"Tour De Force" finds Sonny Rollins playing some of his fastest and most forceful tenor saxophone. It is no surprise that Sonny is joined once again on the kit by Max Roach (with Kenny Drew and George Morrow also in the band), because few drummers could keep this pace going on the album's smokers, the aptly named "B. Swift," "B. Quick," and "Ee-ah," and the only slightly slower (normal hard bop speed) "Sonny Boy." "Tour" also features two tracks with vocals by Earl Coleman, the tender ballads "My Ideal" and "Two Different Worlds." While it's not "John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman" (even though this pre-dates 'Trane's session by five years), it's pretty good. However, the disparity between the "speed bop" and the ballads is so great, it causes "Tour De Force" to feel schizophrenic.
On Nov. 27, “Black Friday,” independent jazz label Resonance Records will continue its ongoing tradition of releasing previously unissued archival recordings as limited-edition Record Store Day exclusives with a stellar new three-LP collection of historic Sonny Rollins performances, Rollins in Holland: The 1967 Studio & Live Recordings.
Sonny Rollins And The Big Brass (1958), Sonny Rollins On Impulse! (1965), Alfie [OST] (1966).
Sonny Rollins And The Big Brass (1958). 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"…
Sonny Rollins, Vol. 2, recorded for Blue Note, is a timeless session and a milestone in jazz history that gathered together some of the founding fathers of the post-bop era. Joining Rollins are Jazz Messengers Art Blakey on drums and Horace Silver on piano, Miles Davis' favorite bassist Paul Chambers, the quintessential trombonist J.J. Johnson, and even Thelonious Monk himself. The tour de force in swing begins with a bang and doesn't let up until the last note has faded away. Rollins' own uptempo "Why Don't I" kicks off the session with a rhythmic jolt before his big tenor launches into a classic swinging solo followed by turns from Johnson and Silver and some heated exchanges with Blakey…
Recorded in 1956 but issued in 1961, Sonny Boy combines three tracks previously heard on Rollins' 1957 release Tour de Force, omitting two ballads sung by Earl Coleman) with the title track, popularized by Al Jolson in the '20s, and an instrumental version of "The House I Live In" from the Frank Sinatra film of the same title. The blues "Ee-Ah" features a laid-back introduction by pianist Kenny Drew and a remarkable extended solo by Rollins. The aptly titled "B. Quick" and "B. Swift" are lightning-fast improvs spotlighting exceptional solos by all members, especially drummer Max Roach. Of the previously unissued tracks, "Sonny Boy" has a bounciness unusual in '50s jazz, and "The House I Live In" (featuring trumpeter Kenny Dorham and pianist Wade Legge) manages to be simultaneously stately and swinging.
In 1978 a tour was set up that would feature three of the top jazz stars of Milestone Records (tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins, pianist McCoy Tyner, and bassist Ron Carter) in a quartet with drummer Al Foster. The resulting recording has many strong moments, including Rollins' unaccompanied solo on "Continuum," his duet with Tyner on "In a Sentimental Mood," Tyner's showcases on "A Little Pianissimo" and "Alone Together" (the latter a duet with Carter), and the bassist's lengthy reworking of "Willow Weep for Me." The quartet pieces generally work well too, with these compatible but very individual stylists blending together much better than one might expect.