[Sonny]

So, last night, I once again went to see the "living legend" that is Mr. Sonny Rollins.  I have seen him now 4 times the past five years or so, and every time, he surprises me with his energy and ability to continue to be the "master" of the tenor sax!

Mr. Rollins basically opened at 8.10pm at Zellebach and didn't stop until 10.10pm....  There was no break/intermission and definitely no shortage of the Tenor's calypso beat as well as the ever improve trombonist. 

It was a stellar show...one that will keep me coming to see Mr. Rollins any time he performs around my area...

If you've not seen the living legend, I recommend you go see him as he IS the lone Tenor left on this planet!!!

Tuan

[dB Cooper]

Rollins is a true master. Years ago, he and Coltrane would call each other, play a riff, and hang up. Then the other would call back and improv on it. And so on.

There aren't many tenor giants around anymore, or at least that have awareness among the general public. One of my favorites is Lew Tabackin, an under-recognized player.

[tonyptony]

Couldn't agree more. I saw him last year at the Kimmel in Philly and he did the same thing: played for close to two hours, and tore the place apart.

[Phil]

I saw him at the Monterey Jazz Festival for the 50th anniversary.  He had been there 50 years before too.  He was in full swing delivering a musical sermon.  Simply amazing.

[chadh]

I've never had the pleasure of hearing Sonny Rollins live.  But I have heard Wayne Shorter.  I suspect he might object to the claim that Rollins is the lone tenor player on the planet.

Chad

[richidoo]

If you've not seen the living legend, I recommend you go see him as he IS the lone Tenor left on this planet!!!

I have seen Rollins many times since 1980. Not my cup of tea, although I like his recordings with Bud and Clifford. I am glad he is enjoying his golden years, healthy and playing well. He deserves every success and blessing for what he has accomplished over the last 65 years. But....

The reigning bebop saxophone king now is Bill Evans. http://billevanssax.com/ He doesn't play bop as much but there is none better to play serious hard bop. Not since he came on the scene in 1981.

[tonyptony]

I've never had the pleasure of hearing Sonny Rollins live.  But I have heard Wayne Shorter.  I suspect he might object to the claim that Rollins is the lone tenor player on the planet.

Chad

It's funny. I just saw Shorter at the Kimmel on the 28th. The Terell Stafford Quartet opened. I honestly have to say that I enjoyed Stafford way more than Shorter. I was not taken with Shorter's performance. I mean, I know the greats like that are all old men now, and they have their ills and whatnot, but Wayne Shorter came out looking (and acting) like he was in some kind of haze. Maybe he wasn't feeling well or something. He played out of his heavy fusion period; you could tell a lot of the audience was not quite sure what to make of it. What turned me off was not the nature of the set coming out of his most extreme period, but that the quartet seemed especially disconnected from the audience. A two way street to be sure, but to me it did not rate as a stellar show.

[Sonny]

If you've not seen the living legend, I recommend you go see him as he IS the lone Tenor left on this planet!!!

I have seen Rollins many times since 1980. Not my cup of tea, although I like his recordings with Bud and Clifford. I am glad he is enjoying his golden years, healthy and playing well. He deserves every success and blessing for what he has accomplished over the las t 65 years. But....

The reigning bebop saxophone king now is Bill Evans. http://billevanssax.com/ He doesn't play bop as much but there is none better to play serious hard bop. Not since he came on the scene in 1981.

Sorry guys, when I say IS the lone sax master, I am kind of bias, of course...sure Sonny won't ever play his tunes from the prestige or riverside lables any longer, but just thinking what he has done along with the other greats, like Miles, John C, McCoy T, and others....

Wayne S. is good, I have some of his work, but i was thinking of what Sonny represents as the few standing from the golden age of Jazz....

[chadh]

I've never had the pleasure of hearing Sonny Rollins live.  But I have heard Wayne Shorter.  I suspect he might object to the claim that Rollins is the lone tenor player on the planet.

Chad

It's funny. I just saw Shorter at the Kimmel on the 28th. The Terell Stafford Quartet opened. I honestly have to say that I enjoyed Stafford way more than Shorter... you could tell a lot of the audience was not quite sure what to make of it. What turned me off was not the nature of the set coming out of his most extreme period, but that the quartet seemed especially disconnected from the audience. A two way street to be sure, but to me it did not rate as a stellar show.

That's too bad.  I'm sorry you didn't get a better show.  With whom was he playing?  A while ago he had been recording and touring with Danillo Perez, John Pattitucci and Brian Blade, which should have been a mind-blowing combo.  I guess it's just the sad reality that, sometimes, even the greats give miserable performances.   I remember hearing Elvin Jones at a small club gig in NYC about 13 years ago.  It was pretty underwhelming.  But I comfort myself all of these years later by reminding myself that I at least had the opportunity to hear him.

As for Wayne Shorter, the only time I've been lucky enough to catch him live was when he toured with Herbie Hancock playing duets to support their "1 + 1" release.  That was a truly amazing performance.  At 74 years of age now, he's clearly in the same generation as Rollins, but his discography doesn't date back as far.  But with lengthy tenures with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, and with Miles Davis, he has certainly played alongside many of the undeniable greats of jazz, right while they were at their peak.

While I think both Sonny Rollins and Wayne Shorter are wonderful players, I think they'll probably be remembered in very different ways.  Rollins has a reputation as an inspiring improviser.  Shorter will probably be remembered as a great composer.  It's pretty amazing to notice how much of the material he wrote on his recordings with Art Blakey or Miles Davis.  In addition, Shorter definitely has some great recordings as leader:  "Juju", "Speak No Evil", "Night Dreamer", "Adam's Apple" and "The All Seeing Eye" all came from the early years he was with Miles Davis, and are all fantastic.  I never really appreciated Weather Report, and I haven't heard many of his later recordings.  But "1+1" blows my mind every time I hear it.  As a series of compositions, it's a fabulously interesting and involving collection.  But more than that, it exploits an amazing understanding between Hancock and Shorter that makes so much adventurous, even "difficult", music seem sublimely natural.

Regardless, I hope I get to hear Sonny Rollins live before it's too late.  And I really hope he has a great night, as well!

Chad

[jazzcourier]

Those of you that dig the prestige era of Rollins should give a listen to Grant Stewart.A Tenor player living,working and recording in New York.He has a regular gig at Small's in the village and has just released a new cd.He is not breaking any new ground musically,but has a tone you can hang your hat on and chops right out of the 50's,and is just playing fine Jazz.Give him a google and check out his website for streaming performance video,updated weekly when he works in New York.Please check Grant out and leave your impressions.God bless Sonny Rollins.

[mattyturner]

Yeah, I went to this gig with my fiancee. I wasn't too keen on the opener and I wasn't sure where it was going to go after that. But boy... it picked up big time, great playing and a good ensemble too (although I prefer double bass personally).

The third and fifth tunes were my favourites, do you know what they are?

Was it the third tune where he was bouncing back and forwards with the drummer? That was awesome.

[tonyptony]

That's too bad.  I'm sorry you didn't get a better show.  With whom was he playing?  A while ago he had been recording and touring with Danillo Perez, John Pattitucci and Brian Blade, which should have been a mind-blowing combo.  I guess it's just the sad reality that, sometimes, even the greats give miserable performances.   I remember hearing Elvin Jones at a small club gig in NYC about 13 years ago.  It was pretty underwhelming.  But I comfort myself all of these years later by reminding myself that I at least had the opportunity to hear him.

Chad, these were exactly the other musicians in the quartet. Surprising, I know. I've heard both Perez and Pattitucci in other venues and was mightily impressed. This was the first time I'd heard Brian Blade, and could see the man had the chops. It just didn't come together that night, I guess. For me, at least. I think part of it was the balance of the instruments. The piano and bass were way too loud next to Shorter's sax, and the whole thing was too loud in general. Especially at the Kimmel, an awesome acoustic space if ever there was one. The whole thing could have been done at a much lower volume, and if the balance had been reworked I think it would have helped.

I was actually surprised by the volume. Performances at the Kimmel are rarely that poorly engineered.

[Russell Dawkins]

I think that whenever you find the sound too loud, you should mention it to the sound man or management. If you don't, they may think you like it, and you don't want to encourage them!

I always do, and of course it doesn't win me popularity contests, but I think the music and the musicians deserve it - and often the musicians don't have much control of the sound. I  have heard way too many good bands trashed by the "sound man".

[jhm731]

he IS the lone Tenor left on this planet!!!

Tuan

He's great, but he is not alone.

There are many great Tenor players, here's one of them:

http://www.chrispottermusic.com/

[Sonny]

he IS the lone Tenor left on this planet!!!

Tuan

He's great, but he is not alone.

There are many great Tenor players, here's one of them:

http://www.chrispottermusic.com/

I agree...this is just my "subjective" view on the matter...
There are a number of wonderful sax players out there today, men and women....
I just happen to really like Sonny Rollins and what he has meant to "jazz"!