Kenneth Roane

Kenneth Roane hardly ever became well-known but he was a secured asset on many sessions over time. An early on multi-instrumentalist who also performed clarinet, saxophone and oboe, Roane was raised in Springfield, MA and transferred to NY in 1923. He mainly freelanced, using a multitude of best performers including Jelly Move Morton, Cecil Scott, Clarence Williams, Lloyd Scott and Fess Williams, documenting with the last mentioned two and sometimes subbing with Duke Ellington. Through the Despair, Roane frequently led his very own orchestra and occasionally performed for Broadway displays, although he also acquired stints with Joe Jordan, Charlie Johnson, Sammy Stewart, Sam Wooding and Wen Talbot’s Harlem Symphonic Culture Orchestra. He was component of an unusual recording program with Sidney Bechet and Willie “The Lion” Smith in 1939 (where they performed Haitian music) and was on four game titles with bassist Eddie Cole’s Solid Swingers (1936) that offered as the documenting debut of Nat “Ruler” Cole. In the 1940s, Roane used Extra fat Waller, Cecil Scott, Louis Jordan, Noble Sissle, Pal Johnson and Claude Hopkins, amongst others. Roane, who hardly ever led his very own record date, remained active being a instructor and worked well as a high established in his Music artists’ Union until his loss of life.