Sonny Rollins - Road Shows, vol. 2

[GA Russell]

I received this press release today:

"Road Shows, Vol. 2" Due September 13

From Sonny Rollins

On Doxy/Emarcy Records

New CD Contains 4 Tracks from September 2010

@80 Beacon Theatre Concert

Including "Sonnymoon for Two"

With Ornette Coleman, Christian McBride, Roy Haynes

Plus Two 2010 Japanese Performances with His Working Band

June 7, 2011

Sonny Rollins's forthcoming album, Road Shows, vol. 2, is quite likely to revive the delirious excitement stirred up at the saxophonist's sold-out 80th-birthday concert held in New York nearly one year ago. Four tracks on the new CD, which will be released September 13 by Doxy/Emarcy Records, were recorded that night; one of them is the 20-minute "Sonnymoon for Two" on which Rollins and surprise guest Ornette Coleman performed together in public for the first time in their long acquaintance, with electrifying results.

"This material was not intended to be my next album," says Rollins, "but it was so strong that I felt I had to release it."

Bassist Christian McBride and drummer Roy Haynes, who had previously appeared with Rollins at his 50th-anniversary Carnegie Hall concert in 2007, are special guests along with Coleman on "Sonnymoon." Other @80 selections feature trumpeter Roy Hargrove ("I Can't Get Started," "Rain Check") and guitarist Jim Hall ("In a Sentimental Mood") with Rollins's working band: guitarist Russell Malone, bassist Bob Cranshaw, drummer Kobie Watkins, and percussionist Sammy Figueroa.

The remaining tracks on the new CD, "They Say It's Wonderful" and "St. Thomas," were recorded during a Japanese tour one month after the @80 concert. "I wanted this Road Shows to comprise performances from 2010," Rollins states. Volume 1, by contrast, presented a range of performances recorded over a nearly 30-year period.

The historic onstage meeting of Rollins and Coleman, whom CD annotator Francis Davis describes as "the two sharpest minds in jazz," was a first, though the saxophonists are friends who used to practice together on the beach in California. Coleman was invited to play at the September 10th Beacon concert, says Rollins, "but I didn't know until the last minute whether he would accept the invitation." Indeed, his participation was confirmed just a few hours before showtime.

L. to r.: Ornette Coleman, Christian McBride, Roy Haynes, Sonny Rollins.

"I figured that 'Sonnymoon' would be open enough for Ornette and for everybody," says Rollins. "It could be played in a structured way or an unstructured way. It was malleable enough to suit whatever my guests wanted to do with it."

Sonny Rollins (right) with Russell Malone, Roy Hargrove, Bob Cranshaw, Kobie Watkins, Sammy Figueroa.

Road Shows, vol. 1 was one of the most highly-praised albums of 2008, placing at the top of many best-of lists and critics polls. Stereophile, in a five-star review, wrote that it "represents a new entry on the short list of albums that every serious jazz fan needs to own."

Referring to the three-year gap between the two Road Shows CDs, the saxophonist comments that "it is my intention and desire to release more music in a much shorter span of time. I have a lot in the archives, but I am thinking about recent things. I want to capture some of Sonny Rollins 2011 -- new material that I have, and new ideas that I have and am working on, which are as yet unfulfilled and undocumented. Working in the studio is a definite possibility."

Rollins, whose most recent honor is the National Medal of Arts, which was presented to him by President Barack Obama in March, is currently on tour in Australia and New Zealand. Early last month, he returned to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival for the first time since the mid-1990s, premiering a much-talked-about composition called "D. Cherry." Shortly after the release of Road Shows, vol. 2, Rollins will perform several concerts in California, including the Monterey Jazz Festival, as well as in Washington, DC and Nashville, before embarking on a fall European tour.

Photos by John Abbott

[JSngry]

Already have the Beacon material, but will be getting this anyway, just because, and all that implies.

[tranemonk]

Looks fantastic...Thanks for the info.

[save0904]

I'm really looking forward listening to it! Any sound samples yet ?

[jlhoots]

I'll definitely buy this.

[Hardbopjazz]

The Beacon show is worth this alone. Sonny and Ornette, a once in a life time teaming up of these two greats.

[Hardbopjazz]

My one concern, "In a Sentimental Mood" from the Beacon, Jim Hall's guitar was out of tune and the first 30 seconds were spent with Jim Hall tunning and Sonny Playing Chopin's funeral march, why include this?

Edited June 8, 2011 by Hardbopjazz

[CJ Shearn]

My one concern, "In a Sentimental Mood" from the Beacon, Jim Hall's guitar was out of tune and the first 30 seconds were spent with Jim Hall tunning and Sonny Playing Chopin's funeral march, why include this?

Maybe they'll auto tune it.

[GA Russell]

My one concern, "In a Sentimental Mood" from the Beacon, Jim Hall's guitar was out of tune and the first 30 seconds were spent with Jim Hall tunning and Sonny Playing Chopin's funeral march, why include this?

My contact tells me that the out-of-tune portion of Sentimental Mood is not included.

[Hardbopjazz]

My one concern, "In a Sentimental Mood" from the Beacon, Jim Hall's guitar was out of tune and the first 30 seconds were spent with Jim Hall tunning and Sonny Playing Chopin's funeral march, why include this?

My contact tells me that the out-of-tune portion of Sentimental Mood is not included.

That's good to know.

[ejp626]

My one concern, "In a Sentimental Mood" from the Beacon, Jim Hall's guitar was out of tune and the first 30 seconds were spent with Jim Hall tunning and Sonny Playing Chopin's funeral march, why include this?

My contact tells me that the out-of-tune portion of Sentimental Mood is not included.

That's good to know.

Yeah, they're saving it for the 10th anniversary "complete" edition when it is remastered with a bonus DVD of the performances.

[GA Russell]

I see that Amazon now has this up for pre-order at $14.41.

http://www.amazon.com/Road-Shows-2-Sonny-Rollins/dp/B005D1IFNA/ref=pd_sim_sbs_m_4

The six tracks may be sampled at the link.

[Pete C]

Yeah, they're saving it for the 10th anniversary "complete" edition when it is remastered with a bonus DVD of the performances.

Liner notes by Phil Schaap?

[Pete C]

Here's a really stupid promo video:

[Mark Stryker]

http://www.npr.org/2011/08/28/139978299/first-listen-sonny-rollins-road-shows-vol-2?sc=tw&cc=share

NPR First Listen ...

[GA Russell]

Happy Birthday Sonny Rollins! 81 today.

I've been digging this since I got it last week, and can recommend it to everyone, but there are a few things you should know.

There are six tracks, four of which are from the Sonny Rollins @ 80 concert last year. But one of the non-@ 80 tracks is a token St. Thomas without improvisations lasting less than 3 minutes.

One of the @ 80 tracks is Jim Hall playing In a Sentimental Mood with Sonny sitting out. It's great, but there are no tracks with Sonny playing with Jim.

I imagine that most of us here saw/heard the Sonnymoon for Two performance with Ornette Coleman on YouTube before it was taken down. Ornette is a lightning rod, and most jazz fans already know whether they will think that his presence is a good or bad thing. I'm not much of a fan of his, and as a result this 21:49 track doesn't do much for me. YMMV.

That leaves only three tracks, totalling only 36 minutes. They're great. Sonny sounds terrific despite his age, which is remarkable in itself. Whether that's enough music for you to shell out the cash is for you to decide. I imagine that spotify will get the album, which will help you make up your mind.

[mjzee]

Happy Birthday Sonny Rollins! 81 today.

I've been digging this since I got it last week, and can recommend it to everyone, but there are a few things you should know.

There are six tracks, four of which are from the Sonny Rollins @ 80 concert last year. But one of the non-@ 80 tracks is a token St. Thomas without improvisations lasting less than 3 minutes.

One of the @ 80 tracks is Jim Hall playing In a Sentimental Mood with Sonny sitting out. It's great, but there are no tracks with Sonny playing with Jim.

I imagine that most of us here saw/heard the Sonnymoon for Two performance with Ornette Coleman on YouTube before it was taken down. Ornette is a lightning rod, and most jazz fans already know whether they will think that his presence is a good or bad thing. I'm not much of a fan of his, and as a result this 21:49 track doesn't do much for me. YMMV.

That leaves only three tracks, totalling only 36 minutes. They're great. Sonny sounds terrific despite his age, which is remarkable in itself. Whether that's enough music for you to shell out the cash is for you to decide. I imagine that spotify will get the album, which will help you make up your mind.

That's a good analysis, GA. I appreciate that you see this as a buying decision, where you need to weigh the relative value against another title you may not be able to buy (or should buy instead). The fanboy in me has ordered it because, after all, it's Sonny, but it's good to see the downside too.

[GA Russell]

Thanks, mjzee! I forgot to mention that it comes in a jewel case (which I prefer) rather than a digipak.

[GA Russell]

http://www.npr.org/2...?sc=tw&cc=share

NPR First Listen ...

I've been told that this will be up only through the 12th.

[skeith]

GA,

I have to agree with you. I am a fan of both Rollins and Ornette and have to say that on a first listen, Sonnymoon for Two, their track together, is my least favorite on the CD.

Regardless, of what you think of Ornette, and I hesitate to criticize one of the greatest living improvisors, but I find Rollins's solo before Ornette comes out to be wandering and uninspired, with sparse and aimless playing. However, after Ornette solos, Rollins comes back with much better stuff. I also find it odd that they couldn't have inlcuded a track with Jim Hall and Rollins playing together, as opposed to the Jim Hall feature track which is quite fine, but hey didn't they play together that night?

Overall, still a really good album with many fine performances.

Edited September 15, 2011 by skeith

[mjzee]

I find Rollins's solo before Ornette comes out to be wandering and uninspired, with sparse and aimless playing.

There was a homemade video of this performance that was up on YouTube for a few days. You can see Sonny & co. killing time while they're waiting for Ornette to come onstage - it took longer than planned.

[ValerieB]

Here's a really stupid promo video:

oh, no, that's from my favorite video guy. cannot believe he would be responsible for that background music!! Pete, did you "fiddle" with it?!?

[Pete C]

Pete, did you "fiddle" with it?!?

Yeah, while Rome burned.

[skeith]

I find Rollins's solo before Ornette comes out to be wandering and uninspired, with sparse and aimless playing.

There was a homemade video of this performance that was up on YouTube for a few days. You can see Sonny & co. killing time while they're waiting for Ornette to come onstage - it took longer than planned.

Thanks Mjzee for clearing that up.

[Pete C]

I imagine that spotify will get the album, which will help you make up your mind.

As of now, only 2 tracks are available, In a Sentimental Mood and St. Thomas.