Brown and Roach with Sonny Rollins

[troyk]

Someone who is working on a story connected with Sonny Rollins birthday asked me for some historical context about his brief partnership with Clifford Brown and Max Roach. I fancy myself a Clifford Brown historian, but as I started answering her questions, I started to realize that I had never really understood if the 2 records that Newk made with them in 1956 were the beginning of that group's move from Harold Land to Sonny Rollins or if they were just dates that Sonny happened to be on.

Does anyone know the story about how Sonny came to be on Basin Street? I can draw some assumptions about Sonny Rollins Plus Four. It was on Prestige, rather than Emarcy, so it was released under his name and featured some of his compositions. That record alone wouldn't make me question things, but the combination of those 2 recorded between Jan and March of 1956 do leave a question. Of course Brownie's tragic death in June of that year, may have hidden the answer forever.

Edited August 27, 2010 by troyk

[Hardbopjazz]

Harold Land left because his wife was giving birth to their first kid. He ended up going to California. Sonny was playing in Chicago and Max asked if he would join the band. On youtube there is a video clip where Sonny talks about joining Clifford Brown and Max Roach Quintet.

[troyk]

Harold Land left because his wife was giving birth to their first kid. He ended up going to California. Sonny was playing in Chicago and Max asked if he would join the band. On youtube there is a video clip where Sonny talks about joining Clifford Brown and Max Roach Quintet.

I knew I was coming to the right place. Thanks for the great answer!

[John L]

Rollins was certainly a regular member of the band, and appears on all of the live recordings of the period. He continued to play with Roach for a while after Brownie's death as well.

[JSngry]

Sonny had moved to Chicago following(?) a stay at Lexington (the federal pen in Ky where a lot of narcotics convictions ended up). He had been working as a janitor to get his head back together, & had begun playing again, to kind of "ease back" into. That's what he was doing in Chicago.

[troyk]

Sonny had moved to Chicago following(?) a stay at Lexington (the federal pen in Ky where a lot of narcotics convictions ended up). He had been working as a janitor to get his head back together, & had begun playing again, to kind of "ease back" into. That's what he was doing in Chicago.

Man, "easing back in" by joining the Brown and Roach Quintet...wow. I read some years ago some comments from Sonny that were along the lines of crediting Clifford Brown for helping him see his way to recovery. He didn't exactly say that in this EXCELLENT interview, but it did give some good context. He got out and was clean, but said he was back around musicians and people who were using, which makes it harder, when he was asked to join this band. In this particular interview he moved off of the topic of recovery pretty quickly, but knowing what a great band that was and hearing wonderful things he was saying about Clifford and knowing that Brownie wasn't using, it seems it was perfect timing for him. Too bad we didn't get another 20 years of that group.

I also really appreciate how much respect Newk showed to Harold Land in that interview. Class act. Such talent isn't always accompanied by such humility.

Edited August 28, 2010 by troyk

[JSngry]

I find it revealing that the guy worked, willingly worked, as a janitor. From Joe Goldberg's Jazz Masters Of The 50s (1965):

"I'm not ashamed of having been a janitor" Rollins says today, "I like hard physical work. My job was at a small office and factory, and I would sweep out, and mop the floors, and clean the toilets. I did it very well, and conscientiously, and I enjoyed it for a while. When I left, my employer was very sorry to see me go."

Rollins left for a job loading trucks, which interested him because of the opportunities it offered him for exercise, but there were too many chances in such a job that he might injure his hands, so he left that too.

He had been practicing during that time, but not playing professionally. Miles Davis, who was forming a new quintet, let it be known in print that he wanted Sonny to join him. Since Rollins did not feel that he was yet ready to return, the job went to a then little-known Philadelphia musician, John Coltrane. In November of 1955, however, the highly successful Max Roach-Clifford Brown quintet was appearing in Chicago.

Etc...