Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Sonny Rollins: The Sound of Sonny

Sonny Rollins: The Sound of Sonny

By David Rickert
March 1, 2002
View read count

There was once a time when Sonny Rollins frequently battled Stan Getz for the top spot in the critics’ polls. The two are more alike than one might think; like Getz, Rollins possesses a flawless technique that manages to be both bold and unassuming and frequently does his best work in relatively straightforward settings. This session was recorded at a time when Rollins was bouncing between labels, but still doing his most remarkable work for Prestige.

The opener marks the first experiments with the pianoless trio that Rollins pioneered; another track, “The Last Time I Saw Paris”, is his first unaccompanied solo on record. The other selections feature the recorded debut of Sonny Clark, a gifted pianist who has recently enjoyed quite a bit of posthumous acclaim due to several Blue Note reissues. However, this is clearly Rollins’ show and, like his other recordings from the time, all the sidemen (Clark included) seem like hired guns rather than important contributors. Rollins as always displays a knack for turning unorthodox tunes into unlikely vehicles for improvisation, as the gentle bounce of “Toot, Toot, Tootsie” and the loping Carribean funk of “Mangoes” attest.

Rollins later struggled to find an appropriate forum for his talents when up-and-comers had built upon his advances, but this record clearly shows an important figure at the top of his game.

Track Listing

The Last Time I Saw Paris, Just in Time, Toot, Toot, Tootsie, What Is There To Say?, Dearly Beloved, Every Time We Say Goodbye, Cutie, It Could Happen To You, Mangoes, Funky Hotel Blues.

Personnel

Sonny Rollins

saxophone

Sonny Rollins-tenor saxophone; Sonny Clark-piano; Percy Heath, Paul Chambers-bass; Roy Haynes-drums.

Album information

Title: The Sound of Sonny | Year Released: 2002 | Record Label: Fantasy Jazz

About Sonny Rollins

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Meet Terri Lyne Carrington
< Previous

Opium
Next >

Become a Sustaining Member

Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.

Help Build the Future of All About Jazz

Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.

Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.

Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.