Saxophone Colossus is one of Sonny Rollins’ moreacclaimed albums as a leader. Recorded on June 22,1956, by which time the saxophonist had already beena regular member of the celebrated Max Roach-CliffordBrown Quintet for half a year. This fact also explains thepresence of Roach. Four days later, that group wouldno longer exist, for on June 26 both Clifford Brown andthe band’s pianist Ritchie Powell were killed in a tragiccar accident. Age 26, Rollins was already a well-knownjazz fi gure. He had recorded some albums as a leaderbut, above all, he had been part of one of the mostoutstanding combos of the period: the Miles DavisQuintet. Saxophone Colossus enjoyed great criticalsuccess from the start and helped establish Rollinsas a prominent jazz artist. The album presents Rollinsleading an all-star quartet that includes pianist TommyFlanagan, bassist Doug Watkins, and, as previouslynoted, drummer Max Roach.

• 1. Saint Thomas (Sonny Rollins) 6:48
• 2. You Don't Know What Love is (Don Raye-Gene De Paul) 6:30
• 3. Strode Rode (Sonny Rollins) 5:16
• 4. It's All Right With Me (Cole Porter) 6:09*
• 5. Moritat (Kurt Weill-Bertolt Brecht) 10:02
• 6. Blue 7 (Sonny Rollins) 11:18
• 7. Raincheck (Billy Strayhorn) 6:01*