A Brilliant Musician and Memorable Friend

Kelly Roberti. Photo by Yae Inoue Bowman

Kelly Roberti was a world-renowned jazz bassist and composer, an accomplished chef, teacher, author/poet, and a world-class non-conformist. He spent his life pursuing his passions - family, music, friends, travel, and cooking. Kelly was a unique personality with talent, vision, and a great many friends. 

When he died from lung cancer in early March 2016, at age 61, the outpouring of love and support for his wife Yae Inoue was massive. Unfortunately for this couple, they were forced by government red tape to remain apart for almost two years, reuniting only a little more than two years before Kelly's death.

Kelly grew up in Malta and Bozeman, Montana, with his father Mike and mother Mary instilling in him a love and passion for music. His father was an educator and music director for the Bozeman Public Schools, while Mary was a piano teacher. Kelly's parents were so deeply into music that it was probably a foregone conclusion from the day he was born that Kelly would become a musician. 

Kelly said of his parents:

"Pops taught in the Montana public school system for forty years. His relentless work ethic and energy was something to behold as a child… He and my dear mother gave me music from the day I was born – every day, always, music."

Kelly's path took him from small town Montana to clubs and venues around the world. He toured, performed, and recorded with some of the finest jazz musicians over the years, including Emily Remler, Sonny Rollins, David 'Fathead' Newman, Ray Brown, Dave Grusin, Sheryl Bailey, and many more. He contributed to more than sixty recordings.

Photo by Yae Inoue Bowman

When he was not on the road, he performed every Wednesday night as Kelly Roberti and Friends, at Plonk!, a small restaurant venue in downtown Bozeman. He did nine seasons presenting Jazz and More with Kelly Roberti– an award-winning series of free concerts at the Bozeman Public Library, with various other like-minded musicians doing what they love – discussing and performing jazz.

Reviewers found multiple reasons to write complimentary things about Kelly. A St. Louis Post-Dispatch writer called him:

"…an original and soulful improviser with chops almost unheard of until now."

The Los Angeles Reader said he was an: 

"…earthy and meticulous bassist whose lines underpin the ensemble with roots and flair… an heir apparent to the late Charles Mingus."

What set Kelly apart, aside from his prowess and feel for his instrument, was his attitude regarding conformity, or rather, the lack of it. He said in a speech:

"If I was in New York City, I'd have to sound like everybody else. And I don't do that."

In 2010, Kelly accepted the Montana Governor's Award for the Arts. He continued to champion Montana musicians and the local music scene. In his acceptance speech, he told the audience:

"You have to be a pioneer to be an artist in Montana." 

Photo by Yae Inoue Bowman

In addition to Kelly's significant musical career, he pursued other arts – writing, teaching, and cooking among them. As a writer, he published poetry and wrote lyrics. He mentored young musicians and taught improvisational thought for private students as well as teaching college level classes. 

As a chef, he excelled at Italian and French cooking, which he called, "a meditational thing." (Bozone.com, Remembering Kelly Roberti, March 2016.) He was also known to respond to challenges by Yae to cook a world-class meal using only what he had in the refrigerator. For those of us who never had a chance to dine with Kelly and Yae, they regularly posted on Facebook, photos of his culinary creations. We could only imagine the pleasure of tasting those meals, and we believed Yae when she said they were spectacular.

Kelly and Yae met in 2009 on Facebook. After a year of Skyping, they met in 2010 in person when Yae, a graphic and web designer, traveled to Montana from her native Japan. It was the first of several visits, and soon a romance developed, with the couple marrying on February 29, 2012. 

Unfortunately, about a month later, Yae was forced to return to Japan as her visa had expired. Although they were legally married, the U.S. government denied Yae re-entry, resulting in a 656-day marathon ordeal of red tape, frustration, and disappointment.

Kelly wrote in June 2013:

"My wife, who is a Japanese citizen had to leave the country 15 months ago to make possible the application for a green card from both countries. This is the method we were told to do. There is no dual citizenship allowed between Japan and the U.S. It has been 15 months of sadness for us."

Finally, late that year, the nightmare ended and Yae was allowed to join Kelly in Montana. The story was documented in January 2014 by journalist Rachel Hergett of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle in, Bozeman man reunited with wife after nearly two years apart.

Photo by Yae Inoue Bowman

Hergett wrote in that 2014 reunion piece, "Kelly Roberti and Yae Inoue’s love story finally has its happy ending." Those of us who knew Kelly (we weren't close friends in our school years, but we knew each other) had followed the saga and we enjoyed seeing the pictures taken by friends posted online on the day Yae landed in Bozeman. 

Then, the happy ending took a tragic turn when Kelly was diagnosed with lung cancer. The couple had only been back together for about a year when the bad news came. The good news was that Kelly was a survivor and a fighter, as evidenced by his recovery from a motorcycle accident in 2005 that had left him in bed for a year and required fourteen surgeries. 

"This [the accident] made me a better person," said Kelly in a Facebook post.

The cancer diagnosis again brought out the fight in him, but this was a fight he would not win. He died on March 7, 2016. Kelly and Yae had been married for just over four years, only about two of which was spent together.

"He fought such a tough fight for us," said Yae in Hergett's March 9 follow-up story, 'Sound Check: Kelly Roberti remembered as musician, contrarian, chef and husband.'"I can’t even imagine the pain he had to deal with. Even though he was so weak all doctors told me to consider a hospice care, he wanted to fight."

After Kelly's passing, the tributes and condolences poured in.

"Always challenging, sometimes frustrating, usually funny as hell, with an outcome that was surprisingly beautiful. Kelly Roberti lives on in our hearts and the music he made," wrote Philip Aaberg, Roberti friend and collaborator, from the Hergett story. 

Kelly's long-time friend Dave Vaughan wrote on Facebook: "I grew up with him. We formed our first band together. Nothing ever changed. Thank God. He was a brilliant contrarian asshole genius."

Bozeman Library Foundation Director Paula Beswick told Hergett for her article:

"… the community learned so much about music and life through Kelly on those Monday nights."

The Montana television show 11^th& Grant posted on their Facebook page:

Photo by David Dzubinski

"There are few musicians in the world that enrich lives like Kelly Roberti," (from the Hergett story.)

From the website, 'All Things Emily.com', (an Emily Remler tribute site) Lu wrote in, 'Thoughts for Kelly Roberti':

"Kelly was fervent about jazz and unequalled in crusading for musicians long gone and for those who were making the journey. He had deep affection for the written word, he was a chef extraordinaire, he was a jazz historian, he was intolerant of political buffoonery, he was a rebel, he was gentle and kind, he was a positive presence…"

In 2014, Kelly and Yae took what they called their honeymoon trip, driving across the U.S., then spending time in Paris and Japan, where Kelly met Yae's family. They visited friends along the way, including a studio session in Philadelphia, PA. that proved to be Kelly's final recorded work. 

In that session, jazz singer/composer Kaylé Brecher collaborated with Kelly, recording some of his poetry set to music, resulting in the CD Stars Don't Weep, with pianist/composer David Dzubinski.

"I miss his presence immensely," wrote Brecher.

"Playing and recording with him was very special," said Dzubinski.

In a long career, Kelly worked with notable musicians such as trumpeters Wynton Marsalis and Woody Shaw, guitarists Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel, and Emily Remler, singers Dionne Warwick, MJ Williams, and Brecher, pianists Dzubinski, Ann Tappan, and Eric Funk, to name a few. He practiced his art relentlessly, always seeking to improve as a musician and to further the cause of music and fellow musicians.

"I want to contribute to the tradition, the true human condition and to the next generation," Kelly had said in his 2010 Montana Governor's Award for the Arts speech. Most who knew him would probably agree that he succeeded. 

Kelly Roberti was for sure, a brilliant musician, a unique personality, and a memorable friend, sorely missed by those who knew him. Philip Aaberg's quote is worth repeating:

"Kelly Roberti lives on in our hearts and the music he made."

Photo credits:

Yae Inoue Bowman (photos 1, 2, 3, 4)

David Dzubinski (photo 5)

Larry Manch is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. He has written 20 books; all available in paperback on Amazon.com.

He writes about sports for Season Tickets, food and travel on Miles & Meals, and music/guitars on The Backbeat.

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