Sonny Rollins - The Complete Prestige Recordings

This 7 CD set traces the rise of tenor saxophone giant Sonny Rollins from a talented neophyte with a big beat and a big sound, to one of the most commanding melodic and rhythmic innovators of the 1950s. Inspired by R&B/Blues master Louis Jordan, Rollins soon fell under the spell of tenor saxophone trendsetters Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young, gravitating to the enormous sound of the latter, and the spacious phrasing of the other. And finally, there was the grand rhythmic/harmonic mastery of Charlie Parker, Bud Powell and (especially) his elder Thelonious Monk and contemporary Miles Davis. You can hear an earnest, inexperienced but shockingly self-composed Rollins navigate the brisk boppish environment of Davis's "Conception" on disc 1, while demonstrating his West Indian rhythmic roots ("Mambo Bounce") and dry bluesy humor ("Shaddrack") on disc 2. But by disc 3's sessions with Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk in 1953-54, Rollins is improvising with spacious, magisterial authority and composing three jazz standards ("Airegin," "Oleo" and "Doxy") for Davis, while proving the perfect rhythmic humorist and melodic foil for Monk on "Friday The 13th." By the time of his collaboration with trumpet master Clifford Brown and drummer Max Roach on "Pent-Up House," Rollins had achieved a comprable level of technical and emotional mastery, but he hit a conceptual peak on his calypso hit "St. Thomas" and "Blue 7," where his mastery of melodic riffs and thematic motifs set an artistic standard that remains imposing-even for Rollins-some 40 years later. --Chip Stern Amazon.com

Great tunes by one of the greatest

This 7 disc set covers all the recordings Sonny Rollins made for Prestige(either under other leaders or for his own albums) from '49 to '56, but the bulk of it is the last 3 years. While his style and sound might arguably not have shone as brightly as in the companion "Freelance Years" set - albums like "Way Out West", or "Freedom Suite" for example, there is a wealth of material here that should satisfy all but hardcore Rollins fans. You also get the chance to hear Sonny blow with others who would go on to be legends themselves - Miles, MJQ, Monk, Coltrane, Blakey, Brownie's Trio - even Bird on tenor!
The thing is though, is that this set came out in '92, and it's pretty dated. Prestige has recently begun revamping comparable sets by boxing up only the leader's sessions and so forth. So it will be interesting to see what they do with this. Reducing the packaging would be a nice step. Keep the copious notes, but lose half the box and turn the quad disc cases into slimlines. Other than that, Sonny swings! August 16, 2006

If You Buy Only One 7-Disc Box Set - Buy This One!

The mid-to-late fifties was a golden age for jazz, particularly the hard bop associated with the East Coast. Sonny Rollins was the top tenor player of that era, rivalled only by the great John Coltrane (and they both show their stuff on the legendary "Tenor Madness," included in this box). This set covers Rollins' work from 1954 to 1959, and from early gems like "Mambo Bounce," "Newk's Fadeaway," and "No Moe," through collaborations with Thelonious Monk ("Friday The 13th") and his great signature tune "St. Thomas," to a creative peak with "Blue 7" and "Moritat" (from the Weill/Brecht "Three Penny Opera"), he would never be in better form. Seven discs is lot of music from any artist, especially when the box covers his work for only six years and for a single label, but it is truly a "must have" for any fan of jazz in the 1950's. June 22, 2006

A Retrospective of Perfection in Music

I've decided to re-write my original review to compensate for the time required to get to know this set a little better. Since it's a 7CD set, a more conclusive review is appropriate.

Firstly, it's impossible to fault the music on this set. If you're considering buying this, you're 99% likely to be familiar with Rollins already. It covers a vast range of Rollins Prestige recordings (not complete though) from his albums as a leader, and his work with others such as Miles and Monk. The earlier recordings can sound a small bit thin, but not to an extent that steals enjoyment. The set covers a vast chunk of Rollins, and one of his most creative periods. In terms of getting all this material in one place without spending a tonne on the discs individually (yeah, this set isnt cheap either), there's not really any option but to get this one.

Secondly, the track order is a bit problematic sometimes. There's quite a bit of the set that's not in the correct order in terms of recordings and recording dates, but this shouldnt be a problem. You can decide for yourself whether it gives you an easier avenue to explore the larger scale of the music or whether it ruins the flow (I believe box sets should occasionally have that quality too...).

This is an excellent set of recordings, and not a penny/cent will be regretted. May 12, 2004

Overpriced

I doubt Sonny is getting any royalties from this set, so may I recommend to you www.zweitausendeins.de which has it for 12.99 euros. October 6, 2003

A LOT of good stuff.

Rollins is undebatably a saxophone master, and this set captures most of his greatest recorded moments, but you probably need to be a Rollins fanatic (like myself) to make it worth the $80 somethin. You can get almost as much from buying two or three specific cds at a lesser cost. But, if you like him that much and have time to listen to 7 cds worth of music, go ahead and buy it. You will not be dissapointed. March 3, 2000

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