Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus

Though he lacked the improvisational fire of John Coltrane or the restless curiosity of Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins played with a rich, round tone that complemented his melodic inclinations, making him the most accessible of the postbop musicians. Saxophone Colossus is the most successful of the late 1950s albums that made his reputation. Rollins's playing never falters; he's backed by the redoubtable Max Roach on drums, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Doug Watkins on bass. Rollins is equally at home with the lilting Caribbean air of "St. Thomas," standards ("You Don't Know What Love Is"), blues ("Strode Rode," featuring a driving Flanagan solo), and a smoldering version of Brecht-Weill's "Moritat" (better known as "Mac the Knife"). If you are new to jazz, there is no better place to start than Saxophone Colossus. --Steven Mirkin Amazon.com

Mine DOESN'T skip

I don't write reviews very often (or EVER...) but I was just glancing over the reviews here that claim the 2006 RVG remaster is defective, so I popped my copy in and played it straight through (yeah, it's my day off) and there are no skips, glitches, or hiccups. Nothing. I don't know why some would skip, but mine works perfectly. June 12, 2008

Reliable, steady, and oh so good

This CD is a treat from start to finish. I like the mix of well known and not so well known songs, and I especially like Moritat ("Mack the Knife") for its straight forward delivery, true to the original rhythm and swing, and a saxophone solo by Sonny that is unparalleled in recorded jazz history. I've never had any issues with Van Gelder re-mixes, and I can confirm that there are a few blips here and there, but I don't consider them distracting and the music can still be easily enjoyed. Fans of sax jazz simply must buy this recording, and I don't see how any serious fan of jazz can be without it. If you are looking for something to broaden a non-jazz oriented music collection, I think this might be a good candidate for you, simply because the music is so much fun. Let 'er rip! May 4, 2008

Colossal genius

No CD comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, but the first minute or so of "St. Thomas" -- with Max Roach setting up the calypso beat on his toms and then Sonny coming in on sax -- is about as close as it gets. What a perfect introduction to Sonny Rollins, and maybe jazz in general. "St. Thomas" is the most memorable performance here, due to the insanely catchy melody, but the other tracks are equally rewarding. "You Don't Know What Love Is" is a superb reading of the ballad. "Moritat" (better known as "Mac the Knife") swings along leisurely while "Strode Rode" chugs along at a more hectic pace. And "Blue 7" is a blues (obviously) that allows all four musicians to stretch out, with a particularly inspired solo by Rollins. The two guys that really shine here are Sonny and Max Roach, but you can't forget Tommy Flanagan's always-tasteful piano and Doug Watkin's tight bass playing. Saxophone Colossus is one of the first jazz CDs a jazz newbie should hear, and if you like it pick up Sonny's Way Out West and A Night at the Village Vanguard as well.

[This review is based on the K2 20-bit reissue, which has great sound. The tracklist is identical to the RVG.] May 4, 2008

Sonny's best album without Question

What else is there to say? This is Sonny's best album. It is an all time classic. From the minute you here the opening calypso bliss of St. Thomas you know you are in for treat. You've got Max Roach on drums, and he never played better. Tommy Flanagan on piano and Doug Watkins on bass round out the group. Blue 7, Moritat, and Strode Rode are all classics. I'm shocked that anyone could rate this anything other than 5 stars. If you can only have one Sonny Rollins CD, this is the one to get. It's legendary. April 16, 2008

Rollins the Master

This is one of the best ever Jazz albums, recorded by one of the top five tenor players in Jazz history.

The other musicians are:
Tommy Flanagan - Piano
Doug Watkins - Bass
Max Roach - drums

Even if you're not a Jazz fan you'll know Sonny Rollins 'St Thomas' which opens the album, with its calypso melody its one of the best known Jazz tunes. The performances are uniformly excellent and the sound is incredible since this album was recorded 50 years ago.

The track 'Moritat' is in fact 'The theme from the three penny opera', but it sounds remarkably similar to 'Mack the Knife'. Whatever the tune really is, Rollins is never less throughly inventive, as anyone who has seen him live will testify to. This track perhaps contains the highlight of the album, where Sonny Rollins trades 4's with the sadly recently deceased Max Roach.

This is one of the classic Jazz albums and should be in everyones collection.
September 10, 2007

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