Wallace Roney, who died on March 31 of complications from the coronavirus, paid a visit to Salon Sessions just last fall.
On the heels of his 22nd album, Blue Dawn-Blue Nights, Wallace spoke with me about his early years and some of the lessons he learned from master musicians: not only Miles Davis but also pianist Cedar Walton, trumpeter Woody Shaw, and drummers Art Blakey and Tony Williams.
Though one of his first New York gigs was with Walton (alongside Sam Jones, Billy Higgins and Bob Berg), his first recording happened with Haki R. Madhubuti & Nation at age 15. A lyrical musician, while playing with singers he wanted “his notes to sing.”
When I asked whether he had a tour planned with his new, young band, he replied: “I will tour to the end of my life.”
