Pleasure Bent – Roland Alexander

Although he never received the credit he was due, the versatile tenor saxophonist Roland Alexander started his career with an unexpected break at age twenty when he made his recording debut—on piano. Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Roland was trained both formally at Boston Conservatory and through day-to-day gig experience, so he was skilled enough to step in when the scheduled pianist (believed to be Red Garland) didn’t make a Paul Chambers session that Roland was observing on April 20, 1956. He was asked to sit in on piano for the blues Trane’s Strain, which was quite a break for the young musician, as the other players on the session were well-known names like John Coltrane, Curtis Fuller, Pepper Adams, and the rest of Miles Davis' current rhythm section, Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Read more...