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Roland Hanna
Born in Detroit in 1932, Hanna's first musical influence was the gospel and rythm and blues heard in his preacher father's church. This was coupled with formal training in classical piano from an early age. His musical evolution continued beyond graduation from Cass Technical High School and through a two year assignment in the United States Army Band. After the army, he studied at the Eastman School and then Julliard. In 1958 he played with the Benny Goodman Orchestra, appearing at the Newport Jazz Festival and on a European tour ending at the Brussels World's Fair. In 1959, he played with Charles Mingus at the Half Note.
During the sixties, he traveled the world appearing with major orchestras, leading his own group, or performing as a soloist. In 1969, he embarked on a benefit tour in Africa for music students. In recognition of his humanitarian efforts for education in Africa, he was knighted by Liberian President William Tubman in 1970.
His amazingly varied career includes serving as Sarah Vaugh's musical director, anchoring the Rosengarden Orchestra on the Dick Cavett show, touring with a classical quartet performing his cello compostitions, forming the New York Jazz Quartet, while writing over 400 compositions and recording over 40 albums.
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Sir Roland Hanna: Colors from a Giant's Kit
by Raul d'Gama Rose
This 1990s recording, produced by William Sorin, a loving fan of pianist Sir Roland Hanna is a riveting one. Featuring the maestro alone, playing what must have been some of his favorite charts, was carefully thought out. And though it does not come with too many of Hanna's own compositions it does--like Jaki Byard's fable recordings, Sunshine of My Soul--Live at the Keystone Korner (HighNote, 2007) and its companion volume, A Matter of Black and White--Live at the Keystone Korner, ...
Continue ReadingSir Roland Hanna: Colors From A Giant's Kit
by Greg Simmons
Sir Roland Hanna (1932--2002) recorded a series of undated solo piano sessions for IPO founder Bill Soren, some of which are now released as Colors From A Giant's Kit. Vault finds--those undiscovered recordings that have been made, shelved and largely unheard for decades--can be some of the most entertaining recordings in jazz. How marvelous to listen to a new album that has never been heard by the masses until long after the artist is passed, like a specter from the ...
Continue ReadingSir Roland Hanna: Colors From A Giant's Kit
by Dan Bilawsky
When an artist passes on, the true fans mourn and the record companies often search through their vaults to try to capitalize on their passing. This often results in hastily compiled collections of music, or the surfacing of sub-par recordings that weren't released for obvious reasons when the artist was still around. That's not the case with this top-shelf solo recording from Sir Roland Hanna. Shortly before his death, the pianist had entered into a fruitful recording partnership with Bill ...
Continue ReadingJim Hall: Concierto
by John Kelman
Amongst the many CTI classics of the 1970s, few stand the test of time as well as guitarist Jim Hall's Concierto, an ambitious album that, in its original form, married one side of modern mainstream with a second taken up by a 19-minute version of Joaquin Rodrigo's 1939 piece for classical guitar and orchestra, “Concierto de Aranjuez." That Miles Davis and Gil Evans had already delivered what was considered the definitive jazz adaptation on the trumpeter's 1960 classic, Sketches of ...
Continue ReadingSir Roland Hanna: Tributaries: Reflections On Tommy Flanagan
by Jim Santella
Recorded in June 2002, Sir Roland Hanna’s solo piano tribute to the memory of Tommy Flanagan brings a message of love. They both came up through Detroit, and they shared similar career paths. Good friends, one had served as Ella Fitzgerald’s music director, while the other accompanied Sarah Vaughan as her musical director. Hanna recorded this tribute to his old friend, who had passed away on November 16, 2001. Several months after this recording had been finished, however, Hanna became ...
Continue ReadingSir Roland Hanna & Carrie Smith: I've Got a Right to Sing the Blues: The Songs of Harold Arlen
by C. Michael Bailey
Three types of creative authority that each spring from the same muse characterize this disc. First is the vocal authority of Carrie Smith. Second is the piano talent of the late Sir Roland Hanna. And finally, third is the lyric prowess of Harold Arlen.
A blues singer with a jazz singer's soul, Carrie Smith's conversational style and masculine sense of humor are a commanding presence on I've Got A Right. No better is this illustrated than on “Blues ...
Continue ReadingSir Roland Hanna: Everything I Love
by C. Michael Bailey
Detroit native Roland Pembrooks Hanna (b. 2/10/1932; d. 11/13/2002) began his professional career in 1958 when he joined Benny Goodman’s band for a concert in Belgium. The conservatoire-trained pianist provided his services to Sarah Vaughan, Al Hibbler, Carmen McRae, the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra and Charles Mingus. In 1970, President William Tubman of Liberia honored Hanna with knighthood for humanitarian services — henceforth, Sir Roland Hanna.
Sir Roland Hanna belonged to a rarified group of pianists which includes ...
Continue ReadingRoland Hanna: Child of Gemini
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
While on tour in Europe in early 1971, the Roland Hanna Trio was invited to record at the MPS Studios in Villingen, Germany. The trio consisted of Roland Hanna on piano, Dave Holland on bass and Daniel Humair on drums. The result was Child of Gemini, a rare album that has just been reissued by MPS Records as a digital download. Hanna's playing style was a fascinating combination of gospel, jazz and classical influences, giving him a powerful command of ...
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Enter the "Sir Roland Hanna - Colors from a Giant's Kit" Giveaway at All About Jazz!
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All About Jazz
Roland Hanna - Colors from a Giant's Kit (2011)
Source:
Something Else!
Why wasn't Roland Hanna, a first-rate piano improviser and brilliant accompanist, more famous? Newly unearthed sessions for the IPO Recordings release Colors From a Giant's Kit, again first-rate, again brilliant, don't do anything to solve the riddle. You hear Bud Powell, perhaps the most obvious influence here, in Hanna's restless complexity. You hear Tommy Flanagan, in the way Hanna can recede back so gracefully into the role of tasteful supporter to his own boldest impulses. You hear Art Tatum, when ...
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Sir Roland Hanna Piano Solo: Colors from a Giant's Kit
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Gapplegate Music Review by Grego Edwards
Like Jaki Byard, Roland Hanna was a pianist who had absorbed the entire jazz tradition and his playing reflected that. His posthumously released solo session, Colors from A Giant's Kit (IPO), finds him in the mood to cover a lot of ground. There are some quite fetching originals and well-chosen standards, from Duke through Trane. All of it shows us a more intimate side of Hanna that what you'd get, say, in his work with the Jones-Lewis band. His more ...
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Roland Hanna Plays Alec Wilder
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
Sometimes you wind up with the greatest albums by accident. A couple of weeks ago I purchased a batch of Helen Merrill CDs online. When they arrived, I began listening to them, one after the next. Three tracks into the fourth CD, I suddenly realized Helen wasn't singing (hey, I go into a zone when I'm writing). Puzzled, I reached for the jewel case. The cover of the Gitanes release said, Helen Merrill Presents: Sir Roland Hanna Plays the Music ...
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IPO Recordings Presents New CDs By Tom Mcintosh & The Late Sir Roland Hanna...
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All About Jazz
'To Sir With Love' A Tribute To Sir Roland Hanna
Source:
All About Jazz
Wednesday, November 5th, 2003 Birdland 315 W. 44th St. (between 8th & 9th Ave.) 212-581-3080 show times are: 9:00 & 11:00 PM
Among the many musicians participating in this musical homage for Sir Roland will be the pianists Billy Taylor, Bill Charlap and Arturo O'Farrill, drummers Eddie Locke and Grady Tate, saxophonists Frank Wess, Bill Easley and Antonio Hart, trumpeter Michael Mossman, trombonist Steve Davis, vocalist Imani Hanna, ...
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Sir Roland Hanna: Pianist Was Jazz Aristocrat
Source:
All About Jazz
Sir Roland Hanna was one of the group of players who sported titles derived from the British aristocracy, along with the various Dukes, Counts and Earls. Hanna's knighthood was a genuine one, however, bestowed by the government of Liberia in 1970 in recognition of fund-raising activities on behalf of Liberian children.
His position in the jazz aristocracy was earned through his elegant touch, inventive improvising abilities and versatile stylistic reach. He worked with leaders as diverse as Coleman Hawkins, Benny ...
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Jazz Pianist Sir Roland Hanna Dead!
Source:
All About Jazz
On November 13th, 2002 Jazz Pianist Sir Roland Hanna died of a virus infection that caused cardiac arrest. Viewing of the body was held at: Trumbull's Funeral Home from 2:00 P.M. to 4:00P.M. on Saturday, November 16th, and Sunday, November 17th, 2002 at 100 St. Nicholas Avenue (Between 115th and 116th Street, N.Y. N.Y. 10026. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to: THE ROLAND HANNA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND. Make out checks to: The Roland Hanna ...
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Pianists Sir Roland Hanna, Terry Waldo & Melvin Chen Play "Rags, Strides & Stomps" - December 6-8, 2001
Source:
All About Jazz
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piano
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pianoPhotos
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