Everyone in this is such a class-act. I love the bassist's movement, the emotion in all the back-ups singers, the percussion is so good and different from the original. It's all so good.
thank you leonard cohen for the most gentle music. gentleness has been bleached out and eradicated from our music, our ears, our collective mind for music. your gift was letting listeners put down their guard for a hot minute and just exist. there is no music that seeks out gentleness like yours did. goodbye friend..
God Bless David Sanborn. The alto sax player to Rollins' left is a fine player in his own right, but shows the respect, class and good judgement to let Rollins have all the solo space.
I love how he uses soft female backing to a company his haunting Voice, he is an amazing man in every single way i feel honoured to share his last name. I am only 19 and have been listening to cohen for only a year now and he has truly inspired me. I wish more people grasped the beauty within his music, his words and his presence. God bless you L. Cohen.
Always loved his backup singers. They were with him forever and such an important part of his music. I think he wrote songs that featured all the power in the background. Incredible!
I'd love for a better quality of this to surface someday. It's such a wonderful performance with multiple legendary artists. It gives you the chills. Glad I got to see Leonard once before he went.
This is the first time I have seen this since this first aired on Sunday Night with David Sanborn and Jools Holland. An awesome collaboration of talent on an awesome song. Thank you very much.
I'd forgotten so much about the appearence, (like the very sax heavy aspect of it) but I always remembered the set and the back up singers. So when I found this I was beside myself. And best of all I now get to share one of my best musical memories with my wife. Oh and to all you haters or those who claim that the guest artists took attention away from LC? Not even possible. The man has one of the most powerful voices ever.
I never get tired of sharing the greatest live performance of Leonard Cohen and the most awesome tenor player that ever lived Sonny Rollins. Notice Sandborn do
Je pensais connaître mon Léonard Cohen par coeur depuis 40 ans eh bien non je ne connaissais pas cette version extraordinaire, merci pour cette vidéo magnifique et très bonne qualité.
+Pegi Emiliani It truly doesn't. And, after watching the crap that passes as 'Late Night' television these days...to think that this was performed live on late night television and that both of these titans are still out there on the road and in their 80's is pretty amazing as well.
The nexus of these two greats at a place dear to all those who hear and play music--soul and conviction--is obvious to, for one, my seven-year-old daughter, who lights up like a candle anytime she hears this!!
I remember watching this when or was broadcast back in the 80's. I really didn't know who Sonny was at the time but later that Monday (the show was broadcast at 1:30am on Ch 4 in NY) I went to the record store and picked up "Way Out West" -- and that started the ball rolling. This entire show was great - Was Not Was, Leonard Cohen, Sonny Rollins. WHEW!!!
To the person who posted this. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I was in my early teens and I saw this one late sunday night on NBC and I was transfixed. I didn't remember the singers name, but the song stayed with me. I went in a couple years later to my local public library and happened to be talking music with one of the librarians. I told him about this song I could not get out of my head and he said, oh yeah that's Leonard Cohen. I took home a best of CD and was hooked...
Two genious of music with the contribution of a great group of musicians. Simply fabulous. In regard to the "sax guy", at least according to the ear of Leonard Cohen himself, his solo gives new richness of the original. Bravo.
OMG..this is PHENOMENAL. How I love love love Leonard C! He's my Man!! (lol, for those of you in the know)..I'm knocked out here by Sonny Rollins! Who else could pull off these lyrics but L.C. and maybe God?? What a genius. Thanks to the person that posted this. Head to toe chills!!
this song is based on "U'Netaneh Tokef", the moving prayer recited on Yom Kippor (start today), about G-d determining who will die and who will live in the coming year.
Yes and a superb musical innovation. Even the sax at the end reminded me of the shofar. For those of you who don't know, the shofar is a ram's horn, used like a wind instrument, for religious purposes in the Jewish tradition. It is used especially to mark the end of Yom Kippur. Hence the significance with the U'Netaneh Tokef / Who by Fire, prayer. I love you Leonard!
The great existentalist of jazz playing in perfect harmony with the greatest lyricist who ever lived- even if this is all David Sanborn ever managed to acheive on "Night Music", I forgive him all his middle of the road/ pop sax /dentist office music for THIS clip right here. Still blows me away.
my dad taped this show each week and i remember him showing this when we had some guests over. i must have been about 7. i distinctly remember saying, "that guy has a good poker face." the I'm Your Man album was also the soundtrack to my parents' parties for most of the early 90's :)
Nite Music was one of the best t. v. shows of the '80s. Saw some great musicians doing some great collaborative numbers like this one combining the talents of Was Not Was and Pharaoh Saunders with the Poet Laureate Leonard Cohen. A real treasure. Sure wish this show or one like it was still on the air!
The smatter of applause for Sonny in mid-song by hard-boiled jazz fans made me smile, but in no way detracting from a performance that is by every measure a genuine nugget of gold. Great music, and Len is at his uber-coolest.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ART! ת.נ.צ.ב.ה May his soul be bound in the bundle of life On Rosh HaShana they are written And on Tsom Yom Kippur they are sealed. How many shall pass, and how many created: Who shall live and who shall die; Who in their time and who not in their time; Who by water And who by fire; Who by the sword And who by a beast; Who by hunger And who by thirst; Who by disaster And who by sickness; Who by strangling And who by stoning; Who will rest And who will wander; Who will be go peacefully And who will go violently; Who will be calm And who will be harried; Who will be poor And who will be rich; Who will be degraded And who will be exalted.
This song is not just a "pop" tune. It's more artistic than a "pop" tune. But yes, he's one of the best. This was an excellent meeting of musical artistry.
Thanks for getting back to me on this. I'm gonna see the old man at Coachella, and I'm going with some much younger friends who had never heard of Leonard. I made them a sampler disc, and they were instant fans (of course!) Thanks again!
To danmcenroe, a 1000 thanks for this video - from the "Sunday Night" music show almost 20 yrs ago, I remember it well. That show gave us many wonderful performances, but none better than this. To glidrenyc & ruskibog935, I certainly agree with your posts, but don't waste your energy on philistines who have no ears with which to hear. Let's just be thankful to have bright moments such as this music. If we have the least spark of divinity, it's right here.
This was on one of those late night music shows with Sanborn as host. They used to have different types of acts that would play together at the end. This was probably the most magical moment ever with Sonny's great sax and backups by Was Not Was.
RIP Hal Wilmer, the wonderful producer of the late 80's "Night Music" TV show from which this performance is taken - a genuine visionary.
SUPER SPECIAL, juist this day!!! R.I.P. Mr. Cohen. Always in our heart!!!
Sonny Rollins with Leonard Cohen!?! Wow! Mindblowing. One to be played over and over again. Two music legends and they mesh sublimely.
Everyone in this is such a class-act. I love the bassist's movement, the emotion in all the back-ups singers, the percussion is so good and different from the original. It's all so good.
Stunning show. Cohen, Rollins, the house band, & the energy that Was (Not Was) dislayed....all live. Diverse peoples united in music.
The saxophone is so soulful. I love it. Great song, reminds me of when i lived in Germany and went to Jazz Clubs. Just great music.
The great Sonny Rollins
this is one awesome song, i could listen to this every day.
the best version of this song!! wonderful!!!
the singers on the back and the saxsophone are great!! they add so much to the song.
The way Sonny Rollins moves his face, and shoulders and lips, is a poem.
The way L. Cohen applause the beauty at the end is a poem too...
No words, I can listen to this song all day long, is just amazin beutiful, the lirics, the voices, the saxophon...more please more.
thank you leonard cohen for the most gentle music. gentleness has been bleached out and eradicated from our music, our ears, our collective mind for music. your gift was letting listeners put down their guard for a hot minute and just exist. there is no music that seeks out gentleness like yours did. goodbye friend..
Well put friend. He was a gentle man.
This is the greatest piece of music!
I just love it! I could leasten to this for ever....
Leonard and Rollngs thank you!
Bloody awesome this is... stunning arrangement.
God Bless David Sanborn. The alto sax player to Rollins' left is a fine player in his own right, but shows the respect, class and good judgement to let Rollins have all the solo space.
Joe Outofthepast even the silence of sanborn in that song is a all way of playing....
Yes David Sanborn. That's what you do when you're in the presence of a great one. Leonard Cohen rip and Mr. Rollins probably go back decades.
I love how he uses soft female backing to a company his haunting Voice, he is an amazing man in every single way i feel honoured to share his last name. I am only 19 and have been listening to cohen for only a year now and he has truly inspired me. I wish more people grasped the beauty within his music, his words and his presence. God bless you L. Cohen.
Wow!!!! Great sax solo, great song
#LeonardCohenRIP If only the Nobel Prize for Literature could be awarded posthumously...
My thoughts exactly
I second that.
Lisa Jacks all
This rendition with Sonny is the greatest!
Leonard will live forever through his beautiful music and lyrics.
Always loved his backup singers. They were with him forever and such an important part of his music. I think he wrote songs that featured all the power in the background. Incredible!
I'd love for a better quality of this to surface someday. It's such a wonderful performance with multiple legendary artists. It gives you the chills. Glad I got to see Leonard once before he went.
This is the first time I have seen this since this first aired on Sunday Night with David Sanborn and Jools Holland. An awesome collaboration of talent on an awesome song. Thank you very much.
I'd forgotten so much about the appearence, (like the very sax heavy aspect of it) but I always remembered the set and the back up singers. So when I found this I was beside myself. And best of all I now get to share one of my best musical memories with my wife. Oh and to all you haters or those who claim that the guest artists took attention away from LC? Not even possible. The man has one of the most powerful voices ever.
I never get tired of sharing the greatest live performance of Leonard Cohen and the most awesome tenor player that ever lived
Sonny Rollins. Notice Sandborn do
love the guy in the background going "TELL ME! TELL ME! TELL ME!"
Sweet Pea Atkinson. RIP
@ zizoumonk #metoo
and in response, Leonard cracks a tiny, knowing grin 1:50
the most exciting, bold, creative version of a Leonard Cohen song I´ve ever heart.
Still missing you Leonard. You left behind your greatest gift your songs and poems. Thank you.
It's amazing that such simple melody combined with the wonderful lyrics can be so touchy. For me this is a masterpiece.
Simply awesome! I love both of these artists and would have never guessed that they came together for such a work of art. Bravo!
Unequaled and absolutely mind-blowing. I'm so glad I stumbled upon this.
who does not love Leonard cohen...love this ......katlin
I loved how Rollins took Cohen's melody and condensed and stretched it for his solo. I dare you to put something like this on TV today!
i just love sonny... so lucky to have seen him last year.
Je pensais connaître mon Léonard Cohen par coeur depuis 40 ans eh bien non je ne connaissais pas cette version extraordinaire, merci pour cette vidéo magnifique et très bonne qualité.
I saw this when it originally aired and sat numb, realizing I just witnessed one of the hipest things on tv. Thanks for showing this.
Doesn't get any better than this.
+Pegi Emiliani It truly doesn't. And, after watching the crap that passes as 'Late Night' television these days...to think that this was performed live on late night television and that both of these titans are still out there on the road and in their 80's is pretty amazing as well.
The nexus of these two greats at a place dear to all those who hear and play music--soul and conviction--is obvious to, for one, my seven-year-old daughter, who lights up like a candle anytime she hears this!!
I remember watching this when or was broadcast back in the 80's. I really didn't know who Sonny was at the time but later that Monday (the show was broadcast at 1:30am on Ch 4 in NY) I went to the record store and picked up "Way Out West" -- and that started the ball rolling.
This entire show was great - Was Not Was, Leonard Cohen, Sonny Rollins. WHEW!!!
To the person who posted this. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I was in my early teens and I saw this one late sunday night on NBC and I was transfixed. I didn't remember the singers name, but the song stayed with me. I went in a couple years later to my local public library and happened to be talking music with one of the librarians. I told him about this song I could not get out of my head and he said, oh yeah that's Leonard Cohen. I took home a best of CD and was hooked...
the absolute best version you will ever hear of THAT song, oh my god, Saxophone Colossus indeed.
Two genious of music with the contribution of a great group of musicians.
Simply fabulous. In regard to the "sax guy", at least according to the ear of Leonard Cohen himself, his solo gives new richness of the original. Bravo.
..wonderful..
thanks for letting me see & hear this , appreciated
xxx
One of the hippest Montrealers of all time.
Nice to see that he's still living there and not sold out.
Sonny Rollins one of The colossus of the tenor saxophone.R.I.P. Leomard Cohen.
words can not express how incredibly talented this man is..........awesome!
One word: sublime. Rest in Peace Mr.Cohen.
Yo, and Sonny’s still rolling at 90 years young
@@anthonycooper6579 Sadly, he can't play anymore because of health reasons, but we're still lucky that there are recordings.
One of the best performances on one of the best music shows on television.
Whoever had the idea to have Sonny play on this tune is a genius
Thanks Giselle
Great great great version.Leonard cohen is a giant and an immortal.
OMG..this is PHENOMENAL. How I love love
love Leonard C! He's my Man!! (lol, for those of you in the know)..I'm knocked out here
by Sonny Rollins! Who else could pull
off these lyrics but L.C. and maybe God?? What a genius. Thanks to the person that posted this. Head to toe chills!!
Well put. Like all great musicians Sonny Rollins doesn't just play. He listens as well.
I saw this when it aired on Sanbornes late night, It blew me away then and does more so now. Just incredible!
unbelievable to see these two amazing performers sharing the stage! Thanks for this gem!
this song is based on "U'Netaneh Tokef", the moving prayer recited on Yom Kippor (start today), about G-d determining who will die and who will live in the coming year.
Yes and a superb musical innovation. Even the sax at the end reminded me of the shofar. For those of you who don't know, the shofar is a ram's horn, used like a wind instrument, for religious purposes in the Jewish tradition. It is used especially to mark the end of Yom Kippur. Hence the significance with the U'Netaneh Tokef / Who by Fire, prayer. I love you Leonard!
lizzi dizzi That sax finale was the greatest Tekia Gedola I ever heard! ת.נ.צ.ב.ה
Amazing... Where did you read this? He was a great singer... we loved him around the world and particularly in France...
Thank you for sharing this. It adds to the very substance of his poetry and sing to know such things. 🙏🏻❤️
such a beautiful song! This is MUSIC! This is ART!
The great existentalist of jazz playing in perfect harmony with the greatest lyricist who ever lived- even if this is all David Sanborn ever managed to acheive on "Night Music", I forgive him all his middle of the road/ pop sax /dentist office music for THIS clip right here. Still blows me away.
Great versjon of the song!
I especially like that back-up vocalist with the hat, he makes the song even better.
Hauntingly beautiful...
magnificent brilliance. this is an astoundingly beautiful performance which i had never seen. thaank you mr. mcenroe.
my dad taped this show each week and i remember him showing this when we had some guests over. i must have been about 7. i distinctly remember saying, "that guy has a good poker face." the I'm Your Man album was also the soundtrack to my parents' parties for most of the early 90's :)
I agree. He really deserved a Nobel Prize. There must be a way to give it to him posthumously. Te vamos a extrañar, Sr Cohen!
he is more than noble but politics
two giants in a mystic time!
thanks!
We need more like you in our generation.
The celestial Leonard Cohen with the jazz deity Sonny Rollins....
Thank you for the music - it`s full of beauty!
Sweet! That is none other than Robben Ford on electric guitar.What a band.Thanks for posting.
Absolutely stunning, and as of today 8-7-07 Sonny Rollins is one of the few truely great tenormen still alive...
Nite Music was one of the best t. v. shows of the '80s. Saw some great musicians doing some great collaborative numbers like this one combining the talents of Was Not Was and Pharaoh Saunders with the Poet Laureate Leonard Cohen. A real treasure. Sure wish this show or one like it was still on the air!
A classic message and a modern delivery. This is incredibley more meaningful than the speedy mumbling of these words in a foreign language.
Had a barbiturate coma this summer.
This song was my wake up ringtone for months.
Seeing him tonight at Budapest.
The smatter of applause for Sonny in mid-song by hard-boiled jazz fans made me smile, but in no way detracting from a performance that is by every measure a genuine nugget of gold. Great music, and Len is at his uber-coolest.
Thanks for posting this! I remember being blown away by this performance when I saw it on TV years ago!
What a great artist ! Musician and writer.
i love the saxophone....love cohen...love fire...
Just wonderful. Great to hear that he's back on the road once more.
Underrated? You bet.
WOW!!!!! By far the best, most vivid version of that great song I have ever heard! Thanks for having posted it here!
WHOA !!!!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ART!
ת.נ.צ.ב.ה May his soul be bound in the bundle of life
On Rosh HaShana they are written
And on Tsom Yom Kippur they are sealed.
How many shall pass, and how many created:
Who shall live and who shall die;
Who in their time and who not in their time;
Who by water
And who by fire;
Who by the sword
And who by a beast;
Who by hunger
And who by thirst;
Who by disaster
And who by sickness;
Who by strangling
And who by stoning;
Who will rest
And who will wander;
Who will be go peacefully
And who will go violently;
Who will be calm
And who will be harried;
Who will be poor
And who will be rich;
Who will be degraded
And who will be exalted.
This song is not just a "pop" tune. It's more artistic than a "pop" tune.
But yes, he's one of the best. This was an excellent meeting of musical artistry.
I loved every moment of that series but this was the high water mark right here.
Thanks for getting back to me on this.
I'm gonna see the old man at Coachella, and I'm going with some much younger friends who had never heard of Leonard.
I made them a sampler disc, and they were instant fans (of course!)
Thanks again!
A great moment of music ! A very inspired Sonny Rollins for a beautiful song.
To danmcenroe, a 1000 thanks for this video - from the "Sunday Night" music show almost 20 yrs ago, I remember it well. That show gave us many wonderful performances, but none better than this.
To glidrenyc & ruskibog935, I certainly agree with your posts, but don't waste your energy on philistines who have no ears with which to hear. Let's just be thankful to have bright moments such as this music. If we have the least spark of divinity, it's right here.
Who in your merry merry month of May?
Who by very slow decay?
Who shall I say is calling?
Goodbye, Leonard.
Joe Howell peace
Bloody amazing saxophonist.
Saw him in Boston tonight old boy just put on a 4 hour show amazing
Sonny Rollins - wow!
This was on one of those late night music shows with Sanborn as host. They used to have different types of acts that would play together at the end. This was probably the most magical moment ever with Sonny's great sax and backups by Was Not Was.
Wow.... absolutely brilliant.....
hehe, saw your comment - really is true. i'm a pretty hard-core metal-head and i love cohen's music
Great version! Long live Leonard Cohen!
new to me as well, will have to come back again cheers for posting it!!!!!!
magnifique, superbe version, merci
greatest human artistic achievement of any kind since Lucy the australopithicus stood up in Tanzania 3 million years ago
Stellar performances all round.
This guy is so fucking beautiful, a million miles above any other artist.Can't wait to see him when he tours England.
I like this performance. How lucky Leonard was to perform with Sonny Rollins. I wish I was famous and got to play with both of them
exelente!!!!genio!!!!!amo tu musica!!!!!
desde la argentina jose....
Wahnsinn! Leonard ist einmalig!!!!
Sonny Rollins ... "Saxophone Collosus"...along with Bird, 'Trane, Art Pepper and a few others...one of the all time greats....
da brividi..........grazie per averci lasciato una immensa eredità!!!
Sonny Rollins did a performance at Berklee for us in 1973. Talked about Jazz and improv. Great player great school