Mr. Rollins Goes Gangsta - Bootlegs The Bootlegs

[JSngry]

Received via e-mail:

The London Sessions Now Available

Sonny’s legendary January 1965 residency at London’s Ronnie Scott’s jazz club offers a very different perspective on his playing from the studio albums of the mid 60s. Long prized by collectors worldwide, these sixteen extended tracks reflect a more adventurous and exciting performer than his known recordings of the period.

Why Sonny is Selling The London Sessions on His Site

When Sonny appeared at Ronnie Scott's for one month in January of 1965, he was secretly recorded by someone in the audience.

Those tapes have been shared by collectors globally, but last year they were released, without Sonny's permission, by a London based record label. All efforts to contact the label have proven fruitless, so instead, Sonny decided to release the music himself.

Although these tracks are not digitallly recorded, they do offer documentation of truly remarkable music. Some of the performances run half an hour and capture Sonny live in a way he's rarely heard on recordings.

The first four tracks are now available for purchase on Sonny's site. Four additional tracks will be added next month, four more in May, etc.

And at: http://sonnyrollins.com/londonsessions.php

The London Sessions

These tracks were recorded, unbeknowst to Sonny, at Ronnie Scott's in London during January of 1965. The audio quality varies from good to merely adequate, because Sonny does go off mike occassionally. To sample the audio quality, please listen to and downloadthe MP3 promo , which includes sample music and a fascinating interview with Sonny.

There are a total of 16 tracks and we'll be posting four more each month (next upload: 4/15). After purchase, you will receive an email that contains a link where you can download the files, which are encoded at 192kbs. Questions, etc., please contact Customer Service.

Sonny Rollins, tenor; Stan Tracey, piano; Rick Laird, bass; Ron Stephenson, drums

St. Thomas (Length: 2:46, Cost $.99)

I'll Be Seeing You (Length: 6:08 Cost $.99)

Where Are You ( Length: 16:19 Cost $1.99)

Sonnymoon For Two (Length 27:03 Cost $2.99)

Go Sonny!

[Claude]

Although these tracks are not digitallly recorded, they do offer documentation of truly remarkable music.

[bertrand]

Unlike iTunes, where a song is $.99 whether it's a minute long or an hour long, Sonny is charging based on duration!

Bertrand.

[Ken Dryden]

Sonny Rollins is not doin' a Gangsta thing, he's just beating the thieves at their own game, the same way that Frank Zappa did with his two Beat the Boots! boxed sets on the Rhino-distributed Foo-eee label. Those boxes are now collectable themselves.

I wish more artists did the same thing, it would put a damper on some of these crooked European labels who never pay anyone for the material they brazenly steal.

Edited March 17, 2007 by Ken Dryden

[mmilovan]

Although these tracks are not digitallly recorded, they do offer documentation of truly remarkable music.

I laughed a lot when I first read it.

Perhaps digital format is reserved for truly remarkable music, and analog is for less remarkable.

Edited March 17, 2007 by mmilovan

[brownie]

Although these tracks are not digitallly recorded, they do offer documentation of truly remarkable music.

I laughed a lot when I first read it.

Perhaps digital format is reserved for truly remarkable music, and analog is for less remarkable.

Time to get rid of all those Sonny Rollins analog recordings

[John L]

Unfortunately, when they put up new ones, they take down the old ones. I was too late to get what I wanted.

[Guest donald petersen]

i never got the zappa thing since most of those bootlege sucked.

why not beat the boots by releasing good quality live stuff!

and also the crap if you want to stick it to the thieves.

[DukeCity]

Unfortunately, when they put up new ones, they take down the old ones. I was too late to get what I wanted.

Yeah, what's up with that? I'm DL-ing the four that are up right now. What am I to do if I want the previously available tracks (is it 8 or 4?)? Do I have to go to the Gray/Black market?

Edited May 11, 2007 by DukeCity

[bertrand]

This contradicts the claim that four MORE tracks would be available.

Are they planning a CD eventually for us oldsters who occasionally download, but would prefer a CD?

All joking aside, this gives me some ideas re: Wayne Shorter.

Since his CDs are so few and far between, I've long thought he should put out more live stuff, just to keep the fans happy. One thing he could do is go the Allman Brothers route, and sell CDs after the show of the show that just took place. I know I'd be buying.

Another alternative is to put out an official box set (i.e. beat the boots) of various live shows from the last few years, from different bands. This set could include:

1) One or two quartet shows

2) A duet with Herbie

3) A gig with orchestra (the one Adam and I saw in LA in January 2006 was real nice; I wonder if it was taped)

4) A gig with Herbie, Dave Holland and Brian Blade from that tour (Perugia is amazing)

5) Some rarity from the post-Weather Report period - maybe a gig from the tour with Larry Coryell?

But who to pitch this too? I've talked to Wayne briefly a few times, but I would not want to approach him with anything business-like. But if he knows Sonny is doing it, it might convince him.

Bertrand.

Edited May 11, 2007 by bertrand

[Guest donald petersen]

i know i personally really enjoy all the live shorter recordings i have heard from the 80s and would welcome an official release of some sort. there are many high quality recordings floating around the internet....

[Hoppy T. Frog]

Dang it, I thought that Harkit was playing by the rules , and I bought all three volumes so far of the Ronnie Scott's material.

The music is pretty well recorded and is absolutely remarkable. Sonny is on fire, and Stan Tracey was a revelation to me.

[bertrand]

'i know i personally really enjoy all the live shorter recordings i have heard from the 80s and would welcome an official release of some sort. there are many high quality recordings floating around the internet....'

Exactly my point. I think Wayne is somewhat aware of this, but probably not to what extent. If these shows were released officially, they would sell as well as the Verve CDs, in my opinion.

'The music is pretty well recorded and is absolutely remarkable'.

But it's not digitally recorded. How can you say that

[Ken Dryden]

The sound on the Harkit recordings I was sent was pretty noisy, with lots of microphone bumping and such. The interviews heard on some of the discs were rather amateurish in nature.

Congrats to Sonny for beating the crooks.

[mjzee]

I've just noticed that the next 4 are up:

A Foggy Day (Length: 17:56, Cost $1.99)

Four (Length: 15:58 Cost $1.99)

My One and Only Love (Length: 6:29 Cost $.99)

Blue 'n Boogie (Length 7:33 Cost $.99)

Were there any posted previously besides:

Autumn Nocturne

Flamingo

I'll Be Seeing You

Night And Day

Nutty

Sonnymoon For Two

St. Thomas

Where Are You

?

[John L]

I've just noticed that the next 4 are up:

A Foggy Day (Length: 17:56, Cost $1.99)

Four (Length: 15:58 Cost $1.99)

My One and Only Love (Length: 6:29 Cost $.99)

Blue 'n Boogie (Length 7:33 Cost $.99)

Were there any posted previously besides:

Autumn Nocturne

Flamingo

I'll Be Seeing You

Night And Day

Nutty

Sonnymoon For Two

St. Thomas

Where Are You

?

These would appear to be the Blue and Boogie and Four from volume 1, not volume 3. Correct?

John

[mjzee]

These would appear to be the Blue and Boogie and Four from volume 1, not volume 3. Correct?

John

Dunno. There's no correlation to the CDs on the website. Perhaps you could judge by the track timings?

[mjzee]

Three more postings:

Where Are You (Length: 16:17 Cost $1.99)

Four (Length: 22:38 Cost $1.99)

Now's The Time (Length: 11:52 Cost $1.99)

Four seems to be a different version than what was posted previously (previous length = 15:57), and Now's The Time was not previously posted. I don't know about Where Are You, as the timing is identical. I'll contact the website to clarify.

[mjzee]

As per the Webmaster, it is indeed the same version of Where Are You.