Personnel:
Joe Roland (vib), Ray Turner (ts), Red Mitchell, Sam Mario, Freddie Redd, Wade Legge, Billy Taylor (p), Doug Duke (org), Joe Puma, Dick Garcia (g), Paul Szglay, Ishmael Ugarte, Dante Martucci, Oscar Pettiford (b), Harold Granowsky, Ron Jefferson, Kenny Clarke (d), José Mangual, Luis Miranda, Ubaldo Nieto (perc), Gus Oberstein, Jules Modlin, Mike Barten, Sid Kassimir (strings), Paula Castle (vcl)
Reference: FSRCD1157
Bar code: 8427328611572
A native New Yorker, Joe Roland (1920-2009) was an innovative jazz vibraphonist. Starting in 1946, he became immersed in the bebop scene, playing alongside influential musicians like Terry Gibbs and Red Rodney. He began forming his own ensembles with support from jazz critic Leonard Feather, who helped him secure performances at venues like the Three Deuces. In 1949, Roland created the Symfonet, a pioneering group where string players performed bop melodies rather than just providing background accompaniment, a concept he claimed to have developed before Charlie Parker's known efforts to incorporate strings into bebop.
Despite his creativity, Roland struggled to find consistent work for his string-based group. He joined Oscar Pettiford’s sextet in 1951, by which time his vibraphone technique had reached a high level of sophistication. He later played with George Shearing (1951–1953), Howard McGhee, and Artie Shaw's Gramercy Five (1953–1954), further honing his craft.
Throughout the 1950s, Roland led various groups, including a mambo-jazz quintet, which added a vibrant, danceable element to his music. He also directed modern chamber jazz ensembles featuring talented musicians such as pianists Wade Legge and Freddie Redd, guitarist Dick Garcia, bassist Oscar Pettiford, and drummer Ron Jefferson. These groups were distinguished by their balance of taste and rhythmic vitality. His innovative programs showcased his ability to blend cool modern jazz with elegance while maintaining the lively pulse characteristic of the bebop movement.
Though relatively underappreciated during his lifetime, Roland’s energetic approach to the vibraphone continues to resonate with jazz aficionados. As Terry Gibbs noted in 1951, “players like Joe are a real challenge in the rapidly expanding vibraphone field.”
—Jordi Pujol
CHOC - Jazz Magazine
"Voici une de ces petites merveilles comme sait en dénicher l’infatigable fureteur Jordi Pujol de Fresh Sound Records: une compilation très bien documentée des enregistrements des années 1950 du vibraphoniste Joe Roland. Surprenante et agréable découverte.
Admirateur de Benny Goodman (il a d’abord étudié la clarinette à la Juilliard School), Joe Roland eut le coup de foudre pour le vibraphone qu’il adopta au milieu des années 1940.
Un style et une sonorité distinctifs, basés sur une frappe précise et variée et un usage parcimonieux du vibrato - à l’instar des Red Norvo, Teddy Charles, Sadi et autres vibraphonistes issus de la pratique du piano et du xylophone. Doué d’une technique qui fera l’admiration d’un Terry Gibbs, Joe Roland est plébiscité par le critique de jazz Leonard Feather, auquel il devra un passage au Three Deuces de New York.
Ce passionnant recueil, qui regroupe des enregistrements des labels Savoy, Mercer, Seeco et Bethlehem du vibraphoniste, en petite formation, le plus souvent, entouré de pointures telles que le contrebassiste Oscar Pettiford, les pianistes Freddie Redd, Wade Legge, ou Billy Taylor ou encore du guitariste Joe Puma, permet de (re) découvrir un compositeur prolifique et un soliste inventif, au phrasé imprégné de swing, de bebop et de mambo, combinant les influences de Lionel Hampton, Terry Gibbs et Milt Jackson. Joe Roland fut aussi un pionnier avec son Modem Symfonet, un octette à l'instrumentation originale, intégrant en tant que solistes les membres d’un quatuor à cordes. Écoutez Half Nelson, Dee Dee’s Dance, qui figurent parmi les moments forts des prestations de studio de ce vibraphoniste, quelque peu oublié, auquel cette imposante compilation rend justice.
—Thierry P. Benizeau (Mars, 2025)
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"While overlooked today, vibist Joe Roland was an in demand artist, best known for his work with George Shearing. This two disc set of his material from 1949-56 displays that same classy charm, as he leads a variety of small groups that include artists like Red Mitchell/p, Joe Puma/g, Freddie Redd/p, Oscar Pettiford/b and Kenny Clarke/dr.
Roland’s touch is soulful and kinetic, gliding in the quintet of “Henry VIII” while a teaming with some strings adds panache to “Half Nelson” and “Sally Is Gone”. A collection of Christmas songs like “Sleigh Ride” and “Jingle Bells” with percussionists Jose Mangual-Luis Miranda-Ubaldo Nieto is a real hoot, wile some serious hard bopping takes place with Redd and Pettiford on “Garrity’s Flight”. Redd sticks around for a hip “Soft Winds” and Easy Living” while a take of “Laura” is as lovely as Gene Tierney. Glowing vibes.
The booklest includes copious notes and a list of all of the sessions. One worth looking for."
—Scott Yanow (January 13, 2025)
https://www.jazzweekly.com/
