Hanna, Sir Roland Pembroke

▪ 2003

      American jazz pianist (b. Feb. 10, 1932, Detroit, Mich.—d. Nov. 13, 2002, Harris, N.Y.), fused classical music bravura and bop-era sophistication as a versatile accompanist, leader, and soloist. While attending the Juilliard School in New York City (M.A., 1960), Hanna toured with swing clarinet king Benny Goodman; he worked with stars such as tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins, singer Sarah Vaughan, and bassist-composer Charles Mingus and played in the Thad Jones–Mel Lewis big band (1966–74). He performed for the 1989 debut of Mingus's Epitaph and played in the Lincoln Center and Smithsonian jazz orchestras. He also led his own trio, formed the New York Jazz Sextet (which became the New York Jazz Quartet in the 1970s), and played outstanding solo piano concerts. Besides serving as a Queens College (New York City) music teacher, he composed both jazz and classical works, including Oasis for piano and orchestra; in 1970, during a benefit concert tour, he was knighted by the government of Liberia.

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