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
Tracklist
CD 1
01. Free of Charge (Unknown) 3:17
02. Henry VIII (Unknown) 2:42
03. Half Nelson (Miles Davis) 2:42
04. Sally Is Gone (Joe Roland) 2:54
05. Love Is Just A Plaything (Lert-Jaffe) 2:46
06. Dee Dee's Dance (Denzil Best) 2:43
07. Ravel’s Bolero in Mambo (Maurice Ravel, P.D.) 2:50
08. Poor Butterfly (Golden-Hubbell) 2:20
09. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You (Bassman-Washington) 2:20
10. Lover's Mambo (Joe Roland) 2:18
11. Sleigh Ride (Leroy Anderson) 2:36
12. Christmas Song (Torme-Wells) 3:15
13. Jingle Bells (P.D.) 2:54
14. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow (Styne-Cahn) 2:47
CD 2
01. Garrity's Flight (Little Pete) (Joe Roland) 3:06
02. Indian Summer (Victor Herbert) 2:39
03. I've Got the World on A String (Arlen-Koehler) 3:56
04. Stephanie's Dance (Freddie Redd) 2:25
05. Joyce's Choice (Wade Legge) 4:23
06. Gene's Stew (Wade Legge) 5:22
07. Music House (Wade Legge) 4:37
08. Spice (Wade Legge) 4:24
09. Easy Living (Rainger-Robin) 5:22
10. Stairway To the Steinway (Freddie Redd) 3:03
11. Soft Winds (Benny Goodman) 2:29
12. Teach Me Tonight (De Paul-Cahn) 2:40
13. Robin (Ishmael Ugarte) 4:01
14. Sweet Lorraine (Burwell-Parish) 3:30
15. Goodbye Bird (Joe Roland) 4:20
16. After You've Gone (Layton-Creamer) 4:51
17. Anticipation (Dick Garcia) 3:51
18. I Cover the Waterfront (Green-Heyman) 3:43
19. The Moon Got in My Eyes (Johnston-Burke) 1:47
20. Street of Dreams (Young-Lewis) 2:40
21. Laura (David Raksin) 3:57
Album details
Sources CD 1:
Tracks #1 & 2, from 10-inch “Cavalcade of Jazz” Rainbow 708
Track #3, Roland 1701 B (ROL-1117), Mercer M-1964 A, “New Stars-New Sounds,”
Mercer 10” (LP1002), Savoy 10” MG 15034 A “Joltin’ Joe Roland,” Savoy 12” MG 12039
Track #4, Roland 1701 A (ROL-1119), Mercer M-1964 A, “New Stars-New Sounds,”
Mercer 10” (LP1002), Savoy 10” MG 15034 A “Joltin’ Joe Roland,” Savoy 12” MG 12039
Track #5, Roland 1700 A (ROL 1118), Savoy 10” MG 15034 A “Joltin’ Joe Roland,”
Savoy 12” MG 12039
Track #6, Roland 1700 B (ROL-1120) “New Stars-New Sounds,” Mercer 10” (LP1002), Savoy 10” MG 15034 A “Joltin’ Joe Roland,” Savoy 12” MG 12039
Track #7, Seeco 4147 A (SR-8292) 78 & 45 rpm
Track #8, Seeco 4147 B (SR-8293) 78 & 45 rpm
Track #9, Seeco 4148 A (SR-8294) 78 & 45 rpm
Track #10, Seeco 4148 B (SR-8295) 78 & 45 rpm
Track #11, Seeco 4156 A (SR-8512) 78 & 45 rpm “Christmas in Mamboland” Seeco EP-10
Track #12, Seeco 4156 B (SR-8513) 78 & 45 rpm “Christmas in Mamboland” Seeco EP-10
Track #13, Seeco 4157 A (SR-8514) 78 & 45 rpm “Christmas in Mamboland” Seeco EP-10
Track #14, Seeco 4157 B (SR-8515) 78 & 45 rpm “Christmas in Mamboland” Seeco EP-10
Sources CD 2:
Tracks #1-4, Savoy 10" MG 15034 B “Joltin’ Joe Roland,” Savoy 12" MG 12039
Tracks #5-8, Savoy 10" MG 15047 “Joltin’ Joe Roland,” Savoy 12" MG 12039
Tracks #9-20, “Joe Roland” Bethlehem 12" BCP-17
Track #21, “Know Your Jazz” ABC Paramount 12" ABC-115
Personnel on CD 1
Tracks #1-2: Joe Roland Quintet
Joe Roland, vibes, Ray Turner, tenor sax; Red Mitchell, piano; Joe Puma, guitar; Paul Szglay, bass; Harold Granowsky, drums.
Recorded in New York City, July 21, 1949
Tracks #3-6: Joe Roland’s Modern Symfonet
Joe Roland, vibes, Joe Puma, guitar; Gus Oberstein, Jules Modlin, violins; Mike Barten, viola; Sid Kassimir, cello; Ishmael Ugarte, bass; Harold Granowsky, drums. Paula Castle, vocal on #5.
Recorded in New York City, January 27, 1950
Tracks #7-10: Joe Roland Quintet
Joe Roland, vibes; Sam Mario, piano; Dante Martucci, bass; José Mangual, bongo; Luis Miranda, conga.
Recorded in New York City, spring 1954
Tracks #11-14: Joe Roland Sextet
Joe Roland, vibes; Doug Duke, organ; Dante Martucci, bass; José Mangual, bongo; Luis Miranda, conga, Ubaldo Nieto, timbales.
Recorded in New York City, spring 1954
Personnel on CD 2
Tracks #1-4: Joe Roland Quartet
Joe Roland, vibes, Freddie Redd, piano; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Ron Jefferson, drums.
Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder studio, Hackensack, NJ, May 10, 1954
Tracks #5-8: Joe Roland Quartet
Joe Roland, vibes; Wade Legge, piano; Dante Martucci, bass; Ron Jefferson, drums.
Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder studio, Hackensack, NJ, October 17, 1954
Tracks #9-20: Joe Roland Quintet
Joe Roland, vibes; Freddie Redd, piano; Dick Garcia, guitar;
Dante Martucci, bass, Ron Jefferson, drums
Recorded in New York City, March 17 & 18, 1955
Track #21: Joe Roland Quartet
Joe Roland, vibes, Billy Taylor, piano; Oscar Pettiford bass;
Kenny Clarke, drums.
Recorded in New York City, March, 1956
Original recordings on CD-1 produced by Larry Newton (#1 & 2), Joe Roland (#3-6), and Sidney Siegel (#7-14). Recordings on CD-2 produced by Ozzie Cadena (#1-8) and Creed Taylor (#9-21).
This compilation produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol
© 2024 by Fresh Sound Records
Mono · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered
Blue Moon Producciones Discograficas, S.L.
