Roland Vazquez

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Roland Vazquez (* 4. July 1951 in Pasadena , California ) is an American drummer of Latin Jazz , also known as a composer has emerged.

Life

Vazquez, who comes from a family of musicians, began to play drums in 1963 under the impression of a concert by Mongo Santamaría . In Los Angeles he first appeared with rhythm & blues and rock bands. After an accident in which he had to take a break, he discovered his compositional skills in 1969. He studied composition at Westminster College in Utah and began to apply his skills in his own band, Urban Ensemble, which he founded in 1974 . In 1977 he released his first works with this combo on the album The Music of Roland Vazquez . This resulted in the LA Jazz Ensemble , which included musicians such as Patrice Rushen , Brian Lynch , Bennie Maupin , Anthony Jackson , Alex Acuña and Clare Fischer . Vazquez also worked for Willie Bobo and was a member of Clare Fischer's band Salsa Picante between 1978 and 1981 .

In 1981 he moved to New York City , where he continued his studies at the Manhattan School of Music . In the next few years he presented a number of his own albums. Since 1991 he has occasionally expanded his quintet (with Walt Weiskopf , Mark Soskin , Anthony Jackson and percussionist Frank Malabe) into a big band. He was also a member of the Drummer's Collective Big Band .

Vasquez also worked as a producer and composer. He wrote a concert for the solo percussionist of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra , Christoper Lamb . Ghost in the Mountain for string quartet and symphony orchestra followed in 2000 . His tonal language is based on Afro-Cuban and Puerto Rican musical traditions. Vazquez also worked with Michel Camilo , Sammy Figueroa , Ronnie Foster, Onaje Allan Gumbs , Kenny Kirkland , Jaco Pastorius , Lenny Pickett and Poncho Sanchez .

Vazquez, who is married to the composer Susan Botti, taught at the Manhattan School of Music between 1988 and 1998 , then at the University of Michigan from 2000 to 2005 , and then spent two years with his family at the American Academy in Rome to go on tour with the pianist Riccardo Fassi.

Discographic notes

  • LA Jazz Ensemble Best of (1977)
  • Feel Your Dream (1982)
  • The Tides of Time (1987)
  • No Separate Love (1990)
  • Further Dance (1996)
  • The Visitor (2010)

Lexigraphic entry

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Vazquez, Roland
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American Latin Jazz drummer
DATE OF BIRTH 4th July 1951
PLACE OF BIRTH Pasadena , California