Jazz Articles about Roland Hanna

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Improvising the Classics: Chopin Jazz

by Larry Slater
December 19, 2025

The pianist Ted Rosenthal once commented, “Many jazz pianists began their musical education studying classical piano. Why let those years go to waste? The classical repertoire contains a goldmine of material for the jazz pianist."Frederic Chopin wrote almost exclusively for the piano, and his flexible sense of time appeals to jazz musicians. Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson both quoted Chopin in their improvisations, while Bill Evans and Brad Mehldau reflect some of Chopin's sensibilities. Chopin had a unique ...

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Sir Roland Hanna: Colors from a Giant's Kit

by Raul d'Gama Rose
August 21, 2011

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, ...

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Sir Roland Hanna: Colors From A Giant's Kit

by Greg Simmons
August 3, 2011

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 ...

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Sir Roland Hanna: Colors From A Giant's Kit

by Dan Bilawsky
August 2, 2011

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 ...

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Jim Hall: Concierto

by John Kelman
February 3, 2011

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 ...

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Sir Roland Hanna: Tributaries: Reflections On Tommy Flanagan

by Jim Santella
May 4, 2004

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 ...

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Sir Roland Hanna & Carrie Smith: I've Got a Right to Sing the Blues: The Songs of Harold Arlen

by C. Michael Bailey
December 18, 2003

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 ...