![]() ![]() Naturally, the appeal of Saxophone Colossus stretches beyond just the opening track. Easily the snappiest tune on the record, with its catchy melody and neat structure you can see why this is one of the longest-enduring jazz standards of the hard bop era. In the context of the record it also sets Rollins up as a less self-serious jazzer than perhaps some of his contemporaries, and also features one of Roach’s most inventive solos on record. Just a year before, the tune had been recorded by pianist Randy Weston under the name ‘Fire Down There’, but it would ultimately be Rollins’ interpretation that became a jazz standard and stood the test of time. Thomas’ after the island of the same name. Its calypso-like melody is taken from two folk songs the Bahamian ‘Sponger Money’ and the English ‘The Lincolnshire Poacher’ – Rollins’ mother would sing this to him as a child, and with both of his parents being from the US Virgin Islands he titled the tune ‘St. Thomas’ is almost like Rollins’ version of ‘So What’, with just as much recognisability among jazz listeners despite not being written by the man himself – it was Prestige that urged Rollins to take the writing credit for what was actually a traditional folk song. Still, many listeners’ introduction to Rollins is still his sixth record, released on Prestige in 1956 with a new quartet consisting of pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Max Roach – all of whom ran in similar circles to Rollins. ![]() It was during this time as well that Rollins was taking numerous sideman gigs, playing for Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and the Modern Jazz Quartet – the latter of whom also appeared on his Prestige debut aptly titled Sonny Rollins with the Modern Jazz Quartet, though only on 4 out of the 11 tracks. Tenor Madness would also, interestingly, be the only time Rollins and John Coltrane would appear on record together. Saxophone Colossus was one of many sessions that Rollins had done for Prestige Records, having released a handful of records on the label already, and other than Tenor Madness (released only a few months after), it stands out as easily some of the most long-enduring material. And his always formidable musical intelligence is constantly evident. Rollins' tone had matured and become more rounded, and at times, he seems to stimulate the great Max Roach rhythmically as much as he is stimulated by him. Together they made a masterpiece in which the melodic exploration is equal to the harmonic analysis that was typical of hard bop. SPELLMAN: Rollins is joined here with three men you call "musicians' musicians." The subtle and sensitive master Tommy Flanagan is the pianist Doug Watkins is the bassist and the sublime Max Roach is the drummer. Thomas," the calypso in which Sonny Rollins declared his West Indian roots. It is in perfect balance with a calypso, ballad, straight-ahead hard bop number, Kurt Weill classic, and a blues. SPELLMAN, National Endowment for the Arts: Oh, I definitely think this is the record in which Sonny Rollins came out as a master. And a lot of critics have called this his breakthrough record. But in 1956, in his mid-20s, he recorded this album, Saxophone Colossus. MURRAY HORWITZ, American Film Institute: Sonny Rollins was a jazz prodigy who had recorded with Bud Powell and Art Blakey before he was even 20 years old.
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