Alfie

While Sonny Rollins's saxophone solos epitomized his best free-flowing improvisational ideas, he let the story of Michael Caine's philandering character determine the mood of this 1966 soundtrack. But knowing the movie's plot is not essential to hearing how this disc is a unique part of Rollins's oeuvre. A long-standing individualist, Rollins worked with director Lewis Gilbert to devise a narrative, and then conductor Oliver Nelson wrote arrangements based on his charts. Rollins is famous for his small groups, but here he leads an 11-piece band and gives considerable space to guitarist Kenny Burrell. The collaboration embellishes Rollins's playing, which was as strong in the mid-'60s as in his more celebrated years. And "Alfie's Theme" has become an unlikely jazz standard. --Aaron Cohen Amazon.com

Sonny's only movie soundtrack

It's a pity that after listening to this soundtrack album by Sonny Rollins that he wasn't given any more movie assignments. The big band led by Oliver Nelson is a who's who of the jazz world such as J.J. Johnson, Phil Woods, Jerry Dodgion, Roger Kellaway, Jerome Richardson, etc. The film itself is a classic of its period later remade in a less satisfying film with Jude Law in the lead in lieu of Michael Caine who was superb. My only complaint of the album is that it is very short, like just over 30 minutes but the music is fabulous and this score along with Herbie Hancock's "Blow-Up" demonstrated that jazz provided great music for the movies. September 21, 2008

what's it all about? sonny.

undoubtably one of the recordings i would want with me on a desert isle or any other place of exile. the 60s, jazz orchestras as soundtracks did not do this music or any other music justice, unless it got the movieviewer to the record shop. the music on vinyl was...well, 60s orchestra, maybe dated, though i rather say fixed in time as what jazz orchestration was, and one of the most popular jazz orchestra leaders was oliver nelson. on alfie his orchestra accompanies the tenor of sonny rollins. you have to keep in mind a concerto to appreciate what's going on between rollins and the orchestra. rollins masterfully holds his own, his sound as grand as the orchestra.

i've commented much on the orchestra because if anyone has a reservation about this recording it would be about the orchestration taking space away from sonny rollins' playing. and it doesn't. sonny rollins here is just brilliant, and the compositions on the recording open a new vista to the film. May 27, 2007

BUY IT FOR ALFIE.......BUT LISTEN TO

I FIRST HEARD THIS "CUT" IN 1967 WHEN IT WAS ON VIYNL. I WAS ALL AGLOW OVER THE TITLE TUNE "ALFIE". DIONNE WARWICK HAD THE LYRICAL VERSION OUT AND SONNY REALLY DOES THIS TUNE JUSTICE TOO.SEEING THE MOVIES HELPS YOU TO GET A FEEL FOR THIS MUSIC. ALFIE ASK THE AGE OLD QUESTION " WHAT IS LIFE REALLY ABOUT" ? AND THE KILLER TUNE FOR THIS ALBUM REALLY IS " HE'S YOUNGER THAN YOU ARE". WHEN A GIGOLO OR ANY MAN IS TOLD THAT BY A WOMAN, HE WILL BE CRUSHED. "HE'S YOUNGER THAN YOU ARE" IS SUCH A SMOOTH BALLAD BY SONNY.
IF YOU LIKE SONNY ROLLINS, HELL YOU WILL LOVE THIS CD.
March 3, 2006

Golly Gosh!

I'll gladly admit that Sonny was in top form on this date, and it's one of his best ever albums. It is loads better than some of the crap I've given the big old ***** treatment to- BUT- and this is a big BUT- the title track is so catchy it has been stuck in my head for over a decade. I am sick of walking around with the dang thing digging it's talons into my gray matter, and as much as I love it- I PRAY IT WILL GO AWAY! Catchy like some crazy virus. BEWARE! October 7, 2005

fantastic

One of the great jazz albums I picked and definitely one of the first I grew up. Sonny Rollins has been the next endeavor I listen to in jazz since Chuck Mangione was one of the first jazz endeavors I got influenced in jazz. Then after him, I got into Miles, Donald Byrd, Satchmo, Duke, Count, Coltrane, Bird, Mingus, Lady Day, Q, Chet, Al Hirt, Freddie, Dizzy, Wynton, Grover, and so on and on.

This is one of the jazz albums you must-have in your collection if you love jazz.

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6-11-05

Lemme say this was my introduction to Sonny and mostly this was an all-time standard and mostly a must-have just b/c I seen the movie w/ my man Michael Caine in it I was impressed. True to say Sonny will stand along my favorite 'cuz he's has a more unique sound see what I mean? I believe everybody should cop this just b/c they were familar to "Saxophone Colossus" (Sonny's most high-standard masterpiece incls. the hit "St. Thomas"). November 22, 2004

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