Hanna, Sir Roland
IPO, 2004, CD
Instrument: Piano
Issue: 10.3
Jazz Ruler Type: Ragtime
Performance: 4
Sound: 4
Score: 
O’s Notes: Hanna composed this tribute to a fellow Detroiter, Tommy Flanagan. Ironically Roland died almost exactly one year after Flanagan on November 13, 2002. The program consists of a number of styles all interpreted through Hanna’s fingers. It is solo piano recorded just months before his death. There’s a bit of stride, a few ballads, blues and classics. Roland was adept at spontaneous improvisation with a strong sense of swing. This made each piece unique and fresh. These eleven songs remind us of both pianists… good memories.
