The thing that some jazz "fans" tend to forget about Sonny Rollins is that he never "played the changes" like most tenor players did. Rather...he took a melody, and mined it for everything he could. His approach was called "thematic improvisation" back in the '50's...when he emerged as a singular player. In fact, Rollins was the top rated tenor player in the jazz world, until John Coltrane's era came to the scene in the late '50's. Which is not to say that Trane was "better" than Sonny.....just different. Sonny would form variations on an improvised lick while playing...and offer as many variations on that lick, while still keeping the melody of the tune in the forefront. He was the best tenor player for Monk's music that I've ever heard...in his recordings with Monk in the '50's. Trane respected Sonny as well...and the two giants built their legacies...while allowing influences of each other to mold their sounds as well. Sonny was his own man..but was misunderstood by many...because he danced to his own tune....a tune only he could hear. Still.....one of the all time jazz legends in the world.
Somewhere I came across (and archived) this modern interview excerpt with Arild Andersen recalling the gig… Q: And the real question is - how is it possible that these 3 crazy, young, Scandinavian cats had already devoured the History of Jazz and were now able to create these brave new sounds with ease? Were you guys even 20 years old at the time? What did Sonny think? Arild’s answer: Hard to say what Rollins thought, but he was very nice and let us play a lot, as you can see. How we got got to this point in music is hard to say. Those years a lot of American musicians travelled and played with local rhythm sections. Jon and I did those gigs in Oslo and Bobo did a lot in Sweden so think you learn from playing with people better than you... There were no school to go to so this became our school.
Great rhythm section. Interesting how Sonny´s lines sound on top of Bobo`s comp. I like this because Sonny is in an environment that is not his band. Makes for interesting listening.
It looks like Sonny is playing a rubber slant Link here, I've never seen him play one of those before. He often played rubber and metal Berg's and metal Links, for the last 30+yrs of his career he played a 130 metal Berg.
I just listened to a 10h European podcast radio show on Sonny Rollins (yes, 10x 1h, covering 1951-2001 !!!). My opinion of Rollins is that it seems very overrated to me. First of all as a player, he does not seem to me better than Johnny Griffin, Stitt, Roland Kirk, Phil Woods, Lateef ... but enjoys a much more important reputation ... and unjustified in my opinion. Ok he plays well, but not better than the musicians I mentioned. In terms of composition, he did not compose anything, everyone knows that St Thomas is a Caribbean folklore already recorded by Randy Weston in 1955 under the title Fire Down There. His other compositions from the 50s ... well, Oleo, Airegin etc ... this can in no way be compared to the compositions of Trane, Bird, Monk or Shorter ... also, his playing and his sound are terribly degraded after 1966 (36 years). It seems that he was traumatized by the arrival of Ornette, Trane, Ayler ... In the 60's he tried to be more free than Ayler, more calypso / blues than Ornette, and more mystical than Trane, but he didn't. did not succeed. Then in the 70s / 80s he tried to be funky, disco ... with really ridiculous and cheesy results ... Did he want to be funkier than James Brown himself? Also, in the radio show they say that he was paid current $ 300,000 for himself to record the Nucleus album (so listen to the result !!!!), and that, for his concerts, his financial claims were unrealistic, only the big festivals could afford it. He played with the Stones but didn't want to go on tour with them because, according to Jagger himself, he wanted too much money! I mean, I'm not making anything up here. In my opinion, he should have remained what he was before, a disciple of Bird at the Tenor, and quit at the age of 40 to leave a quality job, and without trying to follow fashion. Thank you for not insulting me because I have documented myself on Rollins and I like to have constructive discussions without being attacked on my person.
👍🏾👍🏾
The thing that some jazz "fans" tend to forget about Sonny Rollins is that he never "played the changes" like most tenor players did. Rather...he took a melody, and mined it for everything he could. His approach was called "thematic improvisation" back in the '50's...when he emerged as a singular player. In fact, Rollins was the top rated tenor player in the jazz world, until John Coltrane's era came to the scene in the late '50's. Which is not to say that Trane was "better" than Sonny.....just different. Sonny would form variations on an improvised lick while playing...and offer as many variations on that lick, while still keeping the melody of the tune in the forefront. He was the best tenor player for Monk's music that I've ever heard...in his recordings with Monk in the '50's. Trane respected Sonny as well...and the two giants built their legacies...while allowing influences of each other to mold their sounds as well. Sonny was his own man..but was misunderstood by many...because he danced to his own tune....a tune only he could hear. Still.....one of the all time jazz legends in the world.
Superb all around🕺🏿🤟🦻❤️
Trane said basically the same thing but not as eloquently as you did.
Somewhere I came across (and archived) this modern interview excerpt with Arild Andersen recalling the gig…
Q: And the real question is - how is it possible that these 3 crazy, young, Scandinavian cats had already devoured the History of Jazz and were now able to create these brave new sounds with ease? Were you guys even 20 years old at the time? What did Sonny think?
Arild’s answer: Hard to say what Rollins thought, but he was very nice and let us play a lot, as you can see. How we got got to this point in music is hard to say. Those years a lot of American musicians travelled and played with local rhythm sections. Jon and I did those gigs in Oslo and Bobo did a lot in Sweden so think you learn from playing with people better than you... There were no school to go to so this became our school.
Great rhythm section. Interesting how Sonny´s lines sound on top of Bobo`s
comp. I like this because Sonny is in an environment that is not his band. Makes for interesting listening.
thank you, another jewell !!!!
Thank you for sharing. Long live the King!
Tremendos!!!!
Gracias por compartirlo Maestre!
I love bobo
G man
The man turned 93 recently!
a great number!
I was fortunate enough to have a personal conversation with Sonny within a few years after September 11. That two minutes changed my life.
🎷👏🏾
The best sidemen one could get in those times!
No, they were super inexpensive and locally available
Second :(
😎
What kind of mouth piece does he use?
It looks like Sonny is playing a rubber slant Link here, I've never seen him play one of those before. He often played rubber and metal Berg's and metal Links, for the last 30+yrs of his career he played a 130 metal Berg.
First
We have a winner !🙃
I just listened to a 10h European podcast radio show on Sonny Rollins (yes, 10x 1h, covering 1951-2001 !!!). My opinion of Rollins is that it seems very overrated to me. First of all as a player, he does not seem to me better than Johnny Griffin, Stitt, Roland Kirk, Phil Woods, Lateef ... but enjoys a much more important reputation ... and unjustified in my opinion. Ok he plays well, but not better than the musicians I mentioned. In terms of composition, he did not compose anything, everyone knows that St Thomas is a Caribbean folklore already recorded by Randy Weston in 1955 under the title Fire Down There. His other compositions from the 50s ... well, Oleo, Airegin etc ... this can in no way be compared to the compositions of Trane, Bird, Monk or Shorter ... also, his playing and his sound are terribly degraded after 1966 (36 years). It seems that he was traumatized by the arrival of Ornette, Trane, Ayler ... In the 60's he tried to be more free than Ayler, more calypso / blues than Ornette, and more mystical than Trane, but he didn't. did not succeed. Then in the 70s / 80s he tried to be funky, disco ... with really ridiculous and cheesy results ... Did he want to be funkier than James Brown himself? Also, in the radio show they say that he was paid current $ 300,000 for himself to record the Nucleus album (so listen to the result !!!!), and that, for his concerts, his financial claims were unrealistic, only the big festivals could afford it. He played with the Stones but didn't want to go on tour with them because, according to Jagger himself, he wanted too much money! I mean, I'm not making anything up here. In my opinion, he should have remained what he was before, a disciple of Bird at the Tenor, and quit at the age of 40 to leave a quality job, and without trying to follow fashion.
Thank you for not insulting me because I have documented myself on Rollins and I like to have constructive discussions without being attacked on my person.
Your ignorance speaks for itself and warrants no attack