Search - Artist/Band: Roland Hanna

• Name: Roland Hanna
• Birthday: 02/10/1932
• Birth Place: Detroit, MI
• Died: 11/13/2002
• Decades Active: 1960,1970,1980,1990
• Genre: Jazz
• Styles: Hard Bop, Post-Bop, Cool, Jazz Instrument, Mainstream Jazz, Modern Jazz, Piano Jazz, Standards
• Moods: Amiable/Good-Natured, Calm/Peaceful, Confident, Dramatic, Earnest, Earthy, Elaborate, Elegant, Gentle, Innocent, Literate, Melancholy, Passionate, Poignant, Precious, Refined/Mannered, Reflective, Relaxed, Romantic, Searching, Sentimental, Sophisticated, Stately, Stylish, Sweet, Warm, Wistful, Witty

Title	Release
Solo Piano	07/12/2005
Hush-a-Bye: Dedicated to Roland Hanna	12/20/2004
Memoir: One for Eiji	12/20/2004
Apres un Reve	07/30/2004
Plays Alex Wilder	01/13/2004
When You Wish Upon a Star	12/02/2003
Tributaries: Reflections on Tommy Flanagan WA	09/30/2003
Preludes, Vol. 1 & 2	08/25/2003
Everything I Love WA	10/29/2002
The Three Black Kings	05/28/2002
Dream	01/01/2002
Milano, Paris, New York: Finding John Lewis	2002
Plays the Music of Alec Wilder [Japan]	10/01/1999
Plays Gershwin	04/15/1997
Walkin'	02/20/1996
Porgy & Bess [Japan]	12/21/1991
Duke Ellington Piano Solos WA	1991
Persia My Dear	08/1987
Round Midnight	03/1987
Romanesque	01/13/1982
Swing Me No Waltzes	05/02/1979
Bird Tracks	1978
Impressions	1978
Glove	10/15/1977
Sir Elf [1974]	04/1974
Easy to Love	09/25/1959
Destry Rides Again	1959

A talented pianist with a style diverse enough to fit into swing, bop, and more adventurous settings, Roland Hanna was one of the last in an impressive line of great pianists who emerged in Detroit after World War II (including Hank Jones, Barry Harris, and Tommy Flanagan). After serving in the Army and studying music at Eastman and Juilliard, Hanna made a strong impression playing with Benny Goodman (1958). He worked with Charles Mingus for a period in 1959, and went on to generally lead his own trios. Hanna was an integral part of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis orchestra (1967-1974), and in 1974 helped found the New York Jazz Quartet (with Frank Wess). He was given knighthood (thus the "Sir") from the President of Liberia in 1970 in recognition for a series of concerts held to benefit Liberian children. Hanna recorded many solo dates and often with a trio, but also composed many works for groups of varying sizes - both for jazz groups and classical ensembles. His piece "Oasis" for piano and orchestra was performed by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 1993. In addition to his busy performing schedule, Hanna was also an active educator and tenured professor at Queens College in New York. After almost half a century of performing and recording, Sir Roland Hanna passed away at the age of 70 on November 13, 2002 after suffering a heart attack. ~ Scott Yanow & Wade Kergan, All Music Guide