Brian Rolland
Boston, Massachusetts, United States | INDIE
Music
Press
(Review and Interview) - Muzik Reviews
(Review and Interview) - Muzik Reviews
Brian Rolland draws his musical inspiration from the world around him; whether from the sounds of the earth and sees to the color of the sky, all of this input is a direct influence on Rolland's music. Brian Rolland mixes jazz with world music, blues, and others to create a sonic tableau from which leaps the arcs of melody and harmony. 2007 sees the release of Rolland’s 3rd album, The Tide’s In......... - Wildy's World
Brian Rolland draws his musical inspiration from the world around him; whether from the sounds of the earth and sees to the color of the sky, all of this input is a direct influence on Rolland's music. Brian Rolland mixes jazz with world music, blues, and others to create a sonic tableau from which leaps the arcs of melody and harmony. 2007 sees the release of Rolland’s 3rd album, The Tide’s In......... - Wildy's World
Brazilian music is as deep and as wide as the nation itself. The traditions and styles of their musical heritage include concert forms like choro, which features violins, woodwinds and piano; samba drumming, which is the melding of the European marching drum corps and African drumming; and jazz music that blends samba rhythms with the Afro-Portugese sounds of bossa nova. This is the music explored by guitarist extradordinare, Brian Rolland, whose clear love and affinity for that music is celebrated on his CD, Dreams Of Brazil (). This record is a musical evocation and celebration of the country and its people....... - LA Ritmo/Jazz Times/Stagepass News/Music Dish Network
Brazilian music is as deep and as wide as the nation itself. The traditions and styles of their musical heritage include concert forms like choro, which features violins, woodwinds and piano; samba drumming, which is the melding of the European marching drum corps and African drumming; and jazz music that blends samba rhythms with the Afro-Portugese sounds of bossa nova. This is the music explored by guitarist extradordinare, Brian Rolland, whose clear love and affinity for that music is celebrated on his CD, Dreams Of Brazil (). This record is a musical evocation and celebration of the country and its people....... - LA Ritmo/Jazz Times/Stagepass News/Music Dish Network
Brian Rolland is a seasoned jazz player with several studio albums and many years of practical training behind him. On the 2007 release "The Tide's In," he has a host of great support behind him to make the recording exceptional.........
- iBerkshires.com
Brian Rolland is a seasoned jazz player with several studio albums and many years of practical training behind him. On the 2007 release "The Tide's In," he has a host of great support behind him to make the recording exceptional.........
- iBerkshires.com
"The Tide's In" is a joyful, life-affirming collection of world-jazz songs and instrumentals by guitarist Brian Rolland. Rolland's 2006 release, "Dreams of Brazil," was qualified for nomination for Album of the Year in the Acoustic-Instrumental category by New Age Reporter, and I would expect similar accolades for his newest work........ - Mainly Piano/Amazon posting
"The Tide's In" is a joyful, life-affirming collection of world-jazz songs and instrumentals by guitarist Brian Rolland. Rolland's 2006 release, "Dreams of Brazil," was qualified for nomination for Album of the Year in the Acoustic-Instrumental category by New Age Reporter, and I would expect similar accolades for his newest work........ - Mainly Piano/Amazon posting
Following up his previous mostly instrumental Dreams of Brazil, guitarist Brian Rolland has opted to include more vocals on The Tide’s In, a delightful and enjoyable excursion to a tropical island caressed by soft warm breezes and peopled with good friends sharing great times. An affirming and positive album, the CD is upbeat and bubbly. Sitting here mired in the last throes of another long Minnesota winter, this is just what I needed. With its calypso/island influences and jazzy/snazzy sensibility, The Tide's In helped me dream away the snow and cold, transported to a sunny beach, shaded by palm trees with waves lapping the shore and a tall cool one in my hand!..... - Zone Music Reporter/Binkelman's Corner
Following up his previous mostly instrumental Dreams of Brazil, guitarist Brian Rolland has opted to include more vocals on The Tide’s In, a delightful and enjoyable excursion to a tropical island caressed by soft warm breezes and peopled with good friends sharing great times. An affirming and positive album, the CD is upbeat and bubbly. Sitting here mired in the last throes of another long Minnesota winter, this is just what I needed. With its calypso/island influences and jazzy/snazzy sensibility, The Tide's In helped me dream away the snow and cold, transported to a sunny beach, shaded by palm trees with waves lapping the shore and a tall cool one in my hand!..... - Zone Music Reporter/Binkelman's Corner
It’s not exactly, nor entirely smooth Brazilian jazz. It’s more. There is an almost a slack key guitar feel to the mix as Brian Rolland performs his gentle jazz and World music album Dreams of Brazil. Brazil, the South American giant has had many influences in the music world from Bosa Nova to Samba to choros and beyond. On this intriguing work Brian scours the country, and it’s a mighty big country, for inspiration for his guitar. Lucky for us he finds it where he travels.
- The Sounding Board/Zone Music Reporter
It’s not exactly, nor entirely smooth Brazilian jazz. It’s more. There is an almost a slack key guitar feel to the mix as Brian Rolland performs his gentle jazz and World music album Dreams of Brazil. Brazil, the South American giant has had many influences in the music world from Bosa Nova to Samba to choros and beyond. On this intriguing work Brian scours the country, and it’s a mighty big country, for inspiration for his guitar. Lucky for us he finds it where he travels.
- The Sounding Board/Zone Music Reporter
If you have heard Ottmar Liebert or Craig Chaquico, then you may have an inkling of what Brian Rolland sounds like. However, you will not know what his music feels like until you have heard one of his exciting albums. This one is called The Tide's In..... - Zone Music Reporter/The Sounding Board
If you have heard Ottmar Liebert or Craig Chaquico, then you may have an inkling of what Brian Rolland sounds like. However, you will not know what his music feels like until you have heard one of his exciting albums. This one is called The Tide's In..... - Zone Music Reporter/The Sounding Board
many review links are at MySpace.com/BrianRolland blogs; many are also accessible directly through Google Blog Buzz here at Sonicbids.
(link to MySpace.com/BrianRolland and reviews at the bottom of my Sonicbids Bio page) - various
many review links are at MySpace.com/BrianRolland blogs; many are also accessible directly through Google Blog Buzz here at Sonicbids.
(link to MySpace.com/BrianRolland and reviews at the bottom of my Sonicbids Bio page) - various
Discography
'Tide's In'
Released 2007-2008. Debuted at #3 on the New Age Reporter charts, and went on to see extensive non-commercial and college radio airplay including a handful of world and jazz top 10 charts. Up for nomination for NAR's Album of the Year for 2008, named #32 of NAR's Top 100 Albums of 2008.
Acoustic single 'Doliber's Cove'
spent 28 weeks on Sirius Satellite's Top 10 New Age Singles chart, from early May to mid-October 2008, reaching #1 repeatedly. (see Youtube link below.)
Rock Single 'Catch Me If You Can'
Finalist in International Songwriting Contest in March 2009.
Jazz single 'Free Fall'
remains in regular rotation on Sirius Satellite's Spa station as of August 2011 (over 3 years now).
'Dreams of Brazil'
Released in 2006, zoomed to #12 on the New Age Reporter charts, with extensive non-commercial and college radio airplay. Up for nomination for NAR's Acoustic Instrumental Album of the Year for 2006, named one of their Top 100 Albums for 2006.
Acoustic Solo Guitar single 'In A Silent Way'
continues in regular rotation on Sirius Satellite's Spa station -5 years now- as of August 2011.
'Long Night's Moon'
Album released in 2000. Acoustic solo guitar with romantic, candlelit jazz and Spanish inflections.
Many cuts can be heard on Pandora, Last.fm, myspace.com/brianrolland, and elsewhere across the web, as well as on College and Public Radio.
Photos
Bio
Brian Rolland’s Sound bears the hallmark of Instant Recognition, while drawing on a broad mix of North American, Latin/Spanish and Brasilian guitar styles. 'A well seasoned player infused with splashes of jazz, rock, classical, world, and pop.'
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About the most recent CD, 'Tide's In': '...a highly acclaimed jazz-pop release featuring Rolland's beautiful acoustic guitar lines ... expertly played and defined by some of the finest craftsmanship found in the independent music community.' -Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck, MusikReviews.com
The North American guitarist/composer/songwriter was born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Starting out on piano and clarinet as a child, switching to folk guitar at age 12, and continuing as a largely self-taught blues and rock player, Rolland moved into formal training in Jazz at New England Conservatory and Berklee School of Music while still in high school. His first gig was at age 14 with a rock band at the Club Casablanca in Harvard Square. Youthful influences included frequenting the Club 47 and The Boston Tea Party in the later 1960s, and an appearance at the 1976 Montreux Jazz Festival backing Jazz trumpeter Clark Terry in a big band setting.
His father was an amateur piano and cornet player from Hannibal, Missouri who, as a teenager in the early 1940s, moonlighted playing jazz on Mississippi riverboats before moving East after World War II.
Recent work includes a solo guitar album, ‘Long Night’s Moon’, the largely instrumental band based ‘Dreams of Brazil’, and the aforementioned band and vocal album ‘The Tide’s In'.
These two most recent albums were both named among Zone Music Reporter’s Top 100 Albums of the Year at #68 and #32 for 2006 and 2008 respectively, and, on ZMR's influential International New Age/World/Instrumental charts, peaked at #12 and #3.
The single 'Doliber's Cove' spent 28 weeks on Sirius Satellite's Top 10 New Age Singles chart, from early May to mid-October 2008, reaching #1 repeatedly. (video at YouTube link below. 'Kick It!' and 'Tide's In' there also)
Awards include an Honorable Mention in the 2008 International Songwriting Competition for his instrumental single 'Catch Me If You Can' and repeated ASCAP annual composer's grants.
Based in the Boston area.
(see YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, and other links below)
Links
