Sonny Rollins

[AllenLowe]

"Kind of like actors becoming their own producers?"

yes, exactly - and I'll tell you a story Bill Triglia told me about Sonny - Bill's point was that Rollins, who's a good guy and generally self-effacing, is really the most competetive guy on earth. This is not meant as a put down, but I think he is in denial about his own ego; he's the best and he knows it -

Triglia is at a jam session in New Jersey in the mid-late '50s at some club; there are something like 10 tenor players on a tune; Sonny refuses to go on, lets every tenor player go ahead of him, quite consciously, waives each one on, one after the other; "than he gets up and wipes them all out, outplays them all put together until the audience forgets there was anybody there but Sonny."

the point of my telling this is that Sonny is, I think, much more conscious of his own power than he lets on. But also curiously insecure, as we know - one night he's playing at the Vanguard, having a mediocre night, can't get going - he's wandering the stage, playing a solo intro that goes on a bit to long - he opens his eyes, sees Bob Mover in front of him; he says "is there a problem?" then closes his eyes and keeps playing -

complicated guy -

Edited November 24, 2008 by AllenLowe

[Aggie87]

"Concord Records will release, via their Original Jazz Classics imprint, a reissue of the 1982 Sonny Rollins album, Reel Life. This CD release will be the first time that this album has been available on the format. In addition, the album is digitally remastered. Reel Life drops on June 2."

....how is this one? Any recommendations for or against? AMC/Yanow's writeup doesn't give it too glowing of a review, but it does contain Bobby Broom & Jack DeJohnette...

Edited May 6, 2009 by Aggie87

[JSngry]

....how is this one? Any recommendations for or against? AMC/Yanow's writeup doesn't give it too glowing of a review, but it does contain Bobby Broom & Jack DeJohnette...

Not particularly good, to tell the truth. One of the very few Milestones that don't have at least one killer cut on it.

Just my opinion, and as I remember it.

[Guest youmustbe]

Sonny's Milestone recordings are like your favorite uncle...You love him but you know he's been brain dead for years.

[JSngry]

Not really...

[AndrewHill]

"Concord Records will release, via their Original Jazz Classics imprint, a reissue of the 1982 Sonny Rollins album, Reel Life. This CD release will be the first time that this album has been available on the format. In addition, the album is digitally remastered. Reel Life drops on June 2."

....how is this one? Any recommendations for or against? AMC/Yanow's writeup doesn't give it too glowing of a review, but it does contain Bobby Broom & Jack DeJohnette...

Does anyone know what exactly is the "Original Jazz Classics Imprint"? I see there's no "OJC" label on the front of the cover above...is this going to be a new series or something like that?

[Aggie87]

I pulled that cover art from AMC, so it didn't come with the article that I posted. I'm not sure it will look exactly like that on the reissue.

[Chuck Nessa]

First time on cd and they trumpet "In addition, the album is digitally remastered"!

Well, DUH!

[JSngry]

No turntable required!

[Hardbopjazz]

....how is this one? Any recommendations for or against? AMC/Yanow's writeup doesn't give it too glowing of a review, but it does contain Bobby Broom & Jack DeJohnette...

Not particularly good, to tell the truth. One of the very few Milestones that don't have at least one killer cut on it.

Just my opinion, and as I remember it.

I liked the credenza at the end of the album and "McGhee", to me these are the highlights of this session.

[Aggie87]

....how is this one? Any recommendations for or against? AMC/Yanow's writeup doesn't give it too glowing of a review, but it does contain Bobby Broom & Jack DeJohnette...

Not particularly good, to tell the truth. One of the very few Milestones that don't have at least one killer cut on it.

Just my opinion, and as I remember it.

I liked the credenza at the end of the album and "McGhee", to me these are the highlights of this session.

McGhee is on the Silver City comp. I guess I should give that a spin soon.

[medjuck]

I've seen Sonny perform about 5 times over the last 4 decades. Hadn't been that impressed the last couple of times. Then I saw him last week and he just burned the place up. Never sat down, rarely stopped playing even when his sidemen were soloing-- which they didn't get to do that much. It was all Sonny, all the time and I loved it.

[jazzbo]

That's how he was in Austin as well. I'll never forget his pacing all over the stage, shrunken somewhat but full of energy and love of playing.

[AndrewHill]

I've seen Sonny only once at Severence Hall in Cleveland in 2001, and he was on the case, even though he was sick and was supposed to have a "meet and greet" before hand but canceled that. He played great nonetheless and had the crowd on their feet by the time he played Tenor Madness for the encore. Wish Sonny would come back to Cleveland, but apparently we are always on the backburner when it comes to big name jazz acts. A pity.

[jeffcrom]

Yeah, Sonny's definitely one of those improvisers who can't fake it. When he's not feeling inspired, his "coasting" is pretty lame. But when he's on, it's an ecstatic experience. I've heard him both ways.

[Hardbopjazz]

I've seen Sonny only once at Severence Hall in Cleveland in 2001, and he was on the case, even though he was sick and was supposed to have a "meet and greet" before hand but canceled that. He played great nonetheless and had the crowd on their feet by the time he played Tenor Madness for the encore.

In the film Saxophone Colossus Sonny broke the heel of his foot when he jumped off the stage and he kept on playing.

[jlhoots]

....how is this one? Any recommendations for or against? AMC/Yanow's writeup doesn't give it too glowing of a review, but it does contain Bobby Broom & Jack DeJohnette...

Not particularly good, to tell the truth. One of the very few Milestones that don't have at least one killer cut on it.

Just my opinion, and as I remember it.

I liked the credenza at the end of the album and "McGhee", to me these are the highlights of this session.

I thought a credenza was a piece of furniture.

Cadenza maybe??

[Hardbopjazz]

....how is this one? Any recommendations for or against? AMC/Yanow's writeup doesn't give it too glowing of a review, but it does contain Bobby Broom & Jack DeJohnette...

Not particularly good, to tell the truth. One of the very few Milestones that don't have at least one killer cut on it.

Just my opinion, and as I remember it.

I liked the credenza at the end of the album and "McGhee", to me these are the highlights of this session.

I thought a credenza was a piece of furniture.

Cadenza maybe??

opps.

[Free For All]

If anyone's interested, Newbury has Sonny's The Freelance Years (which consists of his Contemporary and Riverside material) for $19.99. Not bad for a 5 CD box!

I'm just sayin'.

Here....

[JSngry]

It also includes that nifty little three-tune Period date w/Jimmy Cleveland & Gil Coggins that was recorded the day after the BN Vanguard date. Hardly "essential", but one that continues to satisfy, at least for me.

[GA Russell]

I listened to Reel Life on lala when it was first re-released some weeks back, and I didn't think much of it either.

I believe, but I could be mistaken, that it was Bobby Broom's first recording with Sonny, so you may want to listen to it for that reason.

[BruceH]

Yeah, Sonny's definitely one of those improvisers who can't fake it. When he's not feeling inspired, his "coasting" is pretty lame. But when he's on, it's an ecstatic experience. I've heard him both ways.

Yeah, he blows hot and cold. Like Dexter.

[bluesoul]

Sonny Rollins from Kongsberg Jazz Festival,Norway June 25 ,1971 .
Bobo Stenson piano ,Arild Andersen bass , Jon Christensen drums.

Edited January 26, 2015 by bluesoul

[Hardbopjazz]

Outstanding. Thanks for posting this.

[JSngry]

Everything from Arid Andersen's solo on "In A Sentimental Mood" on is some of the most nerve-wracking live footage I've seen in quite a while. Not in a bad way, but...talk about seeing right in front of you why things that would happen for all concerned over the next few year pretty much had to happen, that's intense.

I'm trying to imagine Sonny Rollins recording for ECM with that trio, and it's a good thing, just not with that Sonny Rollins, the real one. Not then, not ever.

That cadenza...damn. Eicher should have been the one to do the Sonny Rollins Solo Album, with that Sonny Rollins, the real one. And at that time.

And really, for all the legend that has been earned about the improvisational peaks and valleys of Sonny Rollins, is it just me, oh is the notion of Sonny Rollins being one pf the most consistently authoritative deliverers of interpretative melodies (no matter what happens in the improvisation) one of the most overlooked facts of jazz? I heard "Stairway To The Stars" from Sonny Please on Pandora this evening, and jeez, talk about a statement, just the opening melody statement, you could stop right there and have the best life has to offer.

That's another project, Sonny Rollins Plays Just The Original Melodies. But not with that Sonny Rollins, or even this Sonny Rollins, the real ones both. I don't know if that would be something he'd view as anything he felt an impulse towards doing. So I guess it befalls us, the listener, to pay attention to it while its happening, lest it be done and moved on from.

And that is Sonny Rollins. The real one.