Sonny Rollins

Biography

Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins represent one of jazz's most significant collaborative partnerships of the 1950s. Walter Theodore 'Sonny' Rollins, born September 7, 1930, in New York City to parents from the Virgin Islands, grew up in Harlem's Sugar Hill district during the bebop era. He began with piano, switched to alto saxophone at age seven or eight, and finally settled on tenor saxophone in 1946, influenced by his idol Coleman Hawkins. During high school, he played alongside future jazz legends Jackie McLean, Kenny Drew, and Art Taylor, establishing himself early in the New York jazz scene.

By age 18, Rollins had gained such recognition that he was recording with bebop luminaries like Bud Powell in 1949 and performing with Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk. In the early 1950s, he joined Miles Davis's band, marking a pivotal collaboration that would elevate both musicians' careers. Davis, recognizing Rollins' exceptional talent, took on an A&R role at Prestige Records and specifically chose to record with the young saxophonist in 1954, resulting in the album 'Miles Davis with Sonny Rollins.' This partnership showcased Rollins' compositional abilities, with Davis recording several of his compositions including 'Airegin,' 'Oleo,' and 'Doxy,' which became jazz standards.

Rollins' career flourished through the 1950s and beyond, earning him recognition as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. He recorded over sixty albums as a leader during his seven-decade career and was widely regarded as 'the greatest living improviser.' His innovative approach to 'thematic improvisation' allowed him to breathe new life into unlikely popular songs, while also incorporating calypso rhythms from his West Indian heritage. Despite struggles with addiction in his early career, which he overcame through rehabilitation, Rollins continued to evolve musically, taking sabbaticals for spiritual study and embracing various musical styles from avant-garde to funk, before retiring from public performance in 2014 due to health issues.

Fun Facts

• Rollins was known for injecting new life into unlikely popular songs through 'thematic improvisation,' transforming songs like 'I'm an Old Cowhand,' 'Wagon Wheels,' and 'Sweet Leilani' into jazz masterpieces.
• He took a famous three-year sabbatical from performing in the late 1950s to practice on the Williamsburg Bridge in New York, leading to his comeback album being titled 'The Bridge.'
• Rollins made an unexpected appearance on the Rolling Stones' 1981 album, startling both jazz and rock fans with this crossover collaboration.
• Several of his compositions including 'St. Thomas,' 'Oleo,' 'Doxy,' and 'Airegin' became jazz standards and are still widely performed today.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Coleman Hawkins - Primary influence for switching to tenor saxophone (Stylistic influence) [1946 onwards]
• Charlie Parker - Idol and direct mentor who urged Rollins to seek help for addiction (Shared stage performances) [Late 1940s-early 1950s]
• Louis Jordan - Early inspiration for alto saxophone playing (Stylistic influence) [1930s-1940s]

Key Collaborators

• miles_davis - Key early career collaborator and band member (Miles Davis with Sonny Rollins album, various Prestige recordings) [Early 1950s]
• Max Roach - Quintet leader and frequent collaborator (Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet recordings)
• Clifford Brown - Co-leader in quintet with Max Roach (Clifford Brown/Sonny Rollins/Max Roach Quintet recordings)
• thelonious_monk - Early recording partner and collaborator (Various recordings) [Late 1940s-early 1950s]
• Bud Powell - Early recording collaborator (1949 recordings with Powell's group)

Artists Influenced

• John_Coltrane - Rollins was jazz's preeminent tenor saxophonist until Coltrane's rise (Tenor saxophone approach and improvisation) [1950s-1960s]

Source: Wikipedia

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. On The Sunny Side Of The Street (Dizzy 100)
2. In A Sentimental Mood (Sonny Rollins With The Modern Jazz Quartet)
3. God Bless the Child (The Bridge)
4. Where Are You - Remastered (The Bridge)
5. St. Thomas (Saxophone Colossus)
6. He's Younger Than You Are - From "Alfie" Score (Alfie)
7. Solitude (Way Out West (OJC Remaster))
8. St. Thomas (Saxophone Colossus)
9. I'm an Old Cowhand (Way Out West (OJC Remaster))
10. You Don't Know What Love Is - Rudy Van Gelder Rudy Van Gelder Remastered 2006 / Shared ISRC (Saxophone Colossus)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia- MusicBrainz

Tags: #2008-universal-fire-victim, #avant-garde-jazz, #bebop