Joe Roland's Ensembles

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*

Joe Roland

Complete 1949 ~ 1956 Sessions

Symfonet, Quartet and Quintet

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/piano, Joe Puma/guitar, Freddie Redd/piano, Oscar Pettiford/bass and Kenny Clarke/drums.

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*

*CD 1*

1 - Free Of Charg

 (Unknown)

2 - Henry VII

 (Unknown)

3 - Half Nelson

 (Miles Davis)

4 - Sally Is Gone

(Joe Roland)

5 - Love Is Just A Plaything

(Lert, Jaffe)

6 - Dee Dee's Dance

(Denzil Best)

7 - Ravel’s Bolero In Mambo

(Maurice Ravel, P.D.)

8 - Poor Butterfly

(Golden, Hubbell)

9 - I'm Getting Sentimental Over You

(Bassman, Washington)

10 - Lover's Mambo

(Joe Roland)

11 - Sleigh Ride

(Leroy Anderson)

12 - Christmas Song

(Torme, Wells)

13 - Jingle Bells

(P.D.)

14 - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

(Styne, Cahn)

#1 and #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

#3 to #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 #5).

Recorded in New York City, January 27, 1950

#7 to #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

#11 to #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

*CD 2*

1 - Garrity's Flight (Little Pete)

(Joe Roland)

2 - Indian Summer

(Victor Herbert)

3 - I've Got The World On A String

(Arlen, Koehler)

4 - Stephanie's Dance

(Freddie Redd)

5 - Joyce's Choice

(Wade Legge)

6 - Gene's Stew

(Wade Legge)

7 - Music House

(Wade Legge)

8 - Spice

(Wade Legge)

9 - Easy Living

(Rainger, Robin)

10 - Stairway To The Steinway

(Freddie Redd)

11 - Soft Winds

(Benny Goodman)

12 - Teach Me Tonight

(De Paul, Cahn)

13 - Robin

(Ishmael Ugarte)

14 - Sweet Lorraine

(Burwell, Parish)

15 - Goodbye Bird

(Joe Roland)

16 - After You've Gone

(Layton, Creamer)

17 - Anticipation

(Dick Garcia)

18 - I Cover The Waterfront

(Green, Heyman)

19 - The Moon Got In My Eyes

(Johnston, Burke)

20 - Street Of Dreams

(Young, Lewis)

21 - Laura

(David Raksin)

#1 to #4: Joe Roland Quartet

Joe Roland (vibes), Freddie Redd (piano), Oscar Pettiford (bass), Ron Jefferson (drums).

Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey, May 10, 1954

#5 to #8: Joe Roland Quartet

Joe Roland (vibes), Wade Legge (piano), Dante Martucci (bass), Ron Jefferson (drums).

Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey, October 17, 1954

#9 to #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 and 18, 1955

#21: Joe Roland Quartet

Joe Roland (vibes), Billy Taylor (piano), Oscar Pettiford (bass), Kenny Clarke (drums).

Recorded in New York City, March, 1956

Aaron Sachs - Quintet, Sextet And Octet Ensembles

Aaron Sachs (1923-2014) was a native New Yorker who grew up in the Bronx. After studying clarinet with private teachers, in 1941, still in his teens, Sachs landed his first job with Babe Russin, playing clarinet and alto saxophone, the latter through self-training. That same year, he joined vibraphonist Red Norvo's Septet, alongside fellow Bronx musicians Shorty Rogers and Eddie Bert. After a brief period with the Van Alexander orchestra in 1943, Aaron rejoined Norvo in January 1944, solidifying his reputation as a skilled clarinetist and earning the prestigious Esquire "New Star" award in 1945.

Between 1945 and 1946, he performed both instruments with Benny Goodman, Buddy Rich, and Charlie Ventura bands. In 1946, Sachs formed his quintet, Aaron Sachs and his Manor Re-bops, establishing himself as the first jazz musician to embrace bebop on the clarinet, preceding Tony Scott and John LaPorta.

In 1948 Aaron married singer Helen Merrill, a union that lasted only a few years, as they divorced in 1956.

His tenure with the Earl Hines sextet from 1952 to 1953 allowed him to develop his talent as a tenor saxophonist. He admitted, "I enjoy playing both instruments, but I am disappointed that the clarinet isn't used more, both in jazz and pop records today." Sachs had Lester Young as his main influence, and that's how he wanted to play both tenor sax and clarinet. Subsequently, Aaron led his own combo at Cafe Society in New York for a period. Later, he worked as a freelancer in commercial recording sessions, primarily playing the tenor saxophone. Sachs cited Lester Young as his main influence for both instruments.

Leonard Feather once remarked, "Aaron has proved that he can bring to both instruments the taste, style, and musicianship that bespeak artistry rather than mere versatility for its own sake."

This CD compilation features three albums recorded by Aaron between 1954 and 1957, showcasing his talent as an instrumentalist and composer alongside some of the finest jazz musicians from the New York scene. The arrangements of these recordings were skillfully crafted to provide a supportive backdrop for either clarinet or tenor saxophone, highlighting Sachs' versatility and artistry. *Jordi Pujol*

There was such a surfeit of great sax players in the 1950s that it’s understandable that many got overlooked. Here’s a chance to see what you’ve been missing with this rich reissue from Fresh Sound Records.

Aaron Sachs is not a household name, but he was with a number of important artists such as Shorty Rogers and Red Norvo. This single disc set finds him with some impressive company, giving his ideas to mostly originals in a sound that has “LA Cool” written all over for it, even though it was all recorded in The Big Apple.

He plays both a Lester Young-Zoot Sims inspired tenor, and a stripped down Buddy DeFranco styled clarinet, in quintet, sextet and octet settings, mixing and matching with Urbie Green/tb, Barry Galbraith-Jimmy Raney-Dick Garcia/g, Aaron Bell-Clyde Lombardi/b, Nat Pierce Hall Overton/p, Joe Roland/vibes and Osie Johnson/dr. Sachs blows like a West Coaster on "One Track" and is gorgeously fluffy on "Aaron’s Blues", fluttering on "Conversations" and sublime on "Why Shouldn’t I?" while digging in on the Basie-ish "Wiggins". His licorice stick is cool for "Kingfish" and flexible for "Gorme Has Her Day" with a nice bounce for "You're My Thrill". Warm and breezy.

*George W. Harris*

1 - One Track

(Sachs, Johnson)

2 - Helen

(Sachs, Johnson)

3 - Kingfish

(Quincy Jones)

4 - Conversation

(Sachs, Galbraith)

5 - The Bullfrog

(Quincy Jones)

6 - If You Are But A dream

(Jaffe, Fulton, Bonx)

7 - Aaron's Blues

(Aaron Sachs)

8 - You're My Thrill

(Gorney, Clare)

9 - Platter Pie

(Aaron Sachs)

10 - Why Shouldn't I?

(Cole Porter)

11 - Ah! The Pain

(Billy Ver Plank)

12 - Rondo Blues

(Phil Sunkel)

13 - Just Sick Blues

(Billy Ver Plank)

14 - Mona's Kimona

(Nat Pierce)

15 - Conversation

(Sachs, Galbraith)

16 - Blue Sophisticate

(Benny Golson)

17 - Countryfied

(Phil Sunkel)

18 - Wiggins

(Billy Ver Plank)

19 - Gorme Has Her Day

(Aaron Sachs)

20 - I Can't Believe

(Aaron Sachs)

21 - Hall's Loft

(Aaron Sachs)

22 - Nancy

(Van Heusen, Silvers)

#1 to #6, from the album Aaron Sachs Sextette (Bethlehem BCP-1008)

Aaron Sachs (clarinet [#3, #6], tenor sax [#1, #2, #4, #5]),

Urbie Green (trombone), Danny Bank (baritone sax),

Barry Galbraith (guitar), Clyde Lombardi (bass), Osie Johnson (drums).

Recorded in New York City, November 1954

#7 to #11, from the album Jazzville Vol.3 (Dawn DLP1114)

Aaron Sachs Sextet

Aaron Sachs (clarinet [#8, #19, #11), tenor sax (#7, #9),

Jimmy Cleveland (trombone), Joe Roland (vibes),

Dick Garcia (guitar), Aaron Bell (bass), Osie Johnson (drums)

Recorded in New York City, 1956

#12 to #22, from the album Clarinet and Co. (Rama RLP1004)

#12 to #18: Aaron Sachs Octet

Aaron Sachs (clarinet [#14, #17], tenor sax [#12, #13, #15, #16, #18]),

Phil Sunkel, Bernie Glow (trumpets), Frank Rehak (trombone), Gene Allen (baritone sax),

Nat Pierce (piano), Aaron Bell (bass), Osie Johnson (drums).

Recorded in New York City, February 18 and 21, 1957

#19 to #22: Aaron Sachs Quintet

Aaron Sachs (clarinet [#19-21] & tenor sax [#22]), Hall Overton (piano),

Jimmy Raney (guitar), Aaron Bell (bass), Osie Johnson (drums).

Recorded in New York City, March 4, 1957