Roland Vazquez Band -][- The Visitor [Review]

Tags

Drums, Jazz, Professor, Roland Vazquez

Roland Vazquez - The Visitor

Roland Vazquez Band -][- The Visitor – [Roland Vazquez Music, 2010] – Review –

With a number of notable recordings under his belt over the years, California native Roland Vazquez pauses for just a moment to record another marvelous album titled “The Visitor.” Furthermore, the gifted Vazquez born in 1951 decided to become a musician after seeing percussionist Mongo Santamaria perform 1963.

As anticipated, Vazquez compositionally stayed on course culturally in the vein of Latin Jazz as he decidedly encrypts his definitive signature on seven poignant gems. Not only that, Vazquez surrounds himself with top-tier talent as he scored and arranged these wonderful pieces in the framework tailor-made perfectly for a large ensemble as the opener “Urantia” superbly illustrates his direction which was inspired by his visit to Greece.

Vazquez drumming and musicianship are noted, his prolific writing skills as expected with this record are realized through the splendid arrangements coupled here are simply breathtaking as featured on “The Visitor” features the gifted Joel Fraham on tenor and Luis Perdomo plays piano.

[the Weekend spin] … with drummer Roland Vazquez -][- Further Dance

Tags

Drums, Jazz, Roland Vazquez

... the weekend spin

Greetings jazz aficionados, it’s almost unbelievable that we’ve just about made it to another weekend! Today, I’ve hassled up a fabulous album by a terrific drummer from Cali named Roland Vazquez for the Weekend Spin featured album. Now for those who haven’t hear his music before that’s because he’s probably the jazz world’s best kept secret. His album “Further Dance,” from 1997 has certainly proved his durability as a season artist as this record has absolutely stood the test of time. If dig jazz evenly coated with the proper elements of Latin grooves tightly woven with some serious toe tapping funk as reinforcement and accented with spicy melodies over the top then chances are you will indeed enjoy this keeper by Roland Vazquez. —Rob Young | The Urban Flux

Roland Vazquez - Further Dance

Roland Vazquez -][- Further Dance – [RVCD, 1997]

Originally from California, composer/drummer ROLAND VAZQUEZ decided to become a musician at a performance by the Mongo Santamaria Band in 1963. Soon after high school, he began working as a drummer with R&B and rock bands in and around L.A. He began the study of music at Pasadena City College and, while working mostly with touring R&B bands, he eventually completed his Bachelor of Music at Westminster College in Utah (’75). Back in LA, he began composing for his first jazz fusion band – eventually forming the “Urban Ensemble” (’76). As a member of Clare Fischer’s all-star band “Salsa Picante” (‘78-81), he played on that group’s Grammy winning “Salsa Picante 2+2.”

After receiving an NEA Jazz Performance Grant in 1977, he decided it was time to record; his first international release, “Urban Ensemble: The Music of Roland Vazquez” (Arista/GRP‘79) was called “a decade ahead of its time” by Billboard Magazine. After moving to NYC in 1981, he continued to develop his “funky-salsa-bebop” style with unique compositions for octet, quintet, and big band. Many of these works are featured on his subsequent recordings “Feel Your Dream” (’82); “The Tides of Time” (’88); and “No Separate Love” (’91). These albums, as well as “Best of the L.A. Jazz Ensemble” (‘94) – a compilation from 1977 “Urban Ensemble” sessions- collectively feature performances by a veritable “who’s who” of East and West Coast contemporary jazz artists.

Red Cat Publicity UPCOMING EVENTS:

Tags

Aruán Ortiz, Bass, Drums, Owen Howard, Percussion, Piano, Roland Vazquez, Rufus Reid, Samuel Torres, SUNNY JAIN

Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records Artists

Sunny Jain - Taboo

Sunny Jain Collective @ Smalls
Thursday, June 24, 9 PM – Midnight
Sunny Jain – drums
Donny McCaslin – saxophone
Nir Felder – guitar
Gary Wang – bass

Sunny Jain’s NEW CD Taboo, available on BJURecords now …

Composer/Bandleader Roland Vazquez Proudly Announces The Release of Roland Vazquez Band: The Visitor

Tags

Drums, Roland Vazquez

Roland Vasquez Band - The Visitor

The Visitor is Vazquez’ tenth album as composer/leader, his first studio recording in thirteen years, & a 19-piece all-star Afro Latin “big band” project made possible through a grant from The Aaron Copland Fund For Music

The Roland Vazquez Band featuring:
Aaron Heick, Joel Frahm, Dan Willis, Roger Rosenberg,
Tony Kadleck, Alex Norris Luis Perdomo (piano),
James Genus (bass), Ignacio Berroa (drums)
Samuel Torres (congas & percussion), Pete McCann (guitar)
Roland Vazquez (composer/conductor/producer)

Roland Vazquez Band

To know Roland Vazquez is to know his music, and vice versa. Like many true artists, his work is inseparable from the essence of his character. One can hear in the music of Vazquez, the powerful optimism, wisdom, love, humor and joy that exudes so effortlessly from the man. Nowhere has this been more prevalent than on the award-winning and critically-acclaimed composer, bandleader and drummer’s glorious new recording, The Visitor, to be released on RVCD through iTunes on July 8, and through CD Baby on August 9.