SONNY ROLLINS
Prestige Profiles Vol. 3
Read
Sonny Rollins: Freedom Suite Revisited
Read
the Jazzitude review of Without a Song: The 9/11Concert
“St. Thomas” the track from the
1956 classic Saxophone Colossus, tells you, in many ways,
everything you need to know about Sonny Rollins. He’s
an endlessly rhythmically fresh improvisational artist whose
approach to the tenor sax is one of robust energy and sophisticated
wit. However, 1956 was the final year that Rollins recorded
for Prestige. This collection also includes a swing version
of Kurt Weill’s “Moritat” from that same
album. Rollins would release one final album on Prestige,
from December of ’56, entitled Tour de Force, and
the track “My Ideal,” included here, features
Kenny Drew on piano, drummer Max Roach (who is also featured
on the Saxophone Colossus tracks), and vocalist Earl Coleman.
This track shows that Rollins’ ballad work was also
approaching a higher level of maturity.
That same year, Rollins recorded “Tenor
Madness” with the Miles Davis rhythm section of Red
Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones, along with
John Coltrane. And March 1956 saw the sessions that produced
Sonny Rollins Plus 4, the four being tumpeter Clifford Brown,
pianist Richie Powell, bassist George Morrow, and Roach
on drums. The track “I Feel a Song Coming On”
from that disc that is included here features burning bebop
solos from both Rollins and Brown.
It’s clear from this that in 1956 Rollins’
star was rising, and quickly. One reason for this was that
Rollins kicked his heroin addiction in 1955. He moved to
Chicago, working as a day laborer and practicing saxophone
at night. Miles Davis attempted to hire Rollins for his
new quintet, but Rollins declined, eventually joining up
with Max Roach and Clifford Brown. At the end of ’55
Rollins recorded Worktime with Roach, George Morrow, and
Ray Bryant. An incendiary version of “It’s All
Right With Me” from that album is included here.
Not that the earlier material here isn’t
worthy of listeners’ attention. Rollins had been growing
fast since he arrived at Prestige in 1951. There’s
a nice rendition of “More Than You Know” here
from a 1954 session that features Thelonious Monk, Tommy
Potter and Arthur Taylor. It’s not only a good performance
from Sonny, it provides an opportunity to hear Monk’s
often ignored accompaniment behind a soloist as well as
his unique solo piano style. In 1951 Prestige released Sonny
Rollins with the Modern Jazz Quartet, which only featured
the MJQ on some of the tracks, while others featured a rhythm
section comprised of Kenny Drew on piano, Percy Heat on
bass, and Art Blakey on drums. This group is featured on
the performances of “On a Slow Boat to China”
and “Mambo Bounce” heard here. Both are light,
airy Rollins performances that, although not devoid of energy,
don’t quite have the rhythmic intensity heard on the
’56 dates. There is a track here with the MJQ as well,
“In a Sentimental Mood” in a gentle reading
where Rollins nonetheless gets the opportunity to stretch
out with Duke’s melody.
The bonus disc here includes the Thelonious
Monk Quintet, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis doing Rollins’
composition “Oleo,” Dexter Gordon performing
the Rollins piece “Airegin,” Oliver Nelson,
and a tenor conclave comprised of Hank Mobley, Al Cohn,
John Coltrane, and Zoot Sims.
