Hardbopjazz

This should be a good read. The hardcopy release date is February 2022. The long-awaited first full biography of legendary jazz saxophonist and composer Sonny Rollins, chronicling the gripping story of a freedom fighter and spiritual seeker whose life has been as much of a thematic improvisation as his music Sonny Rollins has long been considered an enigma. Known as the "Saxophone Colossus," he is widely acknowledged as the greatest living jazz improviser, having won Grammys, the Austrian Cross of Honor, Sweden’s Polar Music Prize and a National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama. He is one of our last links to the golden age of jazz--one of only two remaining musicians pictured in the iconic “Great Day in Harlem” portrait. His colossal seven-decade career has been well documented, but the backstage life of the man once called “the only jazz recluse” has gone largely untold--until now. Saxophone Colossus introduces us to the man behind the myth. Based on more than 200 interviews with Rollins himself, family members, friends and collaborators, as well as Rollins’ extensive personal archive, it is the comprehensive portrait of this living legend, tireless civil rights activist and environmentalist. A Depression-era child of the Harlem Renaissance, Rollins' precocious talent quickly landed him on the bandstand or in the recording studio with Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, the Clifford Brown-Max Roach Quintet, Abbey Lincoln and Dizzy Gillespie. He soon became an icon in his own right, recording fifteen albums under his own name in a staggering three-year span--including Tenor Madness, featuring a blues battle with John Coltrane; Way Out West, which established the pianoless trio; Freedom Suite, the first civil rights-themed album of the hard bop era; A Night at the Village Vanguard, which put the storied jazz venue on the map; and the 1956 classic Saxophone Colossus, credited for introducing calypso to jazz with “St. Thomas.” He was even more prolific on the bandstand, performing everywhere from Minton’s Playhouse to Carnegie Hall, Paris's Olympia Theatre to Tokyo’s Kosei Nenkin Kaikan, making the occasional impromptu appearance at a gritty downtown loft. Yet his meteoric rise to fame was not without its challenges. Early on, he served a ten-month sentence on Rikers Island and faced a battle with heroin addiction that threatened to derail his career. After voluntarily entering the U.S. Public Health Service Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, he beat his addiction and came back stronger. Willing to sacrifice fame, in 1959, Rollins began a two-year sabbatical from recording and performing, practicing up to 16 hours a day on the Williamsburg Bridge, which has since inspired an ongoing campaign to rename the bridge in his honor. In 1968, he took another sabbatical to study at an ashram in India. With the help of his wife and manager Lucille, Rollins returned to performing in 1971, and never left until his retirement in 2012. The course of his life, much like his improvisations, vacillates between revelatory triumph and Sisyphean struggle, sudden bursts of brilliance and unexpected silences, with never a dull moment in between. The story of Sonny Rollins--innovative, unpredictable, larger than life--is the story of jazz itself, and Sonny's own narrative is as timeless and timely as the art form he represents. Part jazz oral history from the 1940s to the present told in the musicians’ own words, part chronicle of one man’s quest for social justice and spiritual enlightenment, part guidebook on what it means to be an American original, this exhaustively researched account pulses with the rhythm and pathos of a literary novel and the depth and insight of a serious scholarly study. This is the definitive biography of one of the most enduring and influential artists in jazz and American history.

Thanks for clearing this up.

Thanks for clearing this up.

I agree. Hopefully he'll be back to normal.

Has anyone ever seen this sigh? No way it is real, but who knows, maybe it can be real.

Here is some more on what happened. Apparently he had a stroke the other day, but is doing much better right now. Billy is still in the hospital.

You got my vote.

Nice.

Wayne Shorter. This was from a few years ago at JALC. Wayne got a standing ovation from the orchestra and the audience when he walked onto the stage.

David Murray Murray The Cop Al Molinaro

Billy is doing much better. I asked on a Facebook page where I know many musicians are members, TK Blue responded with this. Talib Kibwe Greetings I am Billy’s younger spiritual brother and band mate when we were with Dr Randy Weston’s African Rhythms I spoke with him today and he’s fine plus he sounded strong and normal I am sure he will be back on the bandstand very soon Thanks for your concern and we all are extremely happy he’s well blessings T.K.

This was posted just now on Ed Cherry's Facebook page. Let's wish Billy the best. "It was quite a Sunday yesterday at the Cutting Room in New York with the Billy Harper Quintet. I am writing this post to clear the air. Billy Harper was helped off the stage during the second tune of the first set and thanks to two medical woman who were in the audience one being WKCR 89.9 FM Sharif Abdus Salaam's wife who is a nurse, and another female Dr. who was in the audience Billy received the best of treatment until the paramedics arrived. On a positive note, Billy refused to get on the stretcher and walked to the ambulance on his own accord as a cheering crowd stood and cheered his exit. I want everyone to know, Billy Harper is being checked out at the hospital and is in stable condition. Thank you all for your concern and yesterdays great turnout for this no to be forgotten Sunday Serenade. Last, but not least, thanks to Freddie Hendrix, George Cables, Corcoran Holt and Aaron (the great) Scott for taking the music to a very high level and the amazing crowd gave them a standing ovation that was indescribable. Live music is like nothing I know and I'm proud and thankful for all of your support. Lets keep Billy in our thoughts and prayers and as Kenny Garrett once played on his album Happy People, (Brother B. Harper) that was written with Billy in mind lets keep B. Harper in our prayers. Thank you all for your concern."

The Kid The Babe The Duke

Deliverance and Superman are the two films I remember him most from. He was 83.

Dan, Percy is smiling from above. You did some great work. He’ll live on for ever now.

is there a discussion on this? A Legendary Stand by the Lee Morgan Quintet Finally Sees Full Release, as 'The Complete Live at the Lighthouse' https://www.wbgo.org/music/2021-06-03/a-legendary-stand-by-the-lee-morgan-quintet-finally-sees-full-release-as-the-complete-live-at-the-lighthouse

Thanks.

Get well, Allen.

Has anyone seen his documentary? It is out on one of the streaming services. I don't know which one.

Google's doodle today celebrates the Savoy Ballroom. https://g.co/doodle/86vw4rj

Besides the film of Bird and Dizzy’s doing “Hot house” and the studio film of him with Coleman Hawkins, is there anything else with Bird on film?

84 years young today.

Since I can't play like Bird or Monk if I put them on, I changed my mind. I don't want a pair.

I need to get me a pair.

RIP, Lloyd.