Milestones

I am in the camp of those who enjoy Bob Wilber, especially when teamed with Kenny Davern.

It's interesting that some big name tenor stars have dabbled with soprano--Sonny Rollins on the Milestone JazzStars and Stan Getz on Billy Highstreet Samba.

I've heard bits of Evan Parker (not enough to really judge), but so far he hasn't do much for me.

I'm not forgetting Bechet.

I can think of countless fine soprano solos by Trane and Shorter. Other players who "double" (main axe is tenor or alto), not so much.

I am looking mainly for individual pieces that offer great soprano solos. Despite the fact that it came into some favor in the early fusion days, the soprano still seems like the most underused of the four major sax types. In terms of players who stick exclusively to soprano, I can only think of Steve Lacy and Jane Ira Bloom. Dave Liebman has certainly played a lot of soprano. Of course, Coltrane and Shorter offer much great work, but they will always be remembered mainly for the tenor. Anyway, I would love to see some recommendations.

This discussion is becoming quite reminiscent of a recent debate here on Jackie McLean--basically what the artist owes, and to whom.

Somehow I was not even aware this record had come out. Based on what I've read here, as well as the critical response, it sure sounds like it's a fine one.

I'm glad I started this thread. The overall quality of discussion was quite good and interesting--certainly outweighing the occasional unfair or off-the-wall comment.

Ok, how many sock puppets are on Sonny Rollins + 3 (1996), and how artistically poor is this record?

It's just a suggestion to end the discussion. I did start the thread, but it clearly can go as long as it wants. It seems pretty demeaning to call Sonny's band-mates nothing but sock puppets.

Sonny is who Sonny is, and that should be the end of the discussion. But I have to add that most fans have to rely on the recorded work to get our impressions. At least nowadays we can tap into a lot of concert footage, which will of course be of varying quality. And seeing a concert on YouTube is not the same as being there. I was fortunate to catch Sonny in person once, and I have to say it was as great a concert as I have ever attended.

One of my points (it really it has been discussed ad infinitum over decades now) is that Sonny largely isolated himself and could have been more in tune with succeeding generations and used more of these players on his own records. Again, the model here is Miles Davis, and many fans felt he went too much with the younger guys and was too much into the latest trends. I personally find his post-1970 work hit-and-miss, but I'm glad he did what he did. But for Sonny it is not really so cut-and-dried. As I've mentioned, he sometimes recorded with very decent younger guys like Stephen Scott and Roy Hargrove. He did have the meeting with Ornette, found on Road Shows Vol. 2. Bottom line, Sonny is who he is, and god love him for his comments on the blindfold test, which show him engaged and respectful.

Wow, a 45 of "Brownskin Girl."

You can argue all you want, though I have to say I don't know what you are arguing about. Well, 1951 is not "early" when you figure Duke had been in business for at least a quarter-century by then--and he was over 50 and CT was about 30.

Just that several posters said, "So what is Sonny going to learn from so-and-so?" So, sell a few magazines. My god, how many copies can Downbeat be expected to sell per month? I'm glad to see it' still afloat. And if it offers any exposure to Sonny, that's a good thing.

OK, didn't Duke record with such young punks as Coltrane, Mingus, Max Roach, and Clark Terry? I don't know what you are reading into my posts, or those of others, but I would be the last to dispute Sonny's greatness, the last to question his musical decisions, and the first to agree that any blindfold test will do nothing to change perspective on the man/musician.

OK, these last few posts I have read seem to be coming awfully close to saying that once you are a jazz great you are simply a god-like entity who is entitled to ignore those who follow and try to add to the jazz continuum. And do you believe that the point of the blindfold test is for the subject (Sonny in this case) to learn something in very practical and personal terms from the musicians who are played?

Ok, I sort of get the gist of this...can't say I follow all of it. it may be worth noting that it is perhaps unusual to feature such a long-time veteran for the text and play music of relative youngsters. The piece from Jazz Times worked differently, since they were playing people like Coleman Hawkins, Louis Jordan, and Jo Stafford. But what about the whole thing of the veteran artist who not only knows the work of the next generation or two, but who is it very intent on working with them? We could start with the most obvious: Miles Davis. We can see it in Jackie McLean, Chick Corea, Stan Getz. We could go on and on.

JSngry, what's wrong with Heath, Lovano, Brecker, and B. Marsalis? In the "Before and After" Sonny said he knew Motian, Lovano, and Frisell (though not that particular piece).

Yes, I too have heard that Sonny doesn't listen much to recorded jazz, and apparently does little to follow young (and middle-age) musicians. And I'm sorry, but that does seem odd. As influential as he is, you'd think he'd want to be familiar with the work of those who have learned from him. Not that he is obligated to be up on these musicians. He did the test and had plenty of good stuff to say; and, as someone said, he seemed quite engaged. But why do a blindfold if you're not a follower of the next 2-4 generations?

Why is that? He has been known to work with some younger guys (at the time): Roy Hargrove, Stephen Scott, and Branford Marsalis.

I had a look at the newest Downbeat and the blindfold is test is with Sonny. I was surprised he didn't recognize anyone--not Lovano, not Brekcer, not Branford Marsalis, not James Carter, not even Jimmy Heath. What's up with that? He did, however, have a lot of nice things to say about the music.

Much as I love Lennon and McCartney, they added nothing truly truly great to the Christmas canon.

Yeah, "Twelve Days" is somewhat annoying, though nearly as bad as many others. I also must add "Feliz Navidad," although there is a version by Michel Camilo that is not bad.