Sonny Rollins, The Solo Album

[mgraham333]

I saw this at Barnes & Noble and was curious but didn't pick it up. I think I'm glad I didn't based on AMG's review:

One of the few complete duds of Sonny Rollins's career, this rambling live session is a major disappointment. His unaccompanied explorations (which in the past usually clocked in at around three minutes) gave one the impression that he would be heard best in a solo setting where he could fly freely without having to be concerned about his accompanists. Perhaps that is true, but for this concert he apparently planned nothing in advance, resulting in 56 minutes of wandering around, throwing in occasional song quotes but managing to not play anything of real value. In other words, it sounds as if Rollins were merely warming up, playing whatever came into his mind without any thought of developing a coherent statement.

The blurb on the back of the CD & FantasyJazz.com says this:

This recording is a dream come true for Sonny Rollins fans, as Rollins presents an entire program without accompaniment in what must have been the ideal setting of the Museum of Modern Art Sculpture Garden. As expected, Rollins drops allusions all over the place and spins core melodic ideas into extended variations. The real fun, though, is simply getting caught up in the inspired whirl of the Rollins imagination as it darts here and there, managing to be both coherent and unpredictable in a manner that has earned him recognition as the music's supreme improviser. The enthusiastic audience, delighted to be along for the ride, even gets into the act at the close of this colossal solo session.

Which do you think comes closer to describing this album?

[Pete C]

dud

[JSngry]

"Dud" is too harsh "Public practice session" is more accurate.

One star is probably based on disappointment that it's not a recording of solo rendidions of tunes and such, something that would be an albums' worth of the brilliant cadenzas and introductions that Sonny has turned out over the years. That might have even been what the concert's promoters had in mind.

But for whatever reasons, Sonny decided to show up and practice, and Milestone decided to release it.

Interesting and revealing, yes, but perhaps only to musicians and the hardest of the hardcore Rollins fans. As a member of both camps, I enjoy listening to it occasionally for insight into "working" techniques, as a "clinic" of sorts. It does provide insight (and a fair amount of it) into how Rollins' "musical mind" works, but not in an "intended for public consumption" format. Like I said, if you're a musician or a full-throtle Rollins geek, you will enjoy it on those terms.

Everybody else should probably look elsewhere for their Oscar Peller Rollins thrills.

[ejp626]

  JSngry said:

"Dud" is too harsh "Public practice session" is more accurate.

But for whatever reasons, Sonny decided to show up and practice, and Milestone decided to release it.

  Quote

I think it is pretty much a dud. As it happens I did pick this up years ago (I can't even recall if I hadn't read the review or if I read it and said come on it's Sonny it can't be THAT bad), and regretted it. If anyone wants it for $4.95 (which includes shipping), you can judge for yourself.

To me what is amazing is that this was a concert of some sort. The audience certainly was shortchanged. I see that Sonny Rollins is going to be at the CSO in 2005. There are currently no other musicians on the bill, and I am hoping (praying) that this is just because Sonny continues to perform with a bunch of no-name musicians and not that he is planning a solo outing.

Eric

[Pete C]

  ejp626 said:

To me what is amazing is that this was a concert of some sort. The audience certainly was shortchanged.

It was a free concert at the Museum of Modern Art sculpture garden. I waited in line for a while, but it was apparent that I was too far back to get in, so I gave up. When I heard the album I didn't feel so bad about missing the show.

[danasgoodstuff]

One star is a bit harsh, I feel it's at least twice that good!

[Morganized]

  danasgoodstuff said:

One star is a bit harsh, I feel it's at least twice that good!

Nice!

[JSngry]

All thngs considered, I'd give it 2.5-3 as far as the "general public" go.

Just remember this album the next time anybody has fantasies of being a fly on the wall during a legend's (any legend's) practice sessions, with or without another legends presence (like when Sonny & Ornette practiced together).

Practice and performance are two different things. I suspect that Sonny knew that when he gave the concert knowing that it would be recorded, but that's enough about that.

[DMP]

Not sure I've ever made it to the end. And on the CD there's no break.