# Judy Roberts > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Judy_Roberts > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Judy_Roberts.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Roberts > Source revision: 1339335266 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Infobox musical artist | name = Judy Roberts | image = | birth_name = Judy Loewy | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1942|10|3}} | birth_place = [Chicago, IL](/source/Chicago%2C_IL), U.S. | genre = Jazz | occupation = Pianist, singer, composer, arranger | instrument = Piano | years_active = ~1958–present | label = {{hlist|1=[Inner CIty](/source/Inner_City_Records)|2=[P-Vine](/source/P-Vine_Records)|3=[Pausa](/source/Pausa_Records)}} | website = {{URL|https://judyroberts.com/}} }} '''Judy Roberts''' (born October 3, 1942) is a [jazz](/source/jazz) pianist, singer, composer and arranger based in Chicago, IL. She released 15 albums during the period from 1979 to 2011.{{Cite web |title=Judy Roberts Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & Mor... |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/judy-roberts-mn0000834939#discography |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Judy Roberts Discography |website=[Discogs](/source/Discogs) |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/257906-Judy-Roberts}} The Chicago Tribune has called her "Chicago's Favorite Jazz Woman." == Musical career == Roberts started her professional career at age 15{{Cite web |title=Judy Roberts on Piano Jazz |website=[NPR](/source/NPR) |date=21 March 2017 |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/03/21/520516703/judy-roberts-on-piano-jazz}} and has gone on to perform at hundreds of jazz clubs, numerous festivals, and in multiple residencies in Chicago, Phoenix and Singapore. Her eponymous first album was published by [Inner City](/source/Inner_City_Records) in 1979. It was followed by ''The Other World (1980)'', also on [Inner City](/source/Inner_City_Records), which stayed on the Billboard Jazz Album charts for 20 weeks in 1980-81, peaking at #34.{{Cite web |title=World Radio History: Billboard Magazine, 1894 to 2021 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard-Magazine.htm}}{{Cite web |title=World Radio History: Billboard Magazine 12-20-1980 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1980/BB-1980-12-20.pdf}} Her cover of [Senor Blues](/source/Se%C3%B1or_Blues_(song)) from that album reached #1 on the jazz charts and in radio airplay. Roberts' third album, ''Nights in Brazil'' ([P-Vine Records](/source/P-Vine_Records)), charted for six weeks in 1982, peaking at #38. {{Cite web |title=World Radio History: Billboard Magazine, 6-19-1982 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1982/BB-1982-06-19.pdf}} That same year, Roberts made her first of four appearances at the [Chicago Jazz Festival](/source/Chicago_Jazz_Festival), playing with Neal Seroka on guitar, Michael Fiorino on bass and David Derge on drums.{{Cite web |title=CJF 1979 - 1984 |url=https://www.jazzinchicago.org/cjf-1979-1984 |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Jazz Institute of Chicago |language=en-US}} [Ray Brown](/source/Ray_Brown_(musician)) and [Jeff Hamilton](/source/Jeff_Hamilton_(drummer)) joined Roberts on her fourth album, ''Trio'' (on [Pausa Records](/source/Pausa_Records), 1983). In this same time period, [Laurel Masse](/source/Laurel_Mass%C3%A9) recognized Roberts' support in launching her solo career after leaving the [Manhattan Transfer](/source/Manhattan_Transfer_(band)).{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ByUEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22laurel%20masse%22&pg=PT26 |title=Billboard |date=1985-01-05 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}} Roberts returned to the Chicago Jazz Festival in 1990, performing on the closing day with Neal Seroka on guitar, Jim Cox on bass and Phil Gratteau on drums.{{Cite web |title=CJF 1990 - 1994 |url=https://www.jazzinchicago.org/cjf-1990-1994 |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Jazz Institute of Chicago |language=en-US}} Roberts collaborated with jazz singer [Jackie Allen](/source/Jackie_Allen_(musician)), including on two albums (''Santa Baby'' and ''Autumn Leaves'') in the late 1990s.{{Cite web |last=Pulse |first=Door County |date=2016-07-26 |title=Peg Egan Presents the Jackie Allen Quartet |url=https://doorcountypulse.com/peg-egan-presents-jackie-allen-quartet/ |access-date=2025-08-22 |website=Door County Pulse |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Tesser |first=Neil |date=1999-06-03 |title=Jackie Allen & Judy Roberts |url=https://chicagoreader.com/arts-culture/jackie-allen-judy-roberts/ |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=Chicago Reader |language=en-US}} In 1999, Roberts performed as part of the Chicago Jazz Festival's closing act with the [Marian McPartland](/source/Marian_McPartland) Trio, along with [Willie Pickens](/source/Willie_Pickens) and [Jodie Christian](/source/Jodie_Christian).{{Cite web |title=CJF 1995 - 1999 |url=https://www.jazzinchicago.org/cjf-1995-1999 |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=Jazz Institute of Chicago |language=en-US}} During this period, she was a frequent collaborator with drummer [Rusty Jones](/source/Rusty_Jones_(musician)).{{Cite web |date=2015-12-10 |title=Jazz drummer Rusty Jones dies at 73 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2015/12/10/jazz-drummer-rusty-jones-dies-at-73/ |access-date=2025-08-22 |website=Chicago Tribune |language=en-US}} Roberts performed with her husband, saxophonist Greg Fishman, at the 2002 [North Sea Jazz Festival](/source/North_Sea_Jazz_Festival).{{Cite web |title=Friday, July 12, 2002 {{!}} NN North Sea Jazz Festival |url=https://www.northseajazz.com/en/program/2002/friday-12-july/timetable/time/ |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=www.northseajazz.com |language=en}} In 2003, she reunited with McPartland as a featured guest on [Piano Jazz](/source/Piano_Jazz), hosted by McPartland, performing a set of songs in front of a live audience. She made her fourth appearance at the Chicago Jazz Festival in 2014, performing with Fishman as well as the Paulinho Garcia Quintet.{{Cite web |title=CJF 2010 - 2014 |url=https://www.jazzinchicago.org/cjf-2010-2014 |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Jazz Institute of Chicago |language=en-US}} Roberts played multiple times at the renowned [Jazz Showcase](/source/Jazz_Showcase) in Chicago, including as recently as 2025.{{Cite web |title=Roberts brings her gentle art home again to Jazz Showcase - Near Northwest |url=https://digitaledition.chicagotribune.com/tribune/article_popover.aspx?guid=413e509f-6dde-48e0-b5d8-dde2c5dde3a9 |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=digitaledition.chicagotribune.com}} == Personal life == Roberts is the daughter of Robert Loewy (1916-2003), a jazz guitarist active in the Chicago jazz scene during the mid-20th century. Loewy performed with Roberts on her 1990 album ''My Heart Belongs to Daddy''.{{Citation |title=My Heart Belongs to Daddy - Judy Roberts {{!}} Album {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/my-heart-belongs-to-daddy-mw0000058970#credits |access-date=2025-01-10 |language=en}} She is married to jazz saxophonist Greg Fishman. In 2019, Roberts was diagnosed with [amyloidosis](/source/amyloidosis), a rare form of blood cancer.{{Cite web |last=Reich |first=Howard |date=2020-04-08 |title=Chicago jazz singer Judy Roberts battles rare cancer with the help of her husband |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2020/04/08/chicago-jazz-singer-judy-roberts-battles-rare-cancer-with-the-help-of-her-husband/ |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Chicago Tribune |language=en-US}} == Discography == * ''Judy Roberts Band'' ([Inner CIty](/source/Inner_City_Records), 1979) * ''The Other World'' ([Inner City](/source/Inner_City_Records), 1980) * ''Nights in Brazil'' ([P-Vine Records](/source/P-Vine_Records), 1981)) * ''Trio'' ([Pausa Records](/source/Pausa_Records), 1983) * ''You are There'' ([Pausa Records](/source/Pausa_Records), 1985) * ''My Heart Belongs to Daddy'' (Self-published'', 1990)'' * ''Circle of Friends'' (Self-published, 1995) * ''Santa Baby'' (with [Jackie Allen](/source/Jackie_Allen_(musician)), Self-published, 1998) * ''Autumn Leaves'' (with [Jackie Allen](/source/Jackie_Allen_(musician)), RA Records, 1999) * ''In the Moment'' (JR Records, 2002) * ''Route 66'' (JR Records, 2003) * ''Watercolors'' (JR Records, 2003) * ''Two for the Road'' (with Greg Fishman, JR Records, 2004) * ''I'll Just Take It As It Comes'' (with Danny Long, 2009) * ''So Lucky to be Loving You'' (with [Wayne Messmer](/source/Wayne_Messmer), [CD Baby](/source/CD_Baby), 2011) == References == {{reflist}} Category:American women jazz pianists Category:People from Chicago Category:Inner City Records artists Category:P-Vine Records artists Category:Pausa Records artists {{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Judy}} Category:1942 births Category:Living people Category:Jazz-blues pianists Category:American jazz singers Category:American jazz pianists Category:Jewish jazz musicians Category:Jewish singers Category:Jewish women musicians Category:Jewish women singers Category:20th-century pianists Category:Jazz pianists Category:Jazz singers Category:21st-century pianists --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Judy Roberts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Roberts) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Roberts?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.