JSngry Posted June 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2005 I do feel Sonny's latterday output has been undervalued though. Even with less than challenging back-up the man's sound still gives thrills and chills in equal amounts and the flow of ideas still has the mark of one of the most original creative minds this music has given us. There have been some total duds along the way, as well as some definite moments of, uh..."underachievement". But when it's good, it's damn good, and there's more of those moments than seems to be generally acknowledged. I'm hoping that spotlighting an album that has those moments in abundance brings this to people's attention for thier consideration. The whole "Rollins' Milestone recordings are all crap" school of general dismissal just doesn't hold with me, not even slightly. "Undervalued", yes, that's it, exactly, and for the equally exact reasons you mention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosco Posted June 12, 2005 Report Share Posted June 12, 2005 The thing I dig about Branford is that he's not afraid to go into situations where he knows he'll get his ass kicked. Remember the carving that Betty Carter gave him on the old Night Music show? He took it like a man! You don't grow without getting handed some ass-kickings along the way, and Branford seems to have realized that early on in his career, and he's been cool enough to get them publicly, w/o trying to B.S. his way around the fact. I still think that the contrast between how he approached this date with Rollins is an interesting (and, in a way, disappointing) contrast (in results as well as in implications) to how Rollins went up with/against Hawkins, but I also agree that Branford did what he did superbly. His solo on "I Should Care" is right up there with his solo on Shirley Horn's "It Had To Be You" as some of the finest "traditional" ballad work of his generation/stylistic leaning, and seeing as how ballads are a B!TCH to play well, I'd say that props are due. ← Oh, don't get me wrong about Branford... he's a hell of a player for sure, chops, creativity, sensitivity, wit and the willingness to develop as a player, the sure sign of a master. Of course, it's one thing to master a language, it's entirely another to *create* one. Hawkins and Rollins created their languages. Hell, Hawk practically invented tenor saxophone playing. One of the joys of listening to the Hawk/ Newk session is the sense of a torch being passed from generation to generation. Rollins almost seems to be saying 'Yeah, Hawk, that shit it cool... but listen to what *I* can do with it...' (I always wonder what the ol' man made of the encounter. Did he dig it? Or did he come away scratching his head, wondering what the hell just happened?) All I meant about Branford is that he was fortunate enough to come face to face with one of the originators of a language that is still in use. How many players of his generation have had that chance? The torch is in safe hands, no question. It'll be interesting to see who Branford passes it to when he's the elder statesman. After Parker, Rollins, Trane, Ornette and Albert where's left to go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted June 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2005 (edited) One of the joys of listening to the Hawk/ Newk session is the sense of a torch being passed from generation to generation. Rollins almost seems to be saying 'Yeah, Hawk, that shit it cool... but listen to what *I* can do with it...' (I always wonder what the ol' man made of the encounter. Did he dig it? Or did he come away scratching his head, wondering what the hell just happened?) Both, I suspect! Edited June 12, 2005 by JSngry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted June 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2005 After Parker, Rollins, Trane, Ornette and Albert where's left to go? A damned good question, and one that we're still trying to come to grips with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyJazz Posted June 12, 2005 Report Share Posted June 12, 2005 After Parker, Rollins, Trane, Ornette and Albert where's left to go? A damned good question, and one that we're still trying to come to grips with. ← ...which makes me recall what Sam Rivers said to me about 30 years ago, when I posed a similar question to him in conversation: "It's all been done". In light of his continual creativity and tenor mastery even at his advanced age, a hell of a statement to make, don't you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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