The story begins with quiet sophistication in Italy. Roland Hanna on piano, George Mraz on double bass, and Lewis Nash on drums gather to paint a portrait of John Lewis—the mastermind behind the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ). : Mist hanging over stone plazas.
: The trio abandons the polite European structures and gives in to raw, unadulterated American swing.
Finally, the journey crosses the Atlantic to the gritty, electric streets of Manhattan, captured in tracks like "Skating in Central Park" and "New York 19" . Sir Roland Hanna Trio - Milano, Paris, New York
: Steam rising from subway grates, neon lights blurring in the rain, and the relentless, driving energy of the city.
: Sidewalk cafes, rain on cobblestones, and intellectual conversations late into the night. The story begins with quiet sophistication in Italy
The trio leaves Italy behind and takes a sonic leap across the border to France, diving into the legendary track "Afternoon in Paris" .
: Hanna bridges the gap between European classical structure and American swing. : The trio abandons the polite European structures
What makes this story profoundly deep is the real-world weight resting behind the notes. Roland Hanna was an actual knight (knighted by the President of Liberia for his humanitarian work), and he played with a "noble" touch. Recorded on April 1, 2002, this session became one of his very last before he passed away in November of that same year.