Underbrook: New School’s Roel Quartet x Sentinels of Sound

The Yale Undergraduate Jazz Collective is pleased to announce an exciting collaboration with New School saxophonist Julian Roel! Please welcome the Julian Roel Quartet to the Underbrook Stage on Friday, February 21. Yale’s own Sentinels of Sound will open for the quartet at 8PM; Roel and his quartet will perform at 8:30. The show will be free and open to the public.

—

Julian Roel is a San Diego born saxophonist rooted in the bebop tradition. First mentored by Charles McPherson at age 15, Roel soon met trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos, who mentored him further through the youth jazz program, “Young Lions Jazz Conservatory.” At age 18, he moved to New York upon receiving a scholarship to the New School of jazz and contemporary music.

Roel’s major influences include Charlie Parker, Paul Desmond, Cannonball Adderly, Chick Corea, and Barry Harris. Especially notable is Barry Harris: Roel has studied with a number of his disciples including Charles McPherson, Dave Glasser, and Justin Robinson. Roel’s playing style emanates from the music of the San Diego scene, a mixture of bebop, hard bop, and Afro Cuban music.

Today, Roel continues to attend the New School. He plays with his quartet in both the New York and San Diego areas and as a sideman with such artists as Dimi Ditrow. Featured in his quartet are pianist Hans Young-Binter and drummer Vatan Singh Rajan. Later this year, Roel expects to release his first album of original music.