Jazz Articles about Sonny Rollins

Clifford Brown / Sonny Rollins / Max Roach Quintet: Complete Studio Recordings

by Eric J. Iannelli
July 3, 2009

Even now, fifty-three years after Clifford Brown's untimely death (a multiple tragedy that also took the lives of pianist Richie Powell and his wife), his recordings are still being mined for fresh--or rather, refreshed-- releases. Although it's not entirely clear why this particular lineup merits this particular release at this particular time, any Brownie is good Brownie.That said, this is a release for neither longtime jazz listeners nor Brown devotees. It combines two easy-to- find 1956 albums, Clifford ...

Sonny Rollins: Road Shows, Vol. 1

by Joel Roberts
January 23, 2009

There's a YouTube video where Sonny Rollins' longtime trombonist Clifton Anderson discusses playing with the saxophone colossus. Anderson recalls one night when the members of the band thought they were in a pretty good groove. Then Rollins gazed over at Anderson, with a look that said, “Oh, you guys feel like playing tonight. You wanna play? OK, we're gonna play." Anderson says Rollins then proceeded to “take it up and he took it so far up that he left us ...

Sonny Rollins: Still Seeking the Lost Chord

by R.J. DeLuke
January 13, 2009

The Saxophone Colossus. The greatest living improvising musician. A musical god. Sonny Rollins has been called all these things at one time or another by fans across the globe, as well as by those involved in the pursuit of music criticism and jazz history. There's no question he is the greatest remaining icon to come out of the golden age of jazz, the be-bop period begun in the 1940s that created “mainstream" jazz as it is known today, even though ...

Sonny Rollins Live in Vienne

by C. Michael Bailey
November 5, 2008

class="f-left" > Sonny Rollins Sonny Rollins Live in Vienne EmArcy 2008

Sonny Rollins Live in Vienne provides a good companion DVD to Jazz Icons Series 3: Sonny Rollins '65 and '68. Taken together, the two DVDs juxtapose a 33 and 38 year-old Rollins with a 76 year-old Rollins. In both cases, Rollins is the epitome of “cool." In the 1960s he was the urbane and classy trendsetter, first sporting a mohawk ...

Sonny Rollins: Road Shows Vol.1

by Mark Corroto
October 29, 2008

The sound of Sonny Rollins is unmistakable. Instantly recognizable when he plays just one note, this living legend has long stood out in the crowd of tenor players during the remarkable six decades he's been recording and playing.Since Rollins took control of his music publishing a few years ago, releasing recordings under his own label, Doxy, the possibility of hearing some of Rollins' live music was raised. Apparently 200 live performances have been recorded since the 1980s, and ...

Jazz Icons Series 3: Sonny Rollins '65 and '68

by C. Michael Bailey
September 23, 2008

Sonny Rollins Jazz Icons Series 3: Sonny Rollins '65 and '68 Jazz Icons 2008

Sonny Rollins '65 and '68 inaugurates the Jazz Icons Series 3. Previously reviewed among these electrons was Jazz Icons Series 2. Along with Series 1, these three DVD sets comprise an important multimedia library of American Jazz. Series 3 comes as a welcome addition.

Sonny Rollins was 35 years old in 1965. With John Coltrane, he was standing ...

Sonny Rollins: Freedom Suite

by Robert Iannapollo
August 7, 2008

From 1955-59, it appeared that Sonny Rollins could do no wrong. One needs only to listen to the 1-2-3 punch of Saxophone Colossus, Live At The Village Vanguard or Way Out West for confirmation. Most jazz fans know these albums backwards and forwards.One of the albums from this period that's only slightly less revered than the aforementioned triumvirate is Freedom Suite, Rollins' last recording for Riverside. Recorded as a trio (the best way to hear Rollins) with long-time ...