Hardbopjazz Posted June 14, 2011 Report Share Posted June 14, 2011 In this month's Jazz Times Sonny Rollins takes a blind fold test. Sorry I don't have it to post here, but if someone does have a link to the test, do post it. I don't want to give any of his answers away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted June 14, 2011 Report Share Posted June 14, 2011 Someone gave me a gift subscription to Jazz Times so I saw that too. Thought it was interesting. I don't have a link either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relyles Posted June 14, 2011 Report Share Posted June 14, 2011 Sonny Rollins Before and After Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardbopjazz Posted June 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2011 (edited) Thanks Ronald. Edited June 14, 2011 by Hardbopjazz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted June 14, 2011 Report Share Posted June 14, 2011 What an ear! Fun read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.:.impossible Posted June 14, 2011 Report Share Posted June 14, 2011 Nice. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjzee Posted June 15, 2011 Report Share Posted June 15, 2011 Beautiful. Thanks for posting that. And thanks, Hardbopjazz, for bringing that to our attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted June 15, 2011 Report Share Posted June 15, 2011 Thanks HBJ and Ron! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewHill Posted June 15, 2011 Report Share Posted June 15, 2011 Really cool. Thanks for posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted June 15, 2011 Report Share Posted June 15, 2011 That was great... sometimes you wish lesser musicians (human beings!) than Sonny shared at least some of his humility. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesbro Posted June 16, 2011 Report Share Posted June 16, 2011 (edited) Sonny is always great. Road Show Vol 2 is coming!! Edited June 16, 2011 by bluesbro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Ptah Posted June 16, 2011 Report Share Posted June 16, 2011 I find it remarkable that Sonny Rollins had never heard the recording of Coleman Hawkins' "Picasso" in its entirety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjzee Posted June 16, 2011 Report Share Posted June 16, 2011 I've been thinking a lot about this paragraph: "I’m getting to the point where the music is getting away from these great standards. It’s not that they’re not legitimate, but the trend is to not go that way. I know that my guitar player Russell Malone loves standards. But the music is sort of making a shift. It’s not those songs so much that you can put potency to. I’m saying that without denying anything about them. I love them. You love them. But maybe it’s the people coming up: Now, people who are experiencing music are experiencing different times. So those songs may not have the same relevance or the same strength that they had for us. If the people don’t feel them, then they’re beginning to lose something. The music has to reach people so they can contribute to it with their appreciation. I just feel that now, these beautiful songs are beginning to fade from the imagination of younger audiences." I think one of the reasons Sonny is so great in concert is that he's attuned to the vibe coming from the audience. His whole mission is to connect with the audience. This explains the fusion-y and disco-y tunes on his Milestone albums of the '70's and '80's - he simply wanted to play in the style that was popular then, much like standards were lingua franca in the '50's. This dovetails nicely with Fasstrack's exploration/meditation on Jazz Populism (noted here). I'll be curious to hear which styles Sonny turns to next. Directions In Music from Sonny Rollins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 just wanted to add here, Sonny is a fucking G, let me to you. He is very old but after his show he chilled for a solid 30 minutes, meeting every fan who wanted to say 'hi'. one young black kid was really serious about learning more of the mecahanics of jazz, he was sayin like all: sonny, well what is there if i just dont wanna stick to the changes, what the next level- and sonny was all talking about feeling and sencerity when you play- their talk alone was very extensive and went on for a number of min. some guys told sonny they play, he signed their records keep blowin yr horn i believe.....i didnt delve into that w/ the man, i just was all hello. and hes signing it: 'Thanks for Digging our Jazz". but i then felt it was to quiet and i was doing too litte, even though (hell BOTH sonny + I were tired that late, lolz) but finally whilst him singing it i just freaked out thought fuck, here is everything u know and love about jazz, the guy who started it all, u have to ask him a question so and i was all: i thought, what to ask the great sonny rollins, i dont want to (but want to) but i dont wanna ask him about hank. its not about hank rightnow, its all about sonny. then all of a sudden, it dawned on me: i was all: hey sonny why have u never recorded an album w/ an organ trio, like why didnt u partnerup once w/ jimmy smith in the day or whatever? and sonny was all: if they could bring jimmy back, i -would- , i liked him very much"""..... and i was all: hmm. thats true right u guys, sonny +B3 NEVER happneed, no? anyways, the pt of this long msg is that sonny is an honorable cat. like his music, he is something that is good. he is the oppopsite of the rest of the world. some of you guys might remember i just recounting my orig. post on this when it happened, but ive met sonny like 3-4 times PRIOR to this encounter. but this time, interacting with him here, it was a religious experience, I truly felt as if i was talking to Jesus Christ, or Thomas Edison, or something. it was profound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 the pt of this long msg is that sonny is an honorable cat. like his music, he is something that is good. he is the oppopsite of the rest of the world. Believe it now, know it whenever it's time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 I've been thinking a lot about this paragraph: "I'm getting to the point where the music is getting away from these great standards. It's not that they're not legitimate, but the trend is to not go that way. I know that my guitar player Russell Malone loves standards. But the music is sort of making a shift. It's not those songs so much that you can put potency to. I'm saying that without denying anything about them. I love them. You love them. But maybe it's the people coming up: Now, people who are experiencing music are experiencing different times. So those songs may not have the same relevance or the same strength that they had for us. If the people don't feel them, then they're beginning to lose something. The music has to reach people so they can contribute to it with their appreciation. I just feel that now, these beautiful songs are beginning to fade from the imagination of younger audiences." I think one of the reasons Sonny is so great in concert is that he's attuned to the vibe coming from the audience. His whole mission is to connect with the audience. This explains the fusion-y and disco-y tunes on his Milestone albums of the '70's and '80's - he simply wanted to play in the style that was popular then, much like standards were lingua franca in the '50's. This dovetails nicely with Fasstrack's exploration/meditation on Jazz Populism (noted here). I'll be curious to hear which styles Sonny turns to next. Directions In Music from Sonny Rollins! You'll note that Sonny never once implied that it was the people's fault for losing contact with those songs, like people are degenerating because they don't respond as much to standards anymore. Instead, he's saying that times have changed, and those songs, great as they are, don't automatically "hit the spot" with people like they used to, that it's ok for that to be happening, perhaps even natural/inevitable, and that it's more important to communicate your message than it is to expound on your medium. A pretty prescient observation, i think that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright Moments Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 just wanted to add here, Sonny is a fucking G, let me to you. He is very old but after his show he chilled for a solid 30 minutes, meeting every fan who wanted to say 'hi'. one young black kid was really serious about learning more of the mecahanics of jazz, he was sayin like all: sonny, well what is there if i just dont wanna stick to the changes, what the next level- and sonny was all talking about feeling and sencerity when you play- their talk alone was very extensive and went on for a number of min. some guys told sonny they play, he signed their records keep blowin yr horn i believe.....i didnt delve into that w/ the man, i just was all hello. and hes signing it: 'Thanks for Digging our Jazz". but i then felt it was to quiet and i was doing too litte, even though (hell BOTH sonny + I were tired that late, lolz) but finally whilst him singing it i just freaked out thought fuck, here is everything u know and love about jazz, the guy who started it all, u have to ask him a question so and i was all: i thought, what to ask the great sonny rollins, i dont want to (but want to) but i dont wanna ask him about hank. its not about hank rightnow, its all about sonny. then all of a sudden, it dawned on me: i was all: hey sonny why have u never recorded an album w/ an organ trio, like why didnt u partnerup once w/ jimmy smith in the day or whatever? and sonny was all: if they could bring jimmy back, i -would- , i liked him very much"""..... and i was all: hmm. thats true right u guys, sonny +B3 NEVER happneed, no? anyways, the pt of this long msg is that sonny is an honorable cat. like his music, he is something that is good. he is the oppopsite of the rest of the world. some of you guys might remember i just recounting my orig. post on this when it happened, but ive met sonny like 3-4 times PRIOR to this encounter. but this time, interacting with him here, it was a religious experience, I truly felt as if i was talking to Jesus Christ, or Thomas Edison, or something. it was profound WORD!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afric Pepperbird Posted June 18, 2011 Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 Hmmm... I misread the thread title. I originally saw Henry Rollins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Gray Posted June 18, 2011 Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 I find it remarkable that Sonny Rollins had never heard the recording of Coleman Hawkins' "Picasso" in its entirety. Indeed. Especially given the existence of this Hawkins compilation "selected by Sonny Rollins". First track - Picasso Ultimate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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