Matana Roberts (born 1975^[1]) is an American sound experimentalist, visual artist, jazz saxophonist and clarinetist, composer and improviser based in New York City.^[2] 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.^[3][4]

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;^[5] Coin Coin Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile was called "stunning" by both the Chicago Reader^[6] and SPIN;^[7] and Coin Coin Chapter Three: River Run Thee was named among Rolling Stone's Best Avant Albums of 2015.^[8] Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis has garnered their greatest accolades, and was included in Pitchfork's Best Experimental Albums,^[9] Bandcamp's Best Jazz Albums,^[10] and the top ten of the NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll in 2019.^[11] Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop called the album "one of the decade's most compelling jazz projects".^[12]

The annual DownBeat Critics Poll has named Roberts Rising Star in both the alto saxophone^[13] and clarinet categories.^[14] Roberts received a Doris Duke Impact Award in 2014 and a Doris Duke Artist Award in 2016.^[15][16]

Born in 1975 in Chicago, Illinois, Roberts was raised partly on the city's South Side and studied classical clarinet during their youth.^[3] They formed a trio, Sticks and Stones, with bassist Josh Abrams and drummer Chad Taylor, with whom they regularly performed at the Velvet Lounge.^[17] In 2002, Roberts moved to New York, initially busking in subways and publishing a zine, Fat Ragged, about their experiences.^[17]

Roberts is the composer of Coin Coin, a multichapter musical work-in-progress exploring themes of history, memory and ancestry.^[18] Roberts performed at the London Jazz Festival in 2007.^[19] In 2008, Central Control released Roberts' The Chicago Project.^[20] The album, produced by Vijay Iyer, includes performances by members of Prefuse 73 and Tortoise along with AACM saxophonist Fred Anderson.^[21]

They have previously been a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM).^[3]

In January 2010, Roberts was the guest curator at The Stone.^[22] Roberts was chosen by Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival that he curated in March 2012 in Minehead, England.^[23] Roberts held a residency at the Whitney Museum of American Art in the summer of 2015, during which they produced a series of research-based sound works entitled i call america.^[24] The following summer, they had a solo show at the Fridman Gallery entitled I Call America II that was presented as an expanded version of the Whitney exhibition.^[25]

• 2006: Van Lier Fellowship^[26]
• 2008: The Jazz Journalists Association "Up and Coming Musician of the Year" nominee^[27]
• 2013: Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists Award^[1]
• 2014: Doris Duke Impact Award^[15]
• 2016: Doris Duke Artist Award^[16]
• 2017: DownBeat Critics Poll, Rising Star Alto Saxophone^[13]
• 2018: DownBeat Critics Poll, Rising Star Clarinet^[14]