Joe Roland
Encyclopedia
Joe Roland is an American jazz
vibraphonist
.
Roland began as a clarinetist, attending the Institute of Musical Art (The Juilliard School) from 1937 to 1939. He started on xylophone
in 1940 and began playing vibraphone in the middle of the decade, playing in jazz clubs in New York City
. Influenced by the nascent bebop
movement, Roland put together his own ensembles late in the decade, and in the 1950s he played with Oscar Pettiford
(1951), George Shearing
(1951–53), Howard McGhee
, and Artie Shaw
and his Gramercy Five (1953–54), Mat Mathews
(1956), and Aaron Sachs
(1956).
Roland recorded occasionally as a leader; he released on Rainbow
in 1949, on Savoy
(1950, 1954), Seeco (1953–54), and Bethlehem
(1955).
In the early sixties Roland relocated from New York to Miami Florida. He was an influential part of a thriving jazz scene in South Florida for many years. During his 13 year "gig" at Monty Trainer's Bayshore Restaurant in Coconut Grove he was credited for having trained many young musicians from the University of Miami. He worked steadfastly throughout his life refining his art humbly in local clubs accompanied by bassists such as Lew Berryman and Mark Trail, and singers like Sandy Patton. His dedication to his "musicianship" remained the focus of his life. He died of natural causes at the age of 89 in Palm Beach County Florida. He was known to all as a "True and Pure Jazz Musician."
Roland's contributions can be appreciated in a quote from Peter Dempsy regarding Artie Shaw's Summit Ridge Drive album: "The Gramercy Five recordings of 1953 and 1954 document a brilliant phase in early modern jazz, manifested in the presence of pianist Hank Jones, guitarist Tal Farlow, bassist Tommy Potter and vibraphonist Joe Roland.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
vibraphonist
Vibraphone
The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
.
Roland began as a clarinetist, attending the Institute of Musical Art (The Juilliard School) from 1937 to 1939. He started on xylophone
Xylophone
The xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets...
in 1940 and began playing vibraphone in the middle of the decade, playing in jazz clubs in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Influenced by the nascent bebop
Bebop
Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era, and was instead characterized by fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers...
movement, Roland put together his own ensembles late in the decade, and in the 1950s he played with Oscar Pettiford
Oscar Pettiford
Oscar Pettiford was an American jazz double bassist, cellist and composer known particularly for his pioneering work in bebop.-Biography:...
(1951), George Shearing
George Shearing
Sir George Shearing, OBE was an Anglo-American jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for MGM Records and Capitol Records. The composer of over 300 titles, he had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s...
(1951–53), Howard McGhee
Howard McGhee
Howard McGhee was one of the very first bebop jazz trumpeters, together with Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro and Idrees Sulieman. He was known for lightning-fast fingers and very high notes...
, and Artie Shaw
Artie Shaw
Arthur Jacob Arshawsky , better known as Artie Shaw, was an American jazz clarinetist, composer, and bandleader. He was also the author of both fiction and non-fiction writings....
and his Gramercy Five (1953–54), Mat Mathews
Mat Mathews
Mat Mathews, born Mathieu Hubert Wijnandts Schwarts , was a Dutch jazz accordionist.Mathews was born in The Hague and learned to play accordion while the Netherlands was under Nazi rule during World War II. After hearing Joe Mooney on a radio broadcast after the war, he decided to begin playing jazz...
(1956), and Aaron Sachs
Aaron Sachs
Aaron Sachs , is a well known jazz saxophone and clarinet player.-Overview:Sachs started as a young swing protege of Benny Goodman, and later eased into bebop music, playing with Earl Fatha Hines. He then formed his own bands, with some success recording and touring. He married singer Helen Merrill...
(1956).
Roland recorded occasionally as a leader; he released on Rainbow
Rainbow Records
Rainbow Records was a record label based in the United States of America in the 1920s which featured recordings of Christian gospel music, hymns, and spirituals....
in 1949, on Savoy
Savoy Records
Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
(1950, 1954), Seeco (1953–54), and Bethlehem
Bethlehem Records
Bethlehem Records was a record label based in New York and Hollywood founded by Gus Wildi in 1953. It was bought by King Records in the early 1960s....
(1955).
In the early sixties Roland relocated from New York to Miami Florida. He was an influential part of a thriving jazz scene in South Florida for many years. During his 13 year "gig" at Monty Trainer's Bayshore Restaurant in Coconut Grove he was credited for having trained many young musicians from the University of Miami. He worked steadfastly throughout his life refining his art humbly in local clubs accompanied by bassists such as Lew Berryman and Mark Trail, and singers like Sandy Patton. His dedication to his "musicianship" remained the focus of his life. He died of natural causes at the age of 89 in Palm Beach County Florida. He was known to all as a "True and Pure Jazz Musician."
Roland's contributions can be appreciated in a quote from Peter Dempsy regarding Artie Shaw's Summit Ridge Drive album: "The Gramercy Five recordings of 1953 and 1954 document a brilliant phase in early modern jazz, manifested in the presence of pianist Hank Jones, guitarist Tal Farlow, bassist Tommy Potter and vibraphonist Joe Roland.