From one of the true giants of jazz who is still alive. A true classic. Very happy to have been able to add this one to the collection. Sonny Rollins is special to me. As I’ve mentioned before, he is the reason I got into jazz for real back in 2007 when he received the Polar Music Prize, and they showed an old black & white concert on TV with his trio consisting of Henry Grimes and Joe Harris, playing in Stockholm in 1959 at Södra Teatern. I was hooked from that moment on. I love Sonny. I still have a great deal to discover when it comes to his work. But when it comes to discover jazz in general I’m taking small bites out of a lot and let stuff sink in. That means I’ll probably never have any shortage of jazz music/musicians to discover. So, I haven’t listened to all of Sonny Rollins’ albums, and I own just a handful on original vinyl. But I feel “Tenor Madness” is one of the top titles to enjoy so I’m very happy to have secured it.
What makes this album so special is of course the title track, which features both Rollins and Coltrane. It’s the only known recording with these two cats playing together. To have these two giants of the tenor playing together is quite a treat and of great historical importance. Wish they could have done some more stuff together.
The tune “Paul’s Pal” is composed by Rollins and is a favorite of mine, since it was one of the tunes he played together with the trio during that concert I saw on TV back in 2007. The rest of the album is also very enjoyable. I’m sure most of you have heard this recording, but if you’re new to jazz or Rollins and is looking to check out his work I can highly recommend this album together with “Saxophone Colossus”, also recorded for Prestige.
Some questions for my readers: top 5 Rollins albums? Top 5 tenor players of all time?
Autumn is here in Stockholm. The weather changed quickly from summer to autumn. Looking forward to some cozy listening sessions this autumn while the weather is cold and wet outside.
I hope everyone is staying safe and are enjoying their collections. Have a great Sunday. Stay tuned for more great vintage jazz vinyl. Cheers!