Sonny Rollins Albums (77)
What The Critics Say
Sonny Rollins is featured in a variety of performances culled from his personal archives along with soundboard tapings by collector Carl Smith from concerts recorded between 1980 and his historic 50th anniversary concert at Carnegie Hall (which honored his first concert there in 1957). Rollins is in peak form on every selection, while this first compilation in what is likely to be an extensive CD series is a virtual highlight reel from over a quarter-century span of his career. He works his way through the theme of his blistering "Best Wishes" 35 times, never running short of ideas in his variations. The subtle take of "More Than You Know" cools things down a bit, showcasing longtime trombonist Clifton Anderson and guitarist Bobby Broom, followed by Rollins' explosive entrance on his powerful tenor. "Blossom" is a real find, a previously unrecorded original, heard here in a 1980 Swedish concert, an engaging piece with a strong Latin undercurrent. Rollins' revisit to "Tenor Madness" finds him throwing down the challenge to his musicians with his opening salvo, though all of them end up winners in this uptempo blues. The breezy calypso "Nice Lady" is followed by the compelling 2007 trio performance of Rodgers & Hammerstein's ballad "Some Enchanted Evening" (accompanied solely by bassist Christian McBride and drummer Roy Haynes), one of Rollins' most expressive performances on record. Every Sonny Rollins fan should consider this collection essential. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
'Complete 1963 Paris Concert'
Release Date 7/7/2008
Tracks 7
Label Gambit
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What The Critics Say
An in-concert recording of curious nature and origin, this recording of Sonny Rollins screams unauthorized bootleg, and whether Rollins actually approved of its release is a question only he can answer. For starters is the title Soneymoon, which makes no sense, as a typo or a title simply spelled incorrectly. The famous composition of Rollins always been known as "Sonnymoon For Two." There are no recording dates or locales (though probably done in Europe,) pianist Kenny Drew is misidentified as a percussionist (credited "percussions,") Jymie Merritt is Jimmy Meritt, Billy Higgins is Bill Higgins, and Don Cherry plays trumpets. As far as the sound quality, it is inferior. A snippet of "Without A Song" includes a false start, sloppy, inconsistent production values, and a barely audible Cherry. It is totally worthless. Of the remaining three tracks featuring Cherry, he's way back in the mix, as is bassist Henry Grimes. Higgins sounds unlike the typically sleek and facile drummer we all know him to be. The group, even the tenor sax of Rollins, sounds ragged, disorganized and unfocused, particularly during "On Green Dolphin Street," and only slightly less on a relatively unrecognizable "Solitude." There are two quintet tracks with Drew, vibist Milt Jackson, drummer Art Blakey and bassist Percy Heath that fare better. Heath's introductory solo on "Sonny's Blues" is outstanding, and the band does "Oleo" decently, with Jackson joining in well after the bridge. The finale "Lover," at a breakneck tempo for over 15 minutes, is an exhaustive discourse for Rollins, with drummer Max Roach and Merritt assimilating the bulletproof trio of Elvin Jones and Wilbur Ware that Rollins previously led. This CD has many issues that listeners need to be wary of, and falls into a category of less-than-worthy in the great discography of Newk. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Most musicians would at least be considering the idea of retirement by the time they reach their mid-seventies, but most musicians aren't Sonny Rollins. After a five-year recording hiatus, Rollins returned from a Japanese tour and took his band into the studio to cut Sonny, Please. It's the first release on his own Doxy label, coming after a monumental 35-year stay at Milestone that produced some of the most forward-looking, trend-setting jazz ever captured on tape. It would be a stretch to say that Rollins is still the innovator he was in the '50s and '60s, but it would be a mistake to underestimate his capabilities as an elder, because Sonny, Please is a respectable, occasionally brilliant effort. It doesn't hurt that Rollins surrounds himself with such fine players as his perennial bassist Bob Cranshaw, with whom he has worked since his late '50s comeback from an extended vacation; the ubiquitous drummer Steve Jordan; trombonist Clifton Anderson (who is Rollins' nephew); guitarist Bobby Broom; and percussionist Kimati Dinizulu. As supportive as they all are, though, Rollins remains the focus, blowing his sax as assuredly as ever, if with a little less abandon than during his heyday. Rollins splits the program between new self-composed tunes -- among which "Nishi" and the opening title track are the most exhilarating -- and standards, including "Stairway to the Stars" and Noël Coward's "Someday I'll Find You." Rollins' soloing is, as ever, full of both fire and fancy. The album closer, the tropical-toned original "Park Palace Parade," is somewhat typical: Rollins' tenor glides effortlessly from the start, exploring the tune's melodic nuances. He takes a break while Broom peels out tasty licks, then Rollins returns to approach the song from another angle. Most of his playing here is relatively easygoing. Rollins still enjoys taking it to the limit, just not as often as he once did. He doesn't need to, though; with nothing left to prove, he can afford to stand back and just enjoy being Sonny Rollins. ~ Jeff Tamarkin, All Music Guide
'Tenor Madness: Very Best'
Release Date 4/19/2005
Tracks 22
Label Kang & Music
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'Without a Song: The 9/11 Concert'
Release Date 1/1/2005
Tracks 6
Label Milestone
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What The Critics Say
When the disasters on 9/11 occurred, the great tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins was in his New York apartment, only blocks away from the World Trade Center. He survived a night without electricity and was of course deeply affected by the catastrophe. At the urging of his wife and manager, Lucille, he fulfilled an engagement to play in Boston four days later, and the concert recording was released four years later. Rollins is quite emotional in his playing and can be heard throughout in peak creative form. While many of his detractors feel that his studio recordings since the 1970s have not had the excitement of his live concerts, they should find much to enjoy on this passionate if not flawless set; the trombonist stumbles a bit on "Global Warming." Rollins, performing with his usual sextet (which includes his nephew Clifton Anderson on trombone, pianist Stephen Scott, and his longtime electric bassist Bob Cranshaw) stretches out on four standards and his calypso "Global Warming," really digging into the melodies. His playing sounds a bit like a purging of bad memories, while at the same time seeming hopeful about the future. The result is arguably Sonny Rollins' best recording of the past decade, and is a highly recommended set. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Wisely, the soundtrack for the 2004 remake of Alfie doesn't try to ape the original film's impeccably cool Sonny Rollins score and sheer pop perfection of Dionne Warwick's classic version of the theme song. Instead, this version of the film looks for its own musical identity with a collection of songs and a few instrumental tracks performed mostly by former Eurythmic Dave Stewart and Mick Jagger, along with a few tracks by Joss Stone for good measure. Even if the new Alfie's music isn't quite as distinctive as the first one's was, it does at least have a little more creativity and cohesion than most romantic comedy soundtracks. Obviously, Jagger is the perfect choice to reflect the misadventures of a world-weary British Lothario, and he sounds appropriately worn on "Old Habits Die Hard," where his ragged high notes are particularly bittersweet. This track and the equally poignant "Let's Make It Up" rival the best of his latter-day work with the Stones and on his own. However, if the bulk of the soundtrack is anything to go by, 2004's Alfie trades the original's dryly poignant tone for something more obviously sentimental: both versions of "Blind Leading the Blind," "Standing in the Rain," and the Jagger/Joss Stone duet "Lonely Without You (This Christmas)" tend towards gloss and schmaltz. While the soundtrack does a more than adequate job of chronicling the emptiness and letdowns of living a love-'em and leave-'em life, it doesn't reflect enough of the devil-may-care spirit of that lifestyle that would make it attractive in the first place. The instrumentals "New York Hustle," "Jack the Lad," and "Oh Nikki" capture some of that mischievous, flirtatious joy, however fleetingly. Stone's tracks also tend toward the overdone, especially the ill-conceived rap duet "Wicked Time" featuring Nadirah "Nadz" Seld. And though her version of "Alfie" is no match for Warwick's, it should at least please fans of Stone's bluesy pop more than her second, teen poppy album did. At nearly an hour long and featuring several reprises and different versions of the Jagger/Stewart tracks (including a pleasant but not especially vital duet of "Old Habits Die Hard" with Sheryl Crow), Alfie piles on too much; it could've been better if it followed the sparer direction that pops up on it from time to time. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
'A Night at the Village Vanguard, Vol. 3'
Release Date 4/27/2004
Tracks 6
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What The Critics Say
When it comes to picking material, today's young hard boppers (both instrumentalists and singers) could learn a lot from Sonny Rollins -- a tenor titan who has always had a way of surprising us with interesting, unexpected choices. Over the years, he hasn't made the mistake of limiting himself to overdone Gershwin and Cole Porter favorites; Rollins doesn't exclude well-known standards by any means, but he has also made a point of interpreting a lot of material that other hard boppers have ignored (and that has included everything from forgotten show tunes to Stevie Wonder gems). True to form, the saxman continues to make interesting choices on This Is What I Do, which was recorded in 2000 and finds a 69-year-old Rollins joined by Clifford Anderson on trombone, Stephen Scott on acoustic piano, Jack DeJohnette or Perry Wilson on drums, and long-time companion Bob Cranshaw on electric bass. The CD's only real standard is the ballad "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" -- the other selections range from Rollins originals (which include the funky, playful "Did You See Harold Vick?" and the calypso-minded "Salvador") to forgotten songs from 1937 movies. "Sweet Leilani" (which the seminal Bing Crosby defined) is from the film Waikiki Wedding, while "The Moon of Manakoora" is from The Hurricane (which starred Dorothy Lamour). Neither are tunes that have been done to death by hard boppers, and Rollins has no problem showing us that they can be relevant to jazz. This Is What I Do falls short of essential, but it offers some nice surprises and is a rewarding addition to Rollins' huge catalog. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
