Artist:Roland Vazquez Band
Song:Sevilla
Album:The Visitor
Drummer Roland Vazquez is mostly a sideman and educator. But occasionally he records on his own label. The 2010 album The Visitor is a big band album and his latest CD. He was born in Cuba in 1951. but he grew up in Los Angeles. He was inspired by Mongo Santamaria to get into music. After playing in local clubs, Vazquez earned a BA at Westminster College in Utah. After moving back to Los Angeles, He formed The L.A. Jazz Ensemble. As Urban Ensemble, they recorded a 1979 album for GRP/Arista. Vazquez was in Clare Fischer's Salsa Picante for three years. Then he moved to New York. He played local clubs. But mostly he was an educator at Manhattan School of Music and then University of Michigan which is where he met his wife Susan Botti. She was also on the faculty and is a musician. Eventually they returned to New York. Vazquez has recorded for his own label occasionally since 1988. Sevilla is from the 2010 album The Visitor. This is a big band album. He financed it with a grant from the Aaron Copeland Fund for Music. The funny part is Vazquez doesn't play drums on the album. He conducts the orchestra. Ignacio Berroa plays drums. Key musicians include Joel Frahm, Aaron Heick, Roger Rosenberg and Dan Willis on sax, Tony Kadleck, Alex Norris and Jon Owens on trumpet, Pete McCann on guitar, Luis Pedroma on piano and James Genus. Vazquez is currently on the faculties of Vassar and Bard Colleges and he still plays New York clubs. Here's Roland Vazquez performing 3x's a Promise and Sevilla with Kevin Bene on sax, Bryon Ponton on piani, Nick Edwards on bass and Tomas Martin Lopez on congas at Amity Blues in Red Hook, NY 2019.
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