Unlike the prodigal son of biblical fame, Roberts hasn't returned to the festival he helped start. At age 35, Roberts has just released another compact disc, The Joy of Joplin, on the Sony Classical label. He has climbed to the pinnacle of his profession, traveled the world and played with Wynton Marsalis and symphony orchestras from Los Angeles to Boston. He has hit the jazz and classical jackpots. Yet he did not play in one of Jacksonville's premier events, one that has everything to do with his art.
Reasons given in Jacksonville's artistic circles vary widely.
Roberts' growing stature demands vs. what is available from the jazz festival and other area events. Others say it has to do with a past conflict between a promoter and Roberts. Roberts himself voices disappointment in the turnout for his past appearances in Jacksonville. The only thing that kind of bothers me is that I don't feel a real sense that I made a real cultural contribution to the evolution of the city. Roberts has done extensive work in concert and on television in both Japan and the United States with Seiji Ozawa, music director of the Boston Symphony.