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Sonny Rollins tribute, part 1: Sonny in the '50s
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Rollins, one of the music's great improvisers, left a rich legacy of recordings.
His early recordings date from 1949, when he was 19. Even at that age, he was recognized as a rare talent. In this hour, you'll hear Rollins' recordings from the 1950s, with several iconic performances.
"Saxophone Colossus," from 1956, was a tour de force that established him as one of the greatest of all tenor saxophonists. His 1954 recordings with Miles Davis introduced tunes that became standards, including "Oleo," "Airegin" and "Doxy." He joined the Clifford Brown / Max Roach quintet in 1956, and these sessions earned a reputation as some of the greatest small group recordings.
The cover of Rollins' 1957 Way Out West is almost as famous as the music. Sonny is in a western setting with sagebrush and cactus, wearing a holster and holding his sax like a six-shooter. "I'm An Old Cowhand" and "Wagon Wheels" are now classics.
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