All of the Sonny listed (and basically all Sonny) is so beautiful.
But i have to agree with, and emphasize that, the live, bootlegged Paris and Copenhagen recordings are some of the most creative, amazing, off the charts, improvisations ever. Definitely desert island musts!
Great piece - thank you! I love to see Newk’s Time prominently in your list… Jazz drummers especially should listen to the bass drum on Surrey With The Fringe On Top “it’s not a tom-tom holder” lol!
Lest I forget, sincerest thanks to Ethan for printing this essay by Mark Stryker AND the ensuing dialogue. It reminds of Nat Hentoff and Martin Williams running similar pieces in The Jazz Review in the late 1950s by such notables as Gunther Schuller, Art Farmer, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Crow, Bob Brookmeyer, and others. We need more such pieces (by Ethan, Mark, and others) that get to the heart of these matters.
This list sent me down tenor rabbit hole -- and having popped out. I'd like to tip the hat the Adolph Sax for inventing the thing in the first place -- is there an instrument that so deeply suits itself to distinctive personal expression and hugely varied tone? (With the exception of the human voice, but maybe not even that?)
Hi Stuart. An article in Temple of Artists is titled "If the Saxophone Did Not Exist, We Would Have To Invent It"! Monsieur Sax had a rather tragic life, but he left us quite a legacy.
Mark, thanks so much for your love and appreciation for Sonny Rollins. I now have 48 of his albums. (Three new ones, thanks to you!) I never paid as much attention to Sonny as I did to the other masters from the 50's and 60's. But he is truly astonishing. What a legacy. I really love two of his very last albums, Global Warming (1998) and This is What I Do (2000). Saw him live at the Monterey Jazz Festival around that time, and he was wonderful.
As always, well done Mark. I remember the first time I heard Sonny, he was at one of the iterations of the Jazz Showcase (Chicago) in the early 1970's. Watching him play, his power and sheer athleticism reminded me of a heavyweight boxer, an athlete of the highest order. I also enjoyed your discussion about the difference between editors and improvisers. For my money, Lee Konitz also fell within the latter group. Great writing, again!!
1. What a drag that Sonny Rollins and Lee Konitz never (to my knowledge) played together. Can you imagine? Two of the greatest improvising song players in jazz history. It would have been far superior to the (to my ears) much overrated live encounter between Sonny and Ornette Coleman. (Ornette, whatever his considerable virtues, was out of his element with Sonny.)
2. Sheila Jordan and Sonny owned houses in upstate New York. They talked often on the phone. As Sheila once told me, "He's my buddy." In 1979, I heard Sheila with Steve Kuhn, Harvie S, and Bob Moses at the Cellar Door in Washington, DC. They did a Rollins tune--I believe it was "St. Thomas"--and Sheila did a long improvisation by repeating "Sonny Rollins" over and over. It was ingenious and pure Sheila. Sonny and Sheila were another pairing that would have yielded magical results.
Lee describes it here, from Andy Hamilton's excellent "Lee Konitz: Conversations on the Improvisers Art" when asked if he and Sonny ever played together:
"One time Attila Zoller was working with him and [Sonny] asked me to sit in, at the Village Vanguard. There were very few people in the audience, it was the last set.
"And one time in the early sixties, in San Francisco, Sonny was late for an afternoon set, and Paul Bley asked me to sit in. I think Henry Grimes was the bass player and Roy McCurdy was the drummer. I was just in the audience, and don't know how come I had my horn with me. So I played a set, and then Sonny came in, and played the most fantastic set you could imagine — nonstop outness! He just played stunningly creatively. It was very free, though with a groove" (92).
The book is well worth your time. In this particular section, both Lee and Sonny (who is interviewed) also draw connections to each other. Delightful.
And btw, I'm a fan, Bill. Spent much instructive (and pleasurable) time with your "Oxford Companion to Jazz," which I'd recommend to any of the other cool kids here. Regards.
Thanks much for your enlightening comments. I actually have read the Andy Hamilton book, but it's been years since I've read it. I look forward to a closer reading of your fragments from Haden and Anderson. And last, thanks for your kind words about the "Oxford Companion."
small thing but perfect example of his stature as the pre-eminent improvisor ... I'll always remember the night I was watching the Tonight Show with Bill Cosby guest hosting and Sonny Rollins the musical guest ... Sonny came out onto the stage, planted his feet and proceeded to play a 7 minute unaccompanied solo ... nobody before or since on late nite TV has ever done this ... and it was a regular feature of his gigs.
Much gratitude for this, Mark, and Ethan. When I first started listening seriously to jazz I was working at an indy bookstore in Raleigh, N.C. One of my mentors (as a listener) was elder jazz flute player, Don Adcock, who was the band director at N.C. State. He was married to the poet, Betty Adcock. I met them at the store. I visited their house often and we'd listen to music and talk about poetry and music. Don always said, "Rollins is the most insightful follower of Monk. You can learn a lot about Monk by listening to Rollins." I took that to heart.
If you want to tell someone about the essence of Sonny Rollins, give them this Mark Stryker essay. It's definitive.
As Mark points out, Sonny was an improviser, as was Lee Konitz. Both men avoided stock licks and vocabulary, and inevitably they were erratic in live situations. On their best nights, they were as good as jazz gets; on not-so-good nights, well. that was part of the process.
I heard Sonny live on five occasions, from 1972 to the mid-1990s. Two of those nights were ones to tell your grandchildren about (if only I had them). One was in 1972 at the Village Vanguard with Albert Dailey, Larry Ridley, and David Lee. I sat right up next to the stage--so close I could have touched him. The ultimate jazz listening experience. Another was at Lehman College in the Bronx in the mid-1980s, with Bob Cranshaw, Mark Soskin, and a drummer I can't remember. My friend, baritone saxophonist-arranger Kenny Berger, and I went, but with frankly middling expectations. Wrong! Sonny did an extraordinary night of standards, including an unforgettable walking "I'll Be Seeing You." Our jaws were on the floor the entire evening.
This is a great service to listeners. I've been listening to jazz for over fifty years and still feel that I've only nibbled at the Sonny Rollins canon. Armed with this list, I feel ready for a deep dive.
All of the Sonny listed (and basically all Sonny) is so beautiful.
But i have to agree with, and emphasize that, the live, bootlegged Paris and Copenhagen recordings are some of the most creative, amazing, off the charts, improvisations ever. Definitely desert island musts!
And thank you Mark and Ethan!
Great piece - thank you! I love to see Newk’s Time prominently in your list… Jazz drummers especially should listen to the bass drum on Surrey With The Fringe On Top “it’s not a tom-tom holder” lol!
Lest I forget, sincerest thanks to Ethan for printing this essay by Mark Stryker AND the ensuing dialogue. It reminds of Nat Hentoff and Martin Williams running similar pieces in The Jazz Review in the late 1950s by such notables as Gunther Schuller, Art Farmer, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Crow, Bob Brookmeyer, and others. We need more such pieces (by Ethan, Mark, and others) that get to the heart of these matters.
A beautiful, spot-on piece, Mark. And thanks, Ethan, for sharing.
This is more than a list, it’s pure love.
Thanks, and amen.
Thanks Mark for these valuable insights! Thank you Ethan for posting!
Thanks!
This list sent me down tenor rabbit hole -- and having popped out. I'd like to tip the hat the Adolph Sax for inventing the thing in the first place -- is there an instrument that so deeply suits itself to distinctive personal expression and hugely varied tone? (With the exception of the human voice, but maybe not even that?)
Hi Stuart. An article in Temple of Artists is titled "If the Saxophone Did Not Exist, We Would Have To Invent It"! Monsieur Sax had a rather tragic life, but he left us quite a legacy.
Sweet!
Mark, thanks so much for your love and appreciation for Sonny Rollins. I now have 48 of his albums. (Three new ones, thanks to you!) I never paid as much attention to Sonny as I did to the other masters from the 50's and 60's. But he is truly astonishing. What a legacy. I really love two of his very last albums, Global Warming (1998) and This is What I Do (2000). Saw him live at the Monterey Jazz Festival around that time, and he was wonderful.
Great share thank you!
As always, well done Mark. I remember the first time I heard Sonny, he was at one of the iterations of the Jazz Showcase (Chicago) in the early 1970's. Watching him play, his power and sheer athleticism reminded me of a heavyweight boxer, an athlete of the highest order. I also enjoyed your discussion about the difference between editors and improvisers. For my money, Lee Konitz also fell within the latter group. Great writing, again!!
Two additional thoughts:
1. What a drag that Sonny Rollins and Lee Konitz never (to my knowledge) played together. Can you imagine? Two of the greatest improvising song players in jazz history. It would have been far superior to the (to my ears) much overrated live encounter between Sonny and Ornette Coleman. (Ornette, whatever his considerable virtues, was out of his element with Sonny.)
2. Sheila Jordan and Sonny owned houses in upstate New York. They talked often on the phone. As Sheila once told me, "He's my buddy." In 1979, I heard Sheila with Steve Kuhn, Harvie S, and Bob Moses at the Cellar Door in Washington, DC. They did a Rollins tune--I believe it was "St. Thomas"--and Sheila did a long improvisation by repeating "Sonny Rollins" over and over. It was ingenious and pure Sheila. Sonny and Sheila were another pairing that would have yielded magical results.
Sonny and Lee actually did play together. Twice.
Lee describes it here, from Andy Hamilton's excellent "Lee Konitz: Conversations on the Improvisers Art" when asked if he and Sonny ever played together:
"One time Attila Zoller was working with him and [Sonny] asked me to sit in, at the Village Vanguard. There were very few people in the audience, it was the last set.
"And one time in the early sixties, in San Francisco, Sonny was late for an afternoon set, and Paul Bley asked me to sit in. I think Henry Grimes was the bass player and Roy McCurdy was the drummer. I was just in the audience, and don't know how come I had my horn with me. So I played a set, and then Sonny came in, and played the most fantastic set you could imagine — nonstop outness! He just played stunningly creatively. It was very free, though with a groove" (92).
The book is well worth your time. In this particular section, both Lee and Sonny (who is interviewed) also draw connections to each other. Delightful.
And if you have a minute, check out some fragments on Sonny from conversations I had with Charlie Haden and Fred Anderson. https://pal0mar.substack.com/p/a-hundred-miles-and-one-for-sonny?r=lzbbf
And btw, I'm a fan, Bill. Spent much instructive (and pleasurable) time with your "Oxford Companion to Jazz," which I'd recommend to any of the other cool kids here. Regards.
Thanks much for your enlightening comments. I actually have read the Andy Hamilton book, but it's been years since I've read it. I look forward to a closer reading of your fragments from Haden and Anderson. And last, thanks for your kind words about the "Oxford Companion."
small thing but perfect example of his stature as the pre-eminent improvisor ... I'll always remember the night I was watching the Tonight Show with Bill Cosby guest hosting and Sonny Rollins the musical guest ... Sonny came out onto the stage, planted his feet and proceeded to play a 7 minute unaccompanied solo ... nobody before or since on late nite TV has ever done this ... and it was a regular feature of his gigs.
I did not see this in real time but heard about it shortly after it happened. I was 16. Decades later it showed up on YouTube.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qPCBqSy3lwk&pp=ygUaU29ubnkgUm9sbGlucyB0b25pZ2h0IHNob3c%3D&ra=m
Much gratitude for this, Mark, and Ethan. When I first started listening seriously to jazz I was working at an indy bookstore in Raleigh, N.C. One of my mentors (as a listener) was elder jazz flute player, Don Adcock, who was the band director at N.C. State. He was married to the poet, Betty Adcock. I met them at the store. I visited their house often and we'd listen to music and talk about poetry and music. Don always said, "Rollins is the most insightful follower of Monk. You can learn a lot about Monk by listening to Rollins." I took that to heart.
If you want to tell someone about the essence of Sonny Rollins, give them this Mark Stryker essay. It's definitive.
As Mark points out, Sonny was an improviser, as was Lee Konitz. Both men avoided stock licks and vocabulary, and inevitably they were erratic in live situations. On their best nights, they were as good as jazz gets; on not-so-good nights, well. that was part of the process.
I heard Sonny live on five occasions, from 1972 to the mid-1990s. Two of those nights were ones to tell your grandchildren about (if only I had them). One was in 1972 at the Village Vanguard with Albert Dailey, Larry Ridley, and David Lee. I sat right up next to the stage--so close I could have touched him. The ultimate jazz listening experience. Another was at Lehman College in the Bronx in the mid-1980s, with Bob Cranshaw, Mark Soskin, and a drummer I can't remember. My friend, baritone saxophonist-arranger Kenny Berger, and I went, but with frankly middling expectations. Wrong! Sonny did an extraordinary night of standards, including an unforgettable walking "I'll Be Seeing You." Our jaws were on the floor the entire evening.
Thank you, Sonny. And thank you, Mark.
Thanks, Bill. Appreciate it. Kenny Berger once told me about that concert.
Thank you Mark, thank you Ethan!
This is a great service to listeners. I've been listening to jazz for over fifty years and still feel that I've only nibbled at the Sonny Rollins canon. Armed with this list, I feel ready for a deep dive.