Saxophone Colossus + 3 Albums (CD)

The great Sonny Rollins, born in New York on September 7, 1930 (he is 88 at this writing) was one of the best modern tenor saxophonists of jazz history.

Presented are four of his most iconic albums, all of which feature him as the only horn in trio or quartet formats: Saxophone Colossus (Prestige PRLP-7079), The Sound of Sonny (Riverside RLP 12-241), Way Out West (Contemporary C-3530), and Newk’s Time (Blue Note BST-84001).

Among the many highlights are Rollins’ first version of his classic composition “Saint Thomas,” his amazing reading of Kurt Weill’s “Moritat” (also known as “Mack the Knife”), and his unaccompanied sax version of “It Could Happen to You.”

PERSONNEL:

• SONNY ROLLINS, tenor sax on all tracks, plus:

• CD 1 [1-5]: SAXOPHONE COLOSSUS
• TOMMY FLANAGAN, piano; DOUG WATKINS, bass; MAX ROACH, drums.
• Hackensack, New Jersey, June 22, 1956.

• CD 1 [6-14]: THE SOUND OF SONNY
• SONNY CLARK, piano; PERCY HEATH or PAUL CHAMBERS, bass; ROY HAYNES, drums.
• New York, June 11 & 19, 1957.

• CD 2 [1-6]: WAY OUT WEST
• RAY BROWN, bass; SHELLY MANNE, drums.
• Los Angeles, March 7, 1957.

• CD 2 [7-12]: NEWK'S TIME
• WYNTON KELLY, piano; DOUG WATKINS, bass; PHILLY JOE JONES, drums.
• Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, September 22, 1957