empty cell Joe Roland
Joe Roland was an innovative New York jazz vibraphonist who immersed himself in the bebop scene during the 1940s. In 1949, he founded the Symfonet, a group where string players performed bop melodies, anticipating similar efforts by Charlie Parker. Throughout the 1950s, he led various ensembles, including a mambo-jazz quintet and modern chamber jazz groups featuring musicians like Wade Legge, Freddie Redd, Dick Garcia, Oscar Pettiford, and Ron Jefferson. Although underappreciated during his lifetime, his energetic approach to the vibraphone continues to resonate with jazz enthusiasts.
