Damn. That's a dog gone shame. Another legend passes on.

A couple of other quotes to get you to read the article and dwell for just a moment on this jazz legend.

"Mr. Hanna's open-minded approach led to work with bandleaders ranging in approach from the traditional swing of Benny Goodman to the freewheeling modernism of Charles Mingus.

In his later years he focused on composing chamber and orchestral works, including some pieces he performed with a chamber trio in which he played cello. In 1993 he was the guest piano soloist when the Detroit Symphony performed his composition "Oasis."

"His main income, however, came from teaching. He taught at Eastman, the Manhattan School of Music, the New School and Queens College. He also continued playing in jazz clubs and at festivals, and was especially popular in Japan, where he became ill about three weeks ago."

And here's the story on the 'Sir' part...

"For the last three decades Mr. Hanna insisted on being billed as Sir Roland Hanna. As he explained, the "Sir" was not an affectation or a casually bestowed title like Duke or Count. He was knighted by the government of Liberia in 1970, in recognition of benefit concerts he had given there."

Newsday.com covers the same ground (too much the same I thinks).
1:20:10 AM    comment []  Google It!  

We talked to Ed Johnson and played lots of tunes from Over The Waven (another review: "But jazz it ain't."). I'm furiously burning CDs tonight! Ed plays at Dizzy's tomorrow night, November 15, 2002 at 8:30 pm. I get to host...right on.

Carlos X Pena also dropped by and we played a tune from the Jazz Live show Carlos did on 2002.10.08 down here at City College. Pretty cool.
1:03:36 AM    comment []  Google It!