Mickey Roker, American jazz drummer, Died at 84

  Music

Granville William “Mickey” Roker was born on September 3, 1932, and died on May 22, 2017.

He was an American jazz drummer.

He was conceived in extreme poverty in Miami to Granville (Sr.) and Willie Mae Roker.

Following his mother died (his father never lived with them), when he was only ten, he was taken by his grandmother to live in Philadelphia with his uncle Walter, who had gaven him his first drum kit and communicated his love of jazz to his nephew.

He was still active on the Philadelphia scene during the 21st century before his death.

Mickey had recorded with 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, and many other jazz musicians.

He died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Mickey Roker passed away at 84 yeas old.