Melissa Aldana interviews Sonny Rollins

[Hardbopjazz]

This was a very good read.

The full interview is at the link below.

http://burningambulance.com/2016/03/11/melissa-aldana-sonny-rollins/

 

Up-and-coming saxophonist Melissa Aldana is a tremendous admirer of Sonny Rollins (aka the Greatest Saxophonist…Ever!). Her latest album, Back Home, is in many ways a tribute to him, and to his influence on her when she was just starting out, hearing Sonny Rollins Plus 4—aMax Roach/Clifford Brown Quintet disc in all but name—and being inspired to switch from alto to tenor. It’s a trio disc, a configuration Rollins has frequently employed, featuring bassistPablo Menares on bass and Jochen Rueckert on drums. The title track was written for Rollins; Aldana says, “He was one of the first reasons I started playing trio, because of the freedom that you have within the music, the interaction, the opportunity you have to express yourself and communicate with the other musicians.”

Back Home is out now (buy it from Amazon), and Rollins’ Holding the Stage, the latest in his Road Shows live series, will be released next month. It contains mostly 21st Century recordings, but there’s one rare gem tucked in the middle: a version of “Disco Monk,” from his 1979 album Don’t Ask, and never performed live since that year. Rollins and Aldana met for the first time last year, at the Great Night in Harlem salute to Rollins; he received a lifetime achievement award, and Aldana performed as part of the onstage tribute. So it seemed like a natural decision to put the two of them together on the phone, and have her interview him about the new album, his practice regimen, his feelings about improvisation and live performance, and much more.

 

[paul secor]

I liked Sonny's last two sentences: "Popular or not popular, it doesn’t mean anything. What means something is you, inside of you, playing."

[CJ Shearn]

I really enjoyed this interview, the kind of musician to musician insight and Sonny's encouragement to Melissa are really cool.

[jcam_44]

1 hour ago, CJ Shearn said:

I really enjoyed this interview, the kind of musician to musician insight and Sonny's encouragement to Melissa are really cool.

agree. I'm heading to amoeba tomorrow and hoping to pick up her new disc. She's not the soloist of depth, IMO, but compositionally I enjoyed her playing. I think the trio setting suits her as well. 

[CJ Shearn]

I don't believe I have any promo channels to hook me up with Melissa's new disc.  I'd imagine I'll probably get a promo from my friend at some point because WNYC gets loads.

[Justin V]

On 3/17/2016 at 10:51 PM, CJ Shearn said:

I don't believe I have any promo channels to hook me up with Melissa's new disc.  I'd imagine I'll probably get a promo from my friend at some point because WNYC gets loads.

You could always purchase it. 

[CJ Shearn]

I'll buy a copy at some point I'm sure but there is also a lot of other music to deal with first

Edited March 26, 2016 by CJ Shearn

[fasstrack]

Nice interview. I enjoyed that...