John Storm Roberts
- Born
- 1936-02-24 (age 73)
- Died
- 2009-11-29 (aged 73) · 16 years ago
- Birthplace
- London, England
- Occupation
- Ethnomusicologist, Writer, Record Producer, Editor, Music Company Founder
- Active
- 2009 - 2009
- Spouse
- Anne Needham
- Alma Mater
- Oxford University
Biography
EARLY LIFE
John Anthony Storm Roberts was born in London, England. He grew up listening to jazz, blues, calypso and flamenco records his father brought back from business trips. After graduating from Oxford University, Roberts wrote for the East African Standard in Kenya and developed an intimate knowledge of African music. In the late 1960s, he produced programs about African music for the BBC World Service.
CAREER
Roberts moved to the United States in 1970, where he was an editor for Africa Report. In 1972, he traveled to the Caribbean Islands to make field recordings of traditional music, which were released as Caribbean Island Music: Songs and Dances of Haiti, The Dominican Republic and Jamaica on Nonesuch Records. He published Black Music of Two Worlds in 1972, The Latin Tinge in 1979, and Latin Jazz: The First of the Fusions, 1880s to Today in 1999. In 1982, Roberts and his wife, Anne Needham, co-founded Original Music, a mail-order company that distributed world music books and records, many of which were written and produced by Roberts. The company issued numerous LP and CD compilations of African and Caribbean music. John Storm Roberts was the original writer of the story that became the 1976 film Cool Red.
PERSONAL LIFE
John Storm Roberts was married to Jane Lloyd (divorced) and later to Anne Needham. He is survived by Anne, a son and daughter from his first marriage, and three stepchildren. He died in Kingston, New York, on November 29, 2009.
Filmography
No filmography available for this person yet.
Box Office
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₦5,331,351.00
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₦15,261,240.00
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Popularity Score
Top 100% of African actors
