Sonny Rollins 2000 The Freelance Years

Sonny Rollins - Sonny Rollins With The Modern Jazz Quartet (1951) {2003 Prestige 20bit K2 Remaster}
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© 2003 Prestige / Fantasy | PRCD-7029-2
Jazz / Bop

This album covers roughly two years in Rollins's career when he was beginning to emerge as an important force in contemporary jazz. "I Know" was his first track as a leader, taped at the end of a January 1951 Miles Davis date at Davis's insistence. (Miles even played piano for him.) Sonny's first date as a leader took place on a snowy December night at the end of that year. The meeting with the Modern Jazz Quartet, in October 1953, showed a new maturity, especially in the rendition of Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood."

Sonny Rollins - After The Bridge (1964) {2CD 2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series SICP 4192~3}
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© 1964, 2014 RCA / Sony Music Japan | SICP 4192~3
Jazz / Hard Bop / Saxophone

Reissue with the latest 2014 DSD remastering. Comes with liner notes. Rare work from the RCA years of Sonny Rollins – all recorded during the time of his groundbreaking albums for the label in the early 60s, but never issued until this much later Japanese package! The title is quite apt – as the whole set really shows the development that Rollins brought to his music in the years after his classic album The Bridge – that open, freely expressive sound that took his already-great approach to tenor and really pushed it into something new – a bold, fresh style for the 60s that was full of power and freedom, but which took a very different direction than the music of John Coltrane or Archie Shepp.

Rare work from the RCA years of Sonny Rollins - all recorded during the time of his groundbreaking albums for the label in the early 60s, but never issued until this much later Japanese package! The title is quite apt - as the whole set really shows the development that Rollins brought to his music in the years after his classic album The Bridge - that open, freely expressive sound that took his already-great approach to tenor and really pushed it into something new - a bold, fresh style for the 60s that was full of power and freedom, but which took a very different direction than the music of John Coltrane or Archie Shepp. Music runs from bop standards to more thoughtful compositions - and even in the mellow moments, Rollins is really mindblowing - working in small group settings with players who include Herbie Hancock on piano, Jim Hall on guitar, Thad Jones on cornet, and either Ron Carter or David Izenzon on bass.

Sonny Rollins - All The Things You Are (1963-64) {Bluebird–BMG 2179-2-RB rel 1990}
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© 1963-64, 1990 RCA / Bluebird / BMG | 2179-2-RB
Jazz / Hard Bop / Saxophone

Half of this LP contains the famous session on which Sonny Rollins teamed up with his idol, the great tenor Coleman Hawkins. Actually, the competitive Rollins did everything he could during these performances to throw Hawk off with plenty of sound explorations and free playing, but Hawkins keeps from getting lost and battles Rollins for a tie; pianist Paul Bley plays well too. The remainder of this LP (three selections apiece from the former LPs Now's the Time and The Standard Sonny Rollins) is more conventional but has its moments of interest. The young Herbie Hancock is on piano for all of these tracks and guitarist Jim Hall helps on "Trav'lin Light." Rollins's RCA recordings of the '60s are all worth picking up.

Sonny Rollins - Holding The Stage - Road Shows, Volume 4 (2016) {Doxy Records 88875192752}
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© 2016 Doxy Records / OKeh / Sony Music | 88875192752
Jazz / Post Bop / Saxophone

The day may come when the well runs dry, but that day is not upon us. The fourth installment of Sonny Rollins' Road Shows series has arrived, bringing more beauties from the archives to light while bearing out that the genius of the Saxophone Colossus is best demonstrated on the stage. That's where the magic has always happened for him, and that's why these offerings have been so well-received. The first three volumes are already considered to be indispensable items in the storied Rollins canon, and this one stands to join them.

Sonny Rollins - Sonny Rollins And The Big Brass (1958) {Verve 24bit Master Edition 314 557 545-2 rel 1999}
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© 1958, 1999 MetroJazz / Verve / PolyGram | 314 557 545-2 | Verve 24bit Master Edition
Jazz / Hard Bop / Saxophone

Big Brass is an appropiate name for the large ensemble arranged and conducted by Ernie Wilkins that accompanies the huge sound of Sonny Rollins. The energy within the leader's gospel-flavored shout "Grand Street" is considerable, while a swinging but no less powerful version of George & Ira Gershwin's "Who Cares" features a choice solo by guitarist Rene Thomas. Also added to this compilation are trio recordings with bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Specs Wright, including a brilliant leisurely stroll through "Manhattan," along with Rollins' tour de force unaccompanied tenor sax on "Body and Soul."