Sonny Rollins at 75

[Guest]

I have to admit Sonny Rollins is my all time favorite jazz saxaphonist. I listen to his CDs going back 50 years. I am amazed how he keeps on maturing. I compared his rendition of Without a Song from The Bridge 1962 with the rendition on his Album from same title as song after 911 when he was age 71. Both were great, but the song from 40 years later was more inticrate, more creative and emotionally involving for me with it's complexity. I do not know how he sounds at 75, but he is an inspiration, a living Jazz legend who plays from the heart and speaks from the heart with integrety. I love Way Out West, Alfie, G-Man, Without a Song and on and on. What are your favorites and what do you think about this musician whom I rate with the 10 all time greatest jazz musicians?

[Alexander Hawkins]

I agree with some of what you say, and if he's not my favourite saxophonist, he's in the top two (a certain Mr. Parker of K.C. maybe by a short head )!

I don't know if he necessarily got more creative as he went on. Thinking about the sheer flow of ideas in some of those Prestige/Contemporary/Blue Note recordings etc., it's pretty frightening.

BTW, if you look towards the top right of your screen, there's a search function - if you plug in 'Sonny Rollins', you'll come up with a lot of (often fascinating) discussion!

[Hardbopjazz]

For someone at 75 to continue to play tenor like he does is testament to how great a musician he is. It takes a lot of air to play the tenor. Especially the swirling sounds he makes.

[danasgoodstuff]

sheffb:

I think you'll find a lot of love for Sonny R here, esp'ly from me and Mr. Sngry (whose opinion carries a little more weight than mine both because he's a more prolific poster and because he's a pro sax player and I'm an amateur). However, I don't think you'll find many who think that he's just got better and better, even his most ardent supporters generally find the last 30+ years somewhat probloematic if not without their own particular rewards. There are others, here and elsewhere who, unfairly I think, just reject the whole period out of hand...as suggested, using the search function should get you up to speed on where everybody here stands on this issue...oh, and welcome to the board!

[Tom 1960]

For those interested, here's a link to National Public Radio's website which features a recent 7 minute interview with Rollins saluting Sonny's 75'th birthday. Must have Real Player or Windows Media Player. NPR Website

Edited November 11, 2005 by Tom 1960