Background
Alexander, Roland E. was born on September 25, 1935 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Benjamin and Vera (Sullivan) Alexander.
Alexander, Roland E. was born on September 25, 1935 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Benjamin and Vera (Sullivan) Alexander.
He graduated with a bachelor"s degree from the Boston Conservatory in 1958 with a Major in composition, he was in the same graduating class with Kenneth Arthur McIntyre, later known as Ken Makanda MacIntyre.
Alexander played tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, and piano. Roland was a prolific composer and arranger who wrote and played for many of the better known bands in Boston during the 1950s, id est (that is) Sabby Lewis, Preston "Sandy" Sandiford, Richie Lowery, Jaki Byard and many more.
He co-led a group called the Boston All Stars that featured Trumpeter Joe Gordon, and after Joe Gordon left to play with Dizzy Gillespie"s band Joe was replaced by a few of the more innovative trumpet soloists in the area, like Wajid Lateef (Crazy Wilbur Lucaw), & Gordon Wooly.
He then moved to New York City in 1958. In addition to two solo releases, he played and recorded with John Coltrane, Howard McGhee, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Roy Haynes, Philly Joe Jones, Blue Mitchell, Sam Rivers, Archie Shepp, and Mal Waldron.
Member SoFocus (music consultant since 1996).
Married Judith E. Jordan, June 4, 1997. Children: Denise Phillips, Taru.