Teri Roiger

Teri Roiger's musical career began in the Midwest where, at age 13, she became a church organist and ensemble singer. She eventually gravitated toward her real love, jazz singing. The widely-renowned stride pianist and clarinetist Butch Thompson discovered Teri's singing talents and their duo performed at major festivals and nightclubs in the U.S. and Europe. Upon returning to the U.S., Teri worked in duos, trios, quartets, and Big Bands throughout the Midwest. In the mid 80s, when she moved to NYC to pursue her musical ambitions, she studied with Jay Clayton, Sheila Jordan, and Jeanne Lee. She has performed and/ or recorded with Kenny Barron, Bruce Barth, Kenny Burrell, Michael Cain, Jimmy Cobb, Robin Eubanks, Jack DeJohnette, Al Foster, Fred Hersch, David "Fathead" Newman, Dewey Redman, Roswell Rudd, Tani Tabbal, Jack Walrath, and many others. Teri is an Adjunct Professor of Vocal Jazz at SUNY New Paltz, Bard College (Annandale-on-Hudson, NY) and Williams College (Williamstown, MA). In addition to private students, she teaches jazz workshops and a cappella groups.

Teri has recently performed with the David "Fathead" Newman Quartet at the San Miguel Jazz Festival in San Miguel de Allende (Mexico). She has also appeared at Birdland, Caviarteria, Cleopatra's Needle, Cornelia St. Café, Five Spot, Knickerbocker, Knitting Factory, La Belle Epoque, Metronome and Visiones (all in New York City) and also at the Clarendon (Quebec City), Dakota Bar & Grill (St. Paul, MN), L'Air Du Temp (Montreal), Mohonk Jazz Festival (New Paltz, NY). The following quote is from her recent appearance at the Sunside, the renowned jazz club in the heart of Paris:

A discovery at the Sunside in Paris, Teri Roiger, somewhere between Abbey Lincoln, Billie Holiday and Anita O'Day, played with elegance, expressiveness and authenticity. Jean Szlamowicz, Jazz Hot, September 2001, Paris.

Teri recently recorded and co-produced her first CD, Misterioso, with John Menegon on bass, Kenny Burrell on guitar, and Jack DeJohnette on drums. The title song, Misterioso, has been changed to Listen To Your Soul, as a result of the Thelonious Monk family giving Teri permission to record her own lyrics to this jazz master's tune, an uncommon privilege. To hear selections from the CD go to jazz valley.com. Some quotes from the CD:

Roiger has a voice like the finest bittersweet chocolate full of rich, dark, contradictory flavors that miraculously blend to create one of the most original vocal instruments in decades. Vic Garbarini, Playboy

Roiger caresses the words and bends and shapes her phrases with uncommon flair...follows her own inspired path...uses her voice skillfully and interacts daringly with her musicians on this alluring vocal jazz album...an exhilarating listen that never lets you down. Nancy Ann Lee, CD Now, music critic for Jazz Times

She is currently working nationally and internationally (performs at festivals, art institutions, concert halls, nightclubs and schools) with a bass and voice duo (Menegon on bass) and a quartet featuring John on bass, Pat McKearn on piano, and Tani Tabbal on percussion. She also performs as a solo artist (piano and voice).

Roiger co-founded Jazz in the Mountains with John Menegon, an ongoing concert and workshop series bringing world-class jazz musicians to Woodstock, New York. 1992-present.

Live broadcasts include several appearances on Paul Elisha's Performance Place on WAMC (National Public Radio) as well as Dancing on the Air on WAMC.

CD MISTERIOSO

Acclaimed jazz vocalist Teri Roiger and bassist/arranger John Menegon bring jazz icons Jack DeJohnette and Kenny Burrell together in the studio on Misterioso!

TERI ROIGER and JOHN MENEGON's debut CD, MISTERIOSO (IGMOD, U.S.) (KING RECORDS, JAPAN) is an exciting introduction to a talented jazz duo. With emphasis on their lively duo format, trio performances along with drummer JACK DEJOHNETTE, and quartet including guitarist KENNY BURRELL, Teri and John offer inventive revisitations of jazz standards and present a few of their own originals. The title song, Misterioso, has been changed to Listen To Your Soul, as a result of the Monk family giving Teri permission to record her own lyrics to this tune, an uncommon privilege. She also wrote lyrics to Kenny Barron's Sunshower, and an original poem set to music as homage to Lester Young's inventive jazz language on Goodbye Pork Pie Hat. Teri and John's collaboration on Monk's Point, their tribute to one of their favorite composers, showcases the creative spark that ignites their music. They also selected these standards for their first recording: Looking Back (instrumentally known as Reflections), If I Should Lose You, Foolin' Myself, That Old Devil Called Love, Listen To Monk (instrumentally known as Rhythm-A-Ning) and Sting's Fragile. The CD is self produced, with arrangements by Menegon.

John and Teri have both worked with Jack and Kenny in concert over the last couple of years, and were delighted to finally capture some of their live chemistry in the studio. They were honored that these two jazz icons offered to back them on Misterioso, as it's one of the few times they have been in the studio together.