His name came up in conversation yesterday. Sez here in the Rough Guide he did some work with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Can anybody recommend some small group settings?

Your post inspired me to dig out a couple of mid-70's lps by the New York Jazz Quartet which was made up of Frank Wess, Sir Roland, and George Mraz and Grady Tate on "Blues for Sarka" {Inner City} or Ben Riley and Ron Carter on "Concert In Japan" (Salvation). These are excellent showcases for both Sir Roland and Frank. I don't know if they have ever been released on cd.

Sir Roland was magnificent with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra.

Another fine Detroit pianist. His early trio work "Easy to Love" on Atlantic from the '60's has just been re-released by Koch Jazz. His Maybeck Hall solo recordings from '93 is very very beautiful. There are a number of other solo recordings by him out there -- all are very good. Another particular favorite of mine are his Monk duets with George Mraz -- a very different take on Monk, where he doesn't try to imitate or better Monk, but uses the fascinating framework of Monk's compositions for some tasty improvisation in his own style. But I don't know if this one is available on CD.

I recommend the new David Murray recording entitled Seasons.
The title track is a Hanna original. Murray and Hanna are joined by Richard Davis and Victor Lewis. A lot of old-time Murray fans do not like this one because Murray does not go out at all. Other than the title track, it's all standards.
I agree w/Clint about the Jones/Lewis period. I have the Mosaic and man it is wonderful. Hopefully some of the sessions will be reissued again.

I agree with Clint that the New York Jazz Quartet was outstanding. SONG OF THE BLACK KNIGHT was their absolute best, IMO, but my copy is an LP on Sonet which would be very tough to find - I've never seen it on CD. Of those that I have found on CD, SURGE is my favorite.

I recently started a thread on Nancy Harrow's album "The Marble Faun," which has Hanna as the arranger, conductor, and pianist on a cycle of songs composed by Harrow. If you didn't see that before, you might want to look it up. Hanna turns out to be a wonderful arranger. He also did an album of Alec Wilder's music that I've been looking for.

I saw Rir Roland Hanna with one of Sue's Mingus ghost bands.
He'd evidently been told the club had a grand piano...when in fact it had a rather imperfect upright.

He sat out the first set. Then Sue came out and appologized to the crowd and to Roland who emerged from the back room and proceeded to sit at the piano and play a couple of just-checkin'-this-old-beast-out chords. He shook his head and then proceded very carefully to remove a few of the wooden pieces of the piano (the keyboard cover, the music stand, the knee board etc etc)-sort of the equivalent of lifting the lid of a grand and placing the mic properly. With each piece the piano surrendered, the crowd murmered. Then chuckled. Then spoke words of encouragement. The hollered, YEAH, BABY and cheered. Once the piano was ready the launched into something somewhat familiar and uptempo.
The crowd went nuts.

Great Memories.

I miss that club "HUNTS".

What other news do we have of Sir Roland Hanna?

C.

Here is some news: This past spring, at our jazz series held at the Montpelier Cultural Arts Center, Sir Roland Hanna and Davey Yarborough performed AND recorded an evening of Ellington. The evening was magical, as is the recording.
Most tracks are Ellington tunes, but a few are originals such as "Royal Essence, by D.Y, " for which the CD is named. It is worth the price of the CD for this tune alone..a beautiful ballad on which Davey presents his virtuosity as a flautist. He is well known in the D. C. area as a master of saxophones and the flute. You may have seen him featured on "20/20," last week. I have seen Hanna play several times, but this night he played at a deeply spiritual level, I hadn't heard from him before.

The CD is on JAZZMONT RECORDS, and can be ordered through the Montpelier Cultural Arts Center, Laurel, MD 20708

Candy

Another great NY Jazz Quartet album was a self titled one on Inner City. It may also be the previously mentioned "Surge" on CD, as there is a tune by that name on it.

He can do it all, but he remains above all one of my favorite solo piano players. There is so much happening when he plays, but it remains intoxicatingly listenable. Unlike many musicians, who may be full of chops and talent, but for my taste, unlistenable. We get caught up in this musician is doing this, which you dont understand because its above you sort of thing but if you listen to it a million times,well maybe you'll get it...well, for me, its like cooking. I taste it, and I either like it or I don't, no matter who you tell me made it or what ingredients you tell me are in it,....I like the way Sir Roland Hanna cooks.

SteveM,
I absolutely agree with everything you wrote so eloquently about Sir Roland Hanna.
Candy

The word TASTE comes to mind.