Sonny Rollins, the reason I really got into jazz. After seeing his trio with Henry Grimes (bass) and Joe Harris (drums) playing live in 1959, at Södra Teatern in Stockholm, Sweden, on television. I have some of his work, but there's a lot left still to discover. A lot. This album is quite special. With some outstanding tunes. Some of them have that Old West touch, like the opening tunes on each side "I'm An Old Cowhand" and "Wagon Wheels". I like this trio setting. Sonny, together with Ray Brown on double bass and the brilliant Shelly Manne on drums. I dig Shelly. Great drummer. He has recorded lots of stuff that I need to look into more.
The tenor sax really thrives in this stripped down setting. In fact, the double bass and drums both get a lot of focus as well. It's just beautifully recorded. A favorite album of mine. This copy is in very nice condition. An original 1st pressing, with the 2 color back. I love the old yellow Contemporary labels with the deep grooves. I've only got a couple of LP's on the Contemporary label, but I intend to explore the label further and see what I can find.
Please enjoy the images and I'll be back soon with more nice, rare records from the collection.