Norm Posted September 13, 2009 Report Posted September 13, 2009 I've only picked up two Sonny Rollins CDs (Newks Time and Volume II). While this may seem like a big question, if you could pick one or two other titles by Rollins what would it/they be? Norm (P.S. I don't have a turntable so it would have to be something available on CD) Quote
JSngry Posted September 13, 2009 Report Posted September 13, 2009 Way Out West & Falling In Love With Jazz. Quote
sidewinder Posted September 13, 2009 Report Posted September 13, 2009 (edited) 'Saxophone Collossus' would be a no-brainer for me. I'd be tempted to go for 'Alfie' on Impulse too. Edited September 13, 2009 by sidewinder Quote
Brad Posted September 13, 2009 Report Posted September 13, 2009 Way out West was one of my first Sonny cds so a big up there from me. Also like East Broadway Run Down. Tenor Madness is a must have as well. Quote
Stereojack Posted September 13, 2009 Report Posted September 13, 2009 Worktime & The Bridge are two of my favorites that haven't been mentioned. Basically, it's hard to go wrong with anything he did in the 1950's & 1960's. Quote
Mark Stryker Posted September 13, 2009 Report Posted September 13, 2009 (edited) Picking two or three becomes excruciatingly difficult, but picking one is easy: "A Night at the Village Vanguard" -- Sonny's the greatest chord change player ever and "Striver's Row" and "Old Devil Moon" prove it. Plus, Ware and Elvin (!) That record could have been recorded yesterday it's so timeless.Side note: Is it even possible anymore to get the original sequencing on a single CD? Not that everything isn't great, but that's an instance where they really did pick most of the best stuff for the original LP. I can second "Alfie" and, from the same period, would add into the mix the incredible "There Will Be Another You" (import only at this point). From more recent times I'm partial to "+3" and "This Is What I Do." Edited September 13, 2009 by Mark Stryker Quote
bertrand Posted September 13, 2009 Report Posted September 13, 2009 Definitely Alfie - a masterpiece. Bertrand. Quote
mjzee Posted September 13, 2009 Report Posted September 13, 2009 I would pick up Silver City, a 2-CD compilation of his work from the '70's to '90's. Well-selected, extremely enjoyable, with a great booklet. Quote
MartyJazz Posted September 13, 2009 Report Posted September 13, 2009 From the glorious '60s, I would add ON IMPULSE (Impulse) and OUR MAN IN JAZZ (RCA Victor) Quote
Guy Berger Posted September 13, 2009 Report Posted September 13, 2009 Saxophone Colossus, Way Out West, A Night at the Village Vanguard Quote
JSngry Posted September 13, 2009 Report Posted September 13, 2009 Nice to see all the '60s recommendations here...there was a time when "everybody" was asleep on that stuff... You kids today don't understand how much the "CD reissue boom" has changed the landscape as far as "general understanding" of the music goes. Positively and otherwise. Quote
Mark Stryker Posted September 13, 2009 Report Posted September 13, 2009 Nice to see all the '60s recommendations here...there was a time when "everybody" was asleep on that stuff... You kids today don't understand how much the "CD reissue boom" has changed the landscape as far as "general understanding" of the music goes. Positively and otherwise. Apropos of this comment, I would add that, personally, if metaphysics allowed me to choose any period to hear Sonny live on a good night, it would unquestionably be in the mid '60s. Quote
Norm Posted September 14, 2009 Author Report Posted September 14, 2009 Thanks for all of the recommendations. I now have a good list to work from...maybe I'll first see if my local library has any of these and then work from there. Quote
Free For All Posted September 14, 2009 Report Posted September 14, 2009 Sonny Rollins- The Freelance Years You can currently get a copy of this five-disc set for $14.99 from Newbury. It contains all of Sonny's recorded work on the Contemporary and Riverside labels, which includes many of the previously suggested recordings. Can't beat that deal! Quote
Joe G Posted September 14, 2009 Report Posted September 14, 2009 Sonny Rollins- The Freelance Years You can currently get a copy of this five-disc set for $14.99 from Newbury. It contains all of Sonny's recorded work on the Contemporary and Riverside labels, which includes many of the previously suggested recordings. Can't beat that deal! What's Newbury? Quote
JSngry Posted September 14, 2009 Report Posted September 14, 2009 http://www.newburycomics.com/ http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/seller/at-a-...r=A96CQQZGK78UG Quote
Guy Berger Posted September 14, 2009 Report Posted September 14, 2009 Nice to see all the '60s recommendations here...there was a time when "everybody" was asleep on that stuff... You kids today don't understand how much the "CD reissue boom" has changed the landscape as far as "general understanding" of the music goes. Positively and otherwise. While I like the 60s recordings I've heard, I don't find them as bracing as the best of the 50s stuff. Probably need to check more unofficial stuff. My fave (of what I've heard) is probably Sonny Meets Hawk. The Bridge just kind of gets a shrug out of me. Quote
Joe G Posted September 14, 2009 Report Posted September 14, 2009 The Newbury deal appears to have taken leave. Quote
Free For All Posted September 14, 2009 Report Posted September 14, 2009 The Newbury deal appears to have taken leave. I see that. Bummer. Quote
AllenLowe Posted September 14, 2009 Report Posted September 14, 2009 my favorite Rollins is the "live" set with MJQ (on Verve) where he does Limehouse Blues, You Are Too Beautiful, Doxy, etc. If you can sit through the MJQ, this is worth finding - Quote
jazzbo Posted September 14, 2009 Report Posted September 14, 2009 I like that one too. . .but it's on Atlantic. Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted September 14, 2009 Report Posted September 14, 2009 If you want something from recent years try "The Concert for 9/11, Without a Song." This is on Milestones. Also his latest release "Road Shows Vol 1" is a great recording. Quote
JSngry Posted September 14, 2009 Report Posted September 14, 2009 I like that one too. . .but it's on Atlantic. There was one on Verve (Metro, actually, IIRC) too...but not as good as the one on Atlantic, although truthfully, both are towrds the bottom "go to" Rollins list...the "thematic improvisation" tact had begun to become a little sefl-conscious to my ears (and in Sonny's later acknowledgement), & Lewis' comping feeds it even more. but stuill, they're better than a lot of other things by other people nevertheless Quote
sal Posted September 14, 2009 Report Posted September 14, 2009 Night at the Village Vanguard & Freedom Suite Quote
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