WHEN Sonny Rollins lifts his legendary horn high and launches into Global Warming, listeners unfamiliar with his ironic sense of humor are sometimes confused. The cheerful melody sits comfortably atop a jaunty calypso beat and can seem at odds with the seriousness of the subject.
But the confusion usually fades. As choruses of improvised commentary pour forth from Mr. Rollinss tenor saxophone, the melody mutates and dissonant phrases creep in, as do the well-placed squeak and squawk, sounding to some listeners like references to wildlifes plight amid the changing climate.
The improvisations are more expressive of my more serious nature on the global warming issue, Mr. Rollins said. The depths of your thoughts emerge in ways that are difficult to put into words. The subconscious takes over.
