Roland Alexander

Roland Alexander played tenor and soprano saxophone along with piano, combining academic preparation with broad professional exposure. After completing a bachelor’s degree in music at Boston Conservatory, he settled in New York City in 1958. Over the years he performed alongside leading jazz figures such as John Coltrane, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, and Roy Haynes. Although his foundation remained in bop, his playing moved outward during the 1960s and 1970s into more open and exploratory territory. The 1978 album Live at the Axis, recorded with Malachi Thompson and Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre, stands as his most daring date as a leader. Alexander died in 2006.