Roland Vazquez

Roland Vazquez (born July 4, 1951) is a mixed-heritage Chicano/Native American composer, drummer, band leader, producer, and educator. His music combines Afro and Indigenous rhythms with American Jazz and Western classical music elements in his works for quintet, nonet, percussion ensemble, and big band.

Early life and education Vazquez was born in Pasadena, California. He began playing drums in the 1960s and performed with R&B and rock groups around Los Angeles. He later studied at Westminster College and earned a Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music, joining that Jazz Faculty in 1988. Many jazz luminaries have recorded with him such as Anthony Jackson, Walt Weiskopf, Patrice Rushen, Bennie Maupin, Mark Soskin, Alex Acuña, Clare Fischer, Shirley Walker, Dick Oatts, Brian Lynch (musician), Nathan East, Luis Conte, MikeStern, Samuel Torres, Abe Laboriel, and Steve Tavaglione.

Vazquez has been commissioned to compose for chamber and orchestral ensembles, including Ghost in the Mountain (2000) and chamber percussion pieces for Christopher Lamb. where he composed new works and performed with various Italian and touring U.S. jazz artists.

Vazquez has presented many performance/lecture clinics while in residency at colleges, universities, and conservatories around the world, perhaps most notably: Eastman School of Music, Berklee School of Music, University of Cincinnati College Conservatory, University of Wisconsin, Hartt School of Music, Ohio University, University of Michigan, William Patterson, Georgetown University, Montclair State University, Queens College (NY), PASIC (2003), Espoo Jazz Festival (Finland), Canadian Jazz Festival (Vancouver & Victoria).

Reception Vazquez’s recordings have been covered by jazz publications such as DownBeat and JazzTimes. Specifically, Further Dance and The Visitor have been acclaimed by several publications; respectively, Further Dance for its original compositions and multi-genre hybridization, and The Visitor for its musicianship.

Selected discography

In the Life Before (Korman Records, 1978) Urantia (PBR International, 1978) Urban Ensemble – The Music of Roland Vazquez (Arista/GRP, 1979) Feel Your Dream (Headfirst/MCA, 1982) The Tides of Time (Soundwings/Welk Group, 1988) No Separate Love (RVCD, 1991) Best of the LA Jazz Ensemble (RVCD, 1994) Further Dance (RVCD, 1997) Quintet Live (RVCD, 2007) The Visitor (RVCD, 2010)

As contributor

Clare Fischer & Salsa Picante - 2+2 (album) (Pausa Records, 1981) Drums Peter Cetera - Peter Cetera (album) (Full Moon / Warner Bros, 1981) Horns Arranger Whiten & Cartwright - Rhythm Hymn (Elektra Records, 1982) Percussion, Horns Arranger Naoya Matsuoka - Fall On The Avenue (Nippon Phonogram, 1982) Drums Luis Conte - La Cocina Caliente (Denon, 1988) Drums, Composer Rob Prester - Trillium (Antilles New Directions, 1988) Drums, Producer Phil Upchurch – Tell The Truth (Evidence, 2001) Composer: Long Gone Bird Afro Bop Alliance Big Band - Revelation (OA2 Records, 2014) Composer, Conductor Triospeak – Triospeak Volume One (2015) Drums Triospeak – Triospeak 2 (2024) Drums