Sonny Rollins

At age 83, the great Sonny Rollins keeps going on and here’s his new major achievement. All of the magic thatmade him a jazz giant are present on this new release, which compiles top moments from five different concerts recorded around the world (in Japan, France and St. Louis) from 2001 to 2012.

As usual, the backing musicians always include his nephew Clifton Anderson on trombone, and some tracks also feature bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummers Victor Lewis and Steve Jordan.

But the focus on these selected performances is always on Rollins himself, who displays his wonderful sound, his improvising magic, and his musical sense of humor (as during the multiple quotes on “Solo Sonny”, Sonny's unaccompanied tenor sax track) all throughout this very welcome album.


PERSONNEL & DATES:

01. Biji

SONNY ROLLINS, tenor sax
CLIFTON ANDERSON, trombone
STEPHEN SCOTT, piano
BOB CRANSHAW, bass
PERRY WILSON, drums
KIMATI DINIZULU, percussion
Saitama, Japan, November 11, 2001

02. Someday I'll Find You

SONNY ROLLINS, tenor sax
CLIFTON ANDERSON, trombone
BOBBY BROOM, guitar
BOB CRANSHAW, bass
VICTOR LEWIS, drums
KIMATI DINIZULU, percussion
Toulouse, France, May 15, 2006

03. Patanjali

SONNY ROLLINS, tenor sax
CLIFTON ANDERSON, trombone
PETER BERNSTEIN, guitar
BOB CRANSHAW, bass
KOBIE WATKINS, drums
SAMMY FIGUEROA, percussion
Marseille, France, July 25, 2012

04. Solo Sonny

SONNY ROLLINS, tenor sax
CLIFTON ANDERSON, trombone
BOBBY BROOM, guitar
BOB CRANSHAW, bass
KOBIE WATKINS, drums
SAMMY FIGUEROA, percussion
St. Louis, MO, September 12, 2009

05. Why I Was Born ?

SONNY ROLLINS, tenor sax
CLIFTON ANDERSON, trombone
BOBBY BROOM, guitar
BOB CRANSHAW, bass
STEVE JORDAN, drums
KIMATI DINIZULU, percussion
Marciac, France, August 11, 2007

06. Don't Stpo the Carnival

SONNY ROLLINS, tenor sax
CLIFTON ANDERSON, trombone
PETER BERNSTEIN, guitar
BOB CRANSHAW, bass
KOBIE WATKINS, drums
SAMMY FIGUEROA, percussion
Marseille, France, July 25, 2012