"Die Moritat von Mackie Messer" is my first awarness of Master Sonny Rollins. Who among any jazz head didn't try to get their Frank Sinatra on to "Mack the Knife"?
To date, Master Rollins is one of my most favorite saxophone players. It's been noted previously that along with him, Joe Henderson and John Coltrane are the Triumvirate of Saxing.
This year the Kennedy Center Honors added to their circle the brilliance that is Sonny Rollins.
In my opinion, Rollins' most important contribution to the jazz world is his commitment to the beauty that is jazz improvisation. To hear him solo is to hear the foundations and the future of what jazz is and what it can be. At 81 years old, everytime I hear him play, it never sounds like the last time I heard him play. I'm not referring to his sound, I'm referring to his desire to reach for new spaces in music. Name one other jazz musician who would approach a country western folk standard and turn it into a jazz standard.
Congrats to Master Sonny Rollins for this well deserved honor!
1 comment:
I've been listening to the clip this morning while at work. I have som much yet to learn. Thank you; beautiful man making beautiful music. Describing Rollins as someone who desires "to reach for new spaces in music" hits the nail on the head.
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