Saxophone Colossus - The Life And Music Of Sonny Rollins

[ghost of miles]

Pg 332: “Starting July 22 (1959), Sonny was booked for two weeks at the Sutherland Lounge in Chicago. He brought Freddie (Hubbard) and used a Chicago rhythm section: drummer Wilbur Campbell, pianist Jodie Christian, and his old friend Victor Sproles on bass. During one set, they played ‘Confirmation’ for 28 minutes before segueing into ‘I Can’t Get Started,’ with Sonny and Freddie soloing simultaneously. Sonny prohibited any bootleg recordings, but he made an exception in Chicago for a former Julliard student who had loaned Sonny his tenor in 1954 before Sonny went to Lexington. Sonny had pawned the loaner, but eventually returned it. Remembering this, Sonny allowed him to record the gig on his reel-to-reel recorder.”

😮 According to the online footnotes (chapter 22, fn 128), the recording resides in the Carl Smith Collection. 

Chapter 22’s footnotes also refer frequently to several oral history interviews that Freddie Hubbard did with David Weiss in 2004-2005. Would love to read those at some point… Levy thanks Weiss for access in the footnotes, so apparently they remain private for the moment. I’d also love to read a book about Freddie by David (who posts here). 

[danasgoodstuff]

2 hours ago, ghost of miles said:

Pg 332: “Starting July 22 (1959), Sonny was booked for two weeks at the Sutherland Lounge in Chicago. He brought Freddie (Hubbard) and used a Chicago rhythm section: drummer Wilbur Campbell, pianist Jodie Christian, and his old friend Victor Sproles on bass. During one set, they played ‘Confirmation’ for 28 minutes before segueing into ‘I Can’t Get Started,’ with Sonny and Freddie soloing simultaneously. Sonny prohibited any bootleg recordings, but he made an exception in Chicago for a former Julliard student who had loaned Sonny his tenor in 1954 before Sonny went to Lexington. Sonny had pawned the loaner, but eventually returned it. Remembering this, Sonny allowed him to record the gig on his reel-to-reel recorder.”

😮 According to the online footnotes (chapter 22, fn 128), the recording resides in the Carl Smith Collection. 

Chapter 22’s footnotes also refer frequently to several oral history interviews that Freddie Hubbard did with David Weiss in 2004-2005. Would love to read those at some point… Levy thanks Weiss for access in the footnotes, so apparently they remain private for the moment. I’d also love to read a book about Freddie by David (who posts here). 

There's your holy grail recording right there.

[medjuck]

On page 32 Dinah Shore is amongst a long list of luminaries "dotting Sugar Hill"!?? 

Edited December 28, 2022 by medjuck

[BillF]

Pleased to see Manchester Public Libraries have ordered this book, so have placed a reservation.

(Asking price here is £42.19).

Edited January 1, 2023 by BillF

[medjuck]

Just read the chapter about the court marshal of Sonny's dad. Wow!  I know we're note supposed to discuss politics here but........

[Ken Dryden]

The book arrived in the midst of the Christmas season, so I haven't started reading it yet.

 

[ghost of miles]

Pg 438, in the midst of 1964:

>>(Grachan) Moncur asked for more music, but Sonny demurred. “I said, ‘Sonny, why don’t you bring me some chords sometime or a lead sheet of some of the stuff you want to play?’ He said, ‘Uh, no, Grachan, I think I like the way you play when you don’t know the changes.’ “ So Moncur just kept the mouthpiece at his lips and hung on for dear life. “For me to last ten days like that was a miracle,” Moncur said, “‘cause he was known to knock cats out if he didn’t like how they played.” In musician circles, Mingus was known for this, but so was Sonny.<<

Pg 439:

>>Two weeks later, Sonny hired (Beaver) Harris and pianist Freddie Redd for two weeks at Basin Street West in San Francisco, followed by Shelly’s Manne-Hole in Los Angeles. He planned to find a bassist in San Francisco. When Sonny picked them up to go to the airport, Redd had a tenor saxophone with him.

”What do you have there, Mr. Redd?” Sonny said.

”Well man, a friend gave me this tenor saxophone, man, a Selmer,” said Redd, “and you know, I just thought I’d come out and practice.”

”Well, yes, you can come out and practice,” said Sonny with a touch of irony. “But don’t bring it on the gig.”<<.  😄

[T.D.]

I saw the book in a shop this week, wanted to start right away, so bought it and cancelled the library hold.

Getting near the end, having trouble putting the book down.

I have found one funny gaffe...no disrespect to Mr. Levy and some slips are unavoidable in such a long book.

pp. 453-454: May 5, 1965, Sonny plays at the Vanguard with Miles's rhythm section of Herbie, Tony Williams and Richard Davis (who sometimes subbed for Ron Carter). It doesn't work out, and only lasts one night.

pp. 569-570: Jan. 10, 1977, Carnegie Hall. "It was Sonny's first meeting with Tony Williams. 'I have a strong sense of rhythm, so his playing complemented me perfectly,' Sonny said."

Wasn't looking for errors, but saw the "first meeting", thought "WTF?", had to go back and check. [Added] Looks like the first account was taken from an interview with Herbie. A later Sonny interview contradicted it.

Edited January 7, 2023 by T.D.

[Brad]

Aidan Levy interview by Bret Primack.

https://www.jazzwax.com/2023/01/sonny-rollins-bret-primack-and-aidan-levy.html

[ghost of miles]

I continue to enjoy this biography—particularly the observations from musicians and others who crossed paths with Sonny over the years. (On pg 539 Max Gordon claims that “Albert Dailey was the only pianist Sonny never fired.”) But there are too-frequent travelogue-like passages to slog through sometimes like this one on pg 604:

”On the summer festival circuit, Sonny played Milwaukee Summerfest, Chicago Fest, the Jazz City festival in Edmonton, and an appearance in Vancouver. On September 7, he turned 50 years old, but Sonny was hardly slowing down. That month, he played the Great American Music Hall and the Long Beach festival in California, then returned to the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.

That October, Sonny embarked on a European tour with Soskin, Harris and Al Foster organized by Alexander Zivkovic, a London-based Serbian journalist turned jazz promoter. On October 18, they played a sold-out concert at London’s Royal Festival Hall, on October 22 at Groningen Cultural Center in the Netherlands, on October 23 in Warsaw at Sala Kongresowa, on October 25 in Sweden at Umea Dragon Skol, on October 27 in Lyon, on October 29 in Munich at Circus Krone, on October 31 at the Theatre de la Ville in Paris, on November 1 at the Zurich Folkhaus, and on November 2 in Belgrade at the Dom Sindikata.”

Whew. The next several paragraphs tack in a much better direction, with comments from Jerome Harris about what it was like to play behind the Iron Curtain in Poland just as the Solidarity movement was on the rise, but good Lord, those two preceding paragraphs. As valuable a book as this is in many ways, at times it seems to me that a little more judicious editing would have served it well. 

 

[ghost of miles]

Pg 606-612 a nicely-detailed account of how Sonny came to record for the Stones on Tattoo You and his subsequent ambivalence about doing so, as well as the Stones’ attempts to get him to perform live with them.  No surprise that Charlie Watts figures prominently in this section, although Jagger was the one who made the approach. 

[JSngry]

18 minutes ago, ghost of miles said:

I continue to enjoy this biography—particularly the observations from musicians and others who crossed paths with Sonny over the years. (On pg 539 Max Gordon claims that “Albert Dailey was the only pianist Sonny never fired.”) But there are too-frequent travelogue-like passages to slog through sometimes like this one on pg 604:

”On the summer festival circuit, Sonny played Milwaukee Summerfest, Chicago Fest, the Jazz City festival in Edmonton, and an appearance in Vancouver. On September 7, he turned 50 years old, but Sonny was hardly slowing down. That month, he played the Great American Music Hall and the Long Beach festival in California, then returned to the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.

That October, Sonny embarked on a European tour with Soskin, Harris and Al Foster organized by Alexander Zivkovic, a London-based Serbian journalist turned jazz promoter. On October 18, they played a sold-out concert at London’s Royal Festival Hall, on October 22 at Groningen Cultural Center in the Netherlands, on October 23 in Warsaw at Sala Kongresowa, on October 25 in Sweden at Umea Dragon Skol, on October 27 in Lyon, on October 29 in Munich at Circus Krone, on October 31 at the Theatre de la Ville in Paris, on November 1 at the Zurich Folkhaus, and on November 2 in Belgrade at the Dom Sindikata.”

Whew. The next several paragraphs tack in a much better direction, with comments from Jerome Harris about what it was like to play behind the Iron Curtain in Poland just as the Solidarity movement was on the rise, but good Lord, those two preceding paragraphs. As valuable a book as this is in many ways, at times it seems to me that a little more judicious editing would have served it well. 

 

Breadcrumbs for tape detectives, perhaps?

[ghost of miles]

5 hours ago, JSngry said:

Breadcrumbs for tape detectives, perhaps?

Alert the jazz detectives! 🧐  Unfortunately there are several accounts in the book of supposedly amazing concerts, followed by Levy's remark that "No recordings were made." (A bit of a periodic riff on Sonny's reluctance to document himself, I think) But ya never know... wonder if we'll hear any more from the Carl Smith stash at some point.  Also, this bio has set me on the trail of Complete Live In Japan, which I gather from past threads has champions here including yourself.  The only early-to-mid 70s Sonny that I currently have is whatever's on the Silver City compilation (I noticed your comment in one thread that a couple of the tracks from Nucleus should have made that anthology; and Cook and Morton in the Penguin guide suggest that a third disc would have been justified for it).  

[Eric]

I have been bouncing around the book, picking out eras I would like to know more about.  I found the discussion regarding his participation in a loft scene in the mid-60s pretty interesting and was certainly news to me.  I believe the lease for the loft was held by Kiane Zawadi and served as inspiration for the title of East Broadway Run Down.  

Edited January 23, 2023 by Eric

[felser]

1 hour ago, ghost of miles said:

Also, this bio has set me on the trail of Complete Live In Japan, which I gather from past threads has champions here including yourself. 

Yes, I have it and it's pretty great.

[Big Beat Steve]

12 hours ago, ghost of miles said:

... but good Lord, those two preceding paragraphs. As valuable a book as this is in many ways, at times it seems to me that a little more judicious editing would have served it well. 

 

Trying to work "Ken Vail Diary"-style information into the text, maybe?
I think for completists it would be interesting to see where he played (and when) at any given moment but admittedly not for everyone. Particularly if the venues and dates are just rattled off and no specific information or anecdotes are provided for at least SOME of the gigs/concerts listed.

[medjuck]

Just read this footnote:

 

This record would call for the bow and some serious walking. Jean-Luc Picard, “Ray Brown—Double Bass Master Class.avi,” www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmoIvdWJpdQ.

Jean-Luc Picard?  Isn't he a Star Trek character?  

[JSngry]

Hw is, but it's still a correct citation:

 

[mjzee]

On page 369, there is a very intriguing mention.  This is about the time of Sonny's reemergence and signing with RCA:

Friendship or no, Avakian still had to outbid the competition.  Nesuhi Ertegun, the vice president in charge of LP records at Atlantic, already had Coltrane; adding Sonny would corner the market on tenor saxophone.  To that end, Ertegun arranged to professionally record Sonny at the Jazz Gallery on December 9, 10, and 16, before he was under contract with anyone.  When Sonny found out a few months later, he was furious, even though he was certain the tape was "a superlative effort," and he was right.

So where are those tapes now?

[AllenLowe]

question for those reading the bio - does it mention Dick Katz? He was the last pianist Sonny hired in the '50s before Sonny decided to go without a piano (sorry, I may have mentioned this earlier; I am having some of what I hope are temporary cognitive glitches due to a sudden and major resurgence of neuropathy). Dick was still pissed off about this 20 years later, feeling that he had missed a big chance.

[T.D.]

19 minutes ago, AllenLowe said:

question for those reading the bio - does it mention Dick Katz? He was the last pianist Sonny hired in the '50s before Sonny decided to go without a piano (sorry, I may have mentioned this earlier; I am having some of what I hope are temporary cognitive glitches due to a sudden and major resurgence of neuropathy). Dick was still pissed off about this 20 years later, feeling that he had missed a big chance.

Yes. Twice relating to Rollins: Birdland appearances and subsequent dropping of piano / returning to pianoless trio (Feb 1958) and a big band (incl. piano) recording date (July 1958). Plus one unrelated mention of his co-founding Milestone Records.

Edited April 10, 2023 by T.D.

[mjzee]

Re Katz, page 284:

Pianist Dick Katz's tenure with the band was short-lived; after Birdland, Sonny decided to return to the pianoless trio format.  "The guys I liked on piano were with other people," Sonny explained at the time.  "I'd like to use Bud Powell, for example.  But I couldn't seem to find a guy who could contribute.  They got in the way.  They played too much.  Their chords interrupted my train of thought.  I ended up getting bugged at all piano players."  Playing without a safety net, Sonny said, would force musicians to "listen to each other."

Katz shouldn't feel too bad; the book reveals Sonny's impulsiveness regarding supporting musicians (among much else).  I was astonished to learn of the personnel history behind A Night At The Village Vanguard.  First Rollins hired Roy Haynes, George Joyner, Gil Coggins, and Donald Byrd.  Then he fired them all.  He hired Donald Bailey (the bassist) and Pete La Roca.  They never rehearsed.  They did the afternoon set together, which was recorded.  After that set, he replaced Bailey and La Roca with Wilbur Ware and Elvin Jones.  Sonny asked Ware the day before to sit in one one track, and he had him use Bailey's bass to play the entire performance.  Jones was walking by the Vanguard, drunk, and was pulled in by Ware.  Again, no prior rehearsals.

 

[AllenLowe]

thanks; Dick was just frustrated, I think; this would really have put him out there.

[Dan Gould]

26 minutes ago, AllenLowe said:

thanks; Dick was just frustrated, I think; this would really have put him out there.

Kinda like how a tenor-battle album would have done for Percy.

[gmonahan]

On 1/22/2023 at 10:38 AM, ghost of miles said:

Pg 606-612 a nicely-detailed account of how Sonny came to record for the Stones on Tattoo You and his subsequent ambivalence about doing so, as well as the Stones’ attempts to get him to perform live with them.  No surprise that Charlie Watts figures prominently in this section, although Jagger was the one who made the approach. 

I just read this section last night (I'm taking my own sweet time reading it!). Fascinating and *so* Rollins to turn down what would have been a LOT of money.