Mickey Roker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mickey Roker
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Roker in the 1980s
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Granville William Roker |
| Born | September 3, 1932 Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Died | May 22, 2017 (aged 84) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, hard bop, bebop |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Drums |
| Associated acts | Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Duke Pearson, Tommy Flanagan, Ella Fitzgerald, Zoot Sims, Horace Silver, Junior Mance, Sarah Vaughan, Milt Jackson, Herbie Hancock, Phil Woods, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Bucky Pizzarelli, Stanley Turrentine, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Hank Jones, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Locke |
Granville William "Mickey" Roker (September 3, 1932 – May 22, 2017) was an amazing American jazz drummer. He was known for his powerful and supportive drumming style. Mickey Roker played with many of the biggest names in jazz music.
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Mickey Roker's Journey in Jazz
Mickey Roker was born in Miami, Florida. When he was ten, his grandmother took him to live in Philadelphia. There, his uncle Walter gave him his first drum kit. His uncle also shared his love for jazz music with young Mickey.
Starting His Music Career
In Philadelphia, Mickey learned a lot about jazz. He looked up to another great drummer, Philly Joe Jones. In the early 1950s, Mickey started to get noticed. People saw him as a drummer who could play with both feeling and strong rhythm. He was especially liked by the famous jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie.
Dizzy Gillespie once said that Mickey Roker could "set a groove" perfectly. This meant that once Mickey started playing a rhythm, it would stay steady and strong. This skill made Mickey very popular. Soon, many bands wanted him to play with them. He was great at supporting both large big bands and smaller music groups.
Moving to New York and Beyond
Before moving to New York in 1959, Mickey played with local musicians in Philadelphia. These included Jimmy Oliver and Jimmy Heath. In New York, he quickly found new opportunities. He played with artists like Joe Williams and Nancy Wilson. He also joined the Duke Pearson big band.
In 1965, Mickey became part of a new group called the "New York Jazz Sextet." This group was led by Art Farmer and Benny Golson. Later, in 1992, he joined the famous Modern Jazz Quartet. He took the place of their drummer, Connie Kay.
Mickey Roker recorded music with many legendary jazz musicians. Some of these included Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Ella Fitzgerald, and Herbie Hancock. He continued to be an active musician in Philadelphia for many years. Mickey Roker passed away in 2017 at the age of 84.
Images for kids
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Left to right: Roker, Ben Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, and a hidden Rodney Jones in Buffalo, N.Y., 1977
