Jazz Saxophonist, composer Sonny Rollins passes away at 95
Washington DC, May 26
Jazz saxophonist and composer Sonny Rollins, who was schooled by bebop's legends as a prized sideman and became their peer, passed away at the age of 95 on Tuesday, according to his family.
According to a social media post from his family through the late Saxophonist's X handle, Sonny Rollins passed away on Tuesday at his home in Woodstock, New York. No cause of death was cited by the family.
"It is with deep sorrow and profound love that we announce the passing of Sonny Rollins. The Saxophone Colossus died this afternoon at his home in Woodstock, NY at the age of 95," the post said.
According to Variety, sporting a burly tone, a tart sense of instrumental humor and keen melodic and harmonic ingenuity, Rollins was acknowledged as a jazz voice as groundbreaking as that of his friend and contemporary John Coltrane, with whom he unforgettably locked horns on 'Tenor Madness' in 1956.
He composed classic jazz songs like 'Airegin,' 'Doxy,' 'Oleo' and 'St. Thomas,' the last of which was a calypso adaptation (one of several he recorded) that reflected his family's Caribbean origins. He sported an all-encompassing knowledge of the standard repertoire, and could wring highly personalized statements from such unlikely vehicles as 'Toot, Toot, Tootsie.'
One of his most celebrated albums, 1957's 'Way Out West,' was built around his interpretations of cowboy songs.
Over the course of a career that stretched back to the late 1940s, his stature was acknowledged with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Kennedy Center Honors and a National Medal of Arts.
Calling him 'an invincible presence' on the 50th anniversary of his professional debut, critic Gary Giddins said Rollins was "one of the most cunning, surprising and original of jazz visionaries."
Rollins' career took off in earnest in 1955 when he joined the august quintet led by trumpeter Clifford Brown and drummer Max Roach (who later appeared on a Prestige date led by the saxophonist). The year 1956 saw his breakout as a leader: He fronted Miles Davis' working band (minus the trumpeter) on the Prestige album 'Tenor Madness.'
In it, he recorded 'Saxophone Colossus,' which contained the lengthy, brilliantly imagined blues improvisation 'Blue 7,' hailed by critics including Gunther Schuller and Martin Williams as a jazz high water mark, reported Variety.
He also recorded for Blue Note during this period, making a mark with two volumes of 'A Night at the Village Vanguard,' drawn from a pair of forceful trio sets with cut with two different rhythm sections in November 1957 at the noted New York club.
According to Variety, in the peak years of the composer, Rollins notably recorded for a pair of West Coast-based labels, Orrin Keepnews' Riverside and Lester Koenig's Contemporary. His work for the former company included sideman duty on Monk's 'Brilliant Corners' (1956) and a trio session, 'Freedom Suite' (1958).
His Contemporary sides included 'Way Out West' and 'Sonny Rollins Meets the Contemporary Leaders' (1958), a satisfying collaboration with such California players as Barney Kessel and Hampton Hawes.
Acording to a release shared by the family, Rollins is survived by his nephew Clifton Anderson and his nieces Vallyn Anderson and Gabrielle DeGroat.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I remember discovering 'Saxophone Colossus' in college and being blown away by 'Blue 7'. It's incredible how a saxophone could tell such a complex story without words. His legacy will live on through every musician he inspired, including many in India's growing jazz scene.
While I don't claim to be a jazz expert, his music crossed cultural boundaries effortlessly. The fact that he could take cowboy songs and turn them into jazz art ('Way Out West') shows his boundless creativity. Even in our Indian classical context, we appreciate such innovation. Sad day for music lovers worldwide. 🎵
It's fascinating how Rollins carved his own path separate from Coltrane. Both were giants, but Rollins had this playful, almost mischievous quality in his playing that made him unique. His calypso-infused pieces like 'St. Thomas' show his Caribbean roots - much like how our artists blend folk traditions into classical music. His passing is a great loss.
I wish more people in India knew about his work - especially his ability to improvise over any melody. That's something our classical musicians deeply understand. 95 years of a life well-lived, leaving behind a treasure trove of music. Prayers for his family. 🙏
Having grown up in the US, Rollins was a household name for jazz lovers. But even here in India's metro cities, his albums are studied in music schools. 'Freedom Suite' remains a masterpiece of social commentary through music. A true artist who used his craft to speak truth.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.