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| The New Jazz Composers Octet featuring Wallace Roney |
FEATURING:
Wallace Roney, trumpet
David Weiss, trumpet
Myron Walden, alto sax
Jimmy Greene, tenor sax
Steve Davis, trombone
Norbert Stachel, baritone sax
Xavier Davis, piano
Dwayne Burno, bass
E.J. Strickland, drums |
At a time when much of the Jazz world seems content to simply attempt to recreate the past, trumpeter/composer Wallace Roney follows the true Jazz tradition of utilizing the past to move forward. This has resulted in acknowledgment by the public and his peers with his receipt of three Grammy Awards and numerous nominations for projects in which he was the featured performer and/or collaborator.
Wallace Roney earned the admiration and respect of his colleagues and his elders since age 16. He has been an integral part of bands with Art Blakey, Elvin Jones, Philly Joe Jones, Walter Davis Jr., Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, Jay McShann, David Murray, and McCoy Tyner; as well as a featured soloist with Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Curtis Fuller, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Dizzy Gillespie, to name a few. He was one of the most popular jazz sidemen in the music industry early into his professional career and is one of the few musicians in his generation who learned and perfected his craft directly from alliances with Jazz Masters. He is continuing his push to develop new concepts in jazz and is considered one of the leaders in the future movement of jazz music.
Born in Philadelphia, May 25, 1960, Wallace began studying the trumpet and music theory at age four at Philadelphia’s Settlement School of Music. When he entered the Duke Ellington High School for the Performing Arts, he had already made his recording debut at age 14, and had attained distinction as a gifted local performer. In 1979 and again in 1980, Mr. Roney won DownBeat's Award for Best Young Jazz Musician of the Year. Between studies at Berklee College of Music and Howard University, he played with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers before departing to perform as a leading sideman. In 1987, he began a new fruitful association with Tony Williams. In 1989, and again in 1990, Wallace won Down Beat Magazine's Critic's Poll for Best Trumpeter to Watch. Wallace was mentored by Miles Davis after Miles heard him in 1983 in a gala performance at Radio City Music Hall. Their association peaked when Miles chose Wallace to share the stage at his historic performance in Montreux in 1991. After Davis died, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams and Roney banded together and toured the world in tribute.
Since then, Wallace has led his own ensembles in live performance and in recordings for Muse, Warner Brothers, Concord/Stretch, and now with High Note Records. "Art Blakey taught me about the integrity of the music. He believed that this music was special and he imparted that to all of us, and that we shared an obligation to take it seriously, and that a lot of people gave up, or ruined their lives, (drinking, drugs, etc.) just to play this music, not because they liked the vices so much. So this music was special and when you play it with your heart, it means something and it gets across to the audience. It is not really 'entertainment' music. It was music for the soul, which I got from Art Blakey, and the other giants of this music, who are all my idols.
“I feel that my music is always a tribute to Miles because my music definitely has Miles’ stamp. He was like my father and I never ran from his influence.”
There is an organic process involved in artistic evolution which has more to do with a musician's personal odyssey than just gleaning wisdom from one's antecedents. "The older you are, you the better player you become. The reason is that, not only on the knowledge side, you get older and your body can control things better. The more time you spend with your instrument, the better control you have over it. The more life you live, the more you can bring to your art."
Wallace has been a welcome addition to the jazz fraternity, by fellow Jazz Masters, and delightful to hear. He is definitely one of the most treasured leaders in jazz music today. |
