Hank Roberts

Hank Roberts (b. Terre Haute, March 24, 1954- ) – Cellist and vocalist. Terre Haute native Hank Roberts is a well-known jazz cellist who has absorbed a wide range of influences including rock, folk and classical. After leading his own Indiana-based group early in his career, he moved to New York, where he became part of the avante garde jazz scene of the 1980s. Since 1987, Roberts has released seven CD projects as a leader. He also collaborated extensively with other like-minded experimentalists like guitarist Bill Frisell and saxophonist Tim Berne. From 1989 to 1991, he recorded three CDs with the Arcado Trio, an improvisational string trio. Having traveled far and wide, Roberts is currently (as of January 2009) on a fifteen-gig tour of Europe with Buffalo Collision, a new four-piece group that includes Tim Berne. In 2003, he returned to his hometown of Terre Haute for an appearance at the Verve, a nightspot on Wabash Avenue (old National Road). Lastly, he and singer-songwriter Kevin Kinsella play together in various configurations, including Ti-Ti Chikapea (for which Roberts plays and sings).