Sonny Rollins: The Freelance Years (The Complete Riverside & Contemporary Recordings)

It is truly the end of an era (though the great Marshall Allen, best known for his incredible work with Sun Ra, just turned 102!) with the death of Sonny Rollins, one of the masters of the saxophone and who was often called "Saxophone Colossus," the name of one his masterpiece albums.  The 95-year old giant had such an indelible sound, with its power, strength of tone, lyrical and melodic brilliance, while he also composed so many classic jazz tunes.  

These include such early tunes written during a very fruitful association with Miles Davis, such as "Airegin," "Doxy," and "Oleo," as well as "Sonnymoon for Two," "St. Thomas," and the phenomenal "Freedom Suite."  Rollins, however, was a remarkable interpreter of classic songs and for incorporating snatches of them in his solos, why he played a key part in the work of other jazz greats, including Thelonious Monk's Brilliant Corners.

This top-notch box set, issued for the master's 70th birthday a quarter-century ago, presents a quintet of discs demonstrating the range, breadth and depth of Rollins' work in the years 1956-1958, including that classic Monk album, support for trumpeter Kenny Dorham, recordings with vocalist Abbey Lincoln and his own sessions, including for the Contemporary (a Los Angeles imprint that also issued Ornette Coleman's first two albums at about the same time) and Riverside labels.

Recordings include the staggering Brilliant Corners with Monk's absolutely unique approach to piano paired with Rollins' inspired playing leading to one of the great albums in American music history; the surprising, but impressive Way Out West, which was recorded in Los Angeles in one day starting at 3 a.m. with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Shelly Manne, and played up the Western theme to the hilt; the spectacular standards-filled The Sound of Sonny with such stalwarts as Percy Heath and Paul Chambers on bass and Roy Haynes on drums; Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders, his second work for the Los Angeles label, and completely comprised of standards; and the great Freedom Suite, with that outstanding sidelong tune complemented by more standard songs.

What is heard on this box is Rollins' consistent greatness as a composer and interpreter as well as a preeminent stylist with amazing consistency and creativity, not to mention stamina (this is especially notable on the live A Night at the Village Vanguard, previously highlighted here.  In really just a few years, the master had a very busy recording and performing schedule and ascended to the heights of the jazz firmament.

In 1959, Rollins, concerned about his health, spiritual development and his perceived shortcomings as a musician, suddenly retreated from the public eye, spending much of his time "woodshedding" on the pedestrian portion of the Williamsburg Bridge connecting that neighborhood of Brooklyn with the Lower East Side of Manhattan as he pondered the next steps in his future.  This was the first of several reinventions over the course of his long, distinguished career and lasted two and a half years.  He followed with a string of records on RCA Victor and Impulse! before another sabbatical in the late 60s and early 70s.  He may never have garnered quite the attention he did in the period this set covers, but he continued working actively until about a dozen years ago, when he retired, largely due to problems with cystic fibrosis.

We may have lost one of the few remaining greats from a golden age of jazz, but his recorded legacy, hopefully, will continue to endure.  Love live Sonny Rollins!

George Russell Sextet: Ezz-Thetics

George Russell is better known to jazz musicians through his highly influential treatise on modal approaches to jazz, the fearsomely titled The Lydian Chromiatic Concept of Tonal Organization and published in 1953.  Russell, for example, had a significant impact on the approaches of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, among many others,

A pianist, Russell, made many records over his career, but never had the sales or critical recognition of the big names in jazz, though he made some really great records.  Ezz-thetics, released in 1961 on Riverside Records, run by critic Orrin Keepnews, is especially great with Russell and band performing three originals, a contribution by band member, trombonist Dave Baker, and covers of Davis's "Nardis" and the classic "'Round Midnight" by Thelonious Monk.

As with many Russell pieces and recordings, the rhythm section really hews to keeping the bottom line and time moving crisply, often without a great deal of variation from Russell, bassist Stephen Swallow or drummer Joe Hunt, though all perform with great precision and Hunt's fills in the call-and-response section of the title piece are impressive.

The soloists include Baker, who does a particularly fine job on the brilliant title track, trumpeter Don Ellis, who plays with a crystalline and agile sound, and the always stunning Eric Dolphy.  As beautfully as Baker and Ellis play, when Dolphy launches in, as is so often the case, it's like he was from years in the future (much as like Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Coltrane, or Cecil Taylor could make that kind of impact.)

In fact, Dolphy's fearless flights of improvised innovation is a perfect foil for the rest of the band given Russell's creative approaches to modal composition, and he does seem to inspire the other soloists with his staggering work.  But, Ezz-thetics is a tremendous ensemble work, guided by the sure hand of a vastly underappreciated master in George Russell.

Thelonious Monk: Brilliant Corners

Recorded in late 1956 and released on the Riverside label early the following year, Brilliant Corners is, indeed, a brilliant album by the great Thelonious Monk.  It has amazing compositions, a fantastic roster of musicians, and the composer/pianist at the peak of his powers.

All five tracks are standouts, with four originals, the closing "Bemsha Swing" was co-written with drummer Denzil Best, and the fantastic solo spotlight for Monk being the stadard "I Surrender Dear."

The title track is memorable for its opening theme statement, the jagged lines from the masterful tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins, and the tightness of the band, including altoist Ernie Henry, a little-known player, and the legendary Oscar Peterson on bass and incomparable drummer Max Roach.

"Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are" is, aside from its well-known idiosyncratic title, another classic melody shaped in a relaxed and uplifting blues format.  Rollins really gets the opportunity to show why he was a powerhouse in that mid to late Fifties era.

"Pannonica" opens with Monk playing a celeste, which just happened to be in the studio and it gives a distinctive touch to the tune, which has another remarkable theme statement to set up the soloists.

"I Surrender Dear" features the leader in all of his glory as an utterly unique pianist and working his magic with a maudlin theme before the band, joined by the excellent trumpeter Clark Terry, and Miles Davis' youthful, powerful bassist Paul Chambers replacing Pettiford, puts it all together with the staggering "Bemsha Swing," where Rollins again blows the mind, as does Monk.

There are many great Thelonious Monk recordings from the early Blue Note years on down, but Brilliant Corners might be the peak because all the elements of great songwriting and masterful playing are demonstrated at every turn.