Presented in partnership with Blueport Jazz

[Roberta Gambarini] “is a master of the bebop vocabulary and can outswing nearly anyone.” - LA Jazz Scene

[Tamir Hendelman’s] “playing… was so sensitive, introspective and captivating, that you could literally hear a pin drop in the audience” - LA Jazz Scene

FEATURED ARTISTS:

Roberta Gambarini, vocals
Tamir Hendelman, piano

Roberta Gambarini and Tamir Hendelman first joined forces at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, with Tamir performing on Roberta’s GRAMMY®-nominated albums Easy to Love and So in Love. Their musical partnership has taken them on tours throughout Japan, the US, Europe, and beyond. This concert will showcase their extraordinary collaboration, exploring their favorite pieces from the Great American Songbook and beyond, promising an evening of exceptional musical artistry.

Roberta Gambarini burst onto the world’s jazz scene in 1998 as a standout runner-up in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Vocal Competition. Her breathtaking performance at the Smithsonian Auditorium in Washington, D.C. not only stunned judges and audiences but also launched a stellar career that has spanned decades. Roberta has captivated audiences from Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl to jazz festivals in Monterey, Newport, and beyond. Her illustrious career includes performances at NYC’s Blue Note Jazz Club, Salle Pleyel in Paris, and Royal Albert Hall in London.

Roberta has shared the stage with jazz legends such as James Moody, Clark Terry, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Heath, Hank Jones, Billy Higgins, Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, Dave Brubeck, the Dizzy Gillespie All Stars Big Band, Jon Batiste, Chucho Valdes, and Paquito D’Rivera, among many others. Her accolades include three GRAMMY® nominations for Jazz Vocal Album of the Year, awards from the French National Jazz Academy, and recognition as Jazz Singer of the Year by the International Association of Jazz Journalists. In 2023, the French Ministry of Culture honored her with the prestigious title of ‘Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres’.

Tamir Hendelman is celebrated for his imaginative arranging and dynamic playing, both in his solo work and as a member of the Jeff Hamilton Trio and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. Moving from Tel Aviv to Los Angeles as a youth, he won Yamaha’s national keyboard competition, performed in Japan and at the Kennedy Center, and studied at Tanglewood and the Eastman School of Music.

Tamir has premiered John Clayton’s version of Oscar Peterson’s Canadiana Suite and performed with orchestras such as the Winston-Salem Symphony and Pittsburgh Symphony. His recordings, including “Destinations” and “Playground,” have topped the US jazz charts. Tamir has also contributed to numerous recordings, including projects with Natalie Cole, Barbra Streisand, and Graham Dechter. He has been a faculty member at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music since 2005, sharing his expertise through workshops across the globe. Tamir was also chosen by Barbra Streisand to perform at the world’s most famous jazz venue, the Village Vanguard in NYC, for a celebrity-loaded concert filmed and released to critical and widespread acclaim.