timbre, impeccable timing and intonation, incredible technique and scatting and improvisation skills on a set of 12 excellent jazz standards and classic songs from The Great American Songbook. The album also included two bonus tracks and featured special guest James Moody on a scintillating scat duel.
Easy to Love was nominated for a GRAMMY® in 2007 in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category (along with albums by Karrin Allyson, Nancy King, Diana Krall, and Nancy Wilson). Roberta’s “formidable talent” (DownBeat Magazine) has also garnered her wins as the 2007 Female Jazz Singer of the Year from the Jazz Journalists Association (JJA) and as the 2007 Talent Deserving Wider Recognition from DownBeat Magazine’s Annual Critics Poll.
On February 12, 2008, Roberta made her major label debut with You Are There (Groovin’ High/Emarcy), a collection of 14 hauntingly beautiful melodies, with the legendary pianist, Hank Jones. The music was recorded in one afternoon; Roberta and Hank had no concept for the album- just 25 tunes they liked and thought would be interesting to record. “There were no isolation booths, no headphones, no over dubs,” Gambarini remembers. “The sound would be just what you would hear had you been in someone’s living room playing among friends.” That is the magic of Hank Jones.
Roberta Gambarini has performed with Michael Brecker, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Slide Hampton, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Heath, James Moody, Hank Jones, Christian McBride, and Toots Thielemans, among many others, and has performed at Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Town Hall and Walt Disney Concert Hall, and jazz festivals around the world such as Barbados, London, Monterey, North Sea, Toronto, and Umbria.
Roberta was recently voted Rising Star Female Vocalist of the Year in 2008 DownBeat Critics Poll. Roberta will tour internationally with her band in support of her new album, So In Love, which is scheduled for a Summer 2009 release.
"Amazing stuff...all of it." - Don Heckman, LA TIMES
"Gambarini is the real deal. - Steve Eddy, OC REGISTER
"Number 1 Vocal Jazz Record of 2005 - SWING JOURNAL (Japan)
Hi, Roberta!! You have a beautiful music & a great performance! I will thank you for your comments about my new song, a bossa in French. www.myspace.com/cristianrosemary
Revenir dans ta Vie. Lyrics & music: Cristian Rosemary).
J'aimerais revenir dans ta vie j'aimerais retrouver la magie j'aimerais reposer dans ton lit d’où je ne devrais jamais être sorti.
Le froid a envahi la nature comme l'hiver qui est rentré dans mon cœur j'ai couru dans cette vie à toute allure en risquant ta tendresse, ta chaleur. Les ombres ont caché la lumière comme le bruit a couvert le silence. Les ombres ont caché mon soleil qui brillait grâce à ta présence.
Les rêves qu'on avait...où sont-ils? Leur as-tu permis de mourir? Les rêves qu'on avait...où sont-ils? Leur as-tu permis de partir? Pense à moi un petit peu, pense, ma chère. Je regrette de t'avoir fait pleurer, mais tes larmes généreuses m'ont soignées. Es-tu prête, mon amour, es-tu prête?
Tu es la seule. Le sais-tu? Le sais-tu? Je le sais maintenant, je le sais. Est-ce trop tard pour rentrer dans ton âme? Est-ce trop tard pour rentrer dans ton corps? Les années ont passé comme le vent. et pourtant, nous gardons notre amour. Nous mourrons plein de rides, amoureux, amoureux, comme toujours, si tu veux.
Finalmente on line alcune tracce del concerto della scorsa estate in piazza a Montichiari (Bs) con ospite Bruno Marini al sax! Se ti va passa sul mio space....
Hey thanks so much for the support, we really appreciate it!
If you find the time to listen to our music please don't be hesitant
about letting us know what you think. We'd appreciate the feedback. :)
ECCO IL PROGRAMMA AGGIORNATO DI LUCCA IN VOCE 2009 !!!
CORSO DEDICATO ALLA VOCE ARTISTICA
LUCCA 21 E 22 NOVEMBRE 2009
per info: www.myspace.com/luccainvoce
Roberta, thanks for accepting my request and for yor wonderful voice. It's really an honour to be among your fans. I'm happy to know you are coming back home very soon. Then see you in Moncalieri, or in Milan, or...., why not?, in both places ;-)
Dear Roberta! Just stopping by to say hello and to send my best wishes as always. I can't stop listening to your latest CD "So In Love". I keep all of your CD's in my car so anyone entering the vehicle MUST listen to your music or walk. So far, no one has opted for the latter. Hope to see you at the Blue Note! Best Wishes!!!! Tony
Online Now!
bertaaaaaaa !!!!! All the best !!!! Thanks a l
t l
vely singer!!!! 
![From Us To You [New song up now!]](http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/104/s_3eb1f0effaef400b8ea2b09c2dce9e42.jpg)
