The great Sonny Rollins, born in New York on September 7, 1930 (he is 88 at this writing) was one of the best modern tenor saxophonists of jazz history.Presented are four of his most iconic albums, all of which feature him as the only horn in trio or quartet formats:Saxophone Colossus (Prestige PRLP-7079), The Sound of Sonny (Riverside RLP 12-241), Way Out West (Contemporary C-3530), and Newk’s Time (Blue Note BST-84001).Among the many highlights are Rollins’ first version of his classic composition “Saint Thomas,” his amazing reading of Kurt Weill’s “Moritat” (also known as “Mack the Knife”), and his unaccompanied sax version of “It Could Happen to You.”

SONNY ROLLINS, tenor saxOn all tracks, plus:CD1, 1-5: Saxophone ColossusTOMMY FLANAGAN, piano; DOUG WATKINS, bass;MAX ROACH, drums.Hackensack, New Jersey, June 22, 1956.CD1, 6-14: The Sound of SonnySONNY CLARK, piano; PERCY HEATH orPAUL CHAMBERS, bass; ROY HAYNES, drums.New York, June 11 & 19, 1957.CD2, 1-6: Way Out WestRAY BROWN, bass; SHELLY MANNE, drums.Los Angeles, March 7, 1957.CD2, 7-12: Newk’s TimeWYNTON KELLY, piano; DOUG WATKINS, bass;PHILLY JOE JONES, drums.Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, September 22, 1957.

• - 1 -

  • 1. Saint Thomas
  • 2. You Don't Know What Love is
  • 3. Strode Rode
  • 4. Moritat
  • 5. Blues 7
  • 6. The Last Time I Saw Paris
  • 7. Just In Time
  • 8. Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye
  • 9. What is There To Say?
  • 10. Dearly Beloved
  • 11. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
  • 12. Cutie
  • 13. It Could Happen To You
  • 14. Mangoes

• - 2 -

  • 1. I'm an Old Cowhand
  • 2. Solitude
  • 3. Come, Gone
  • 4. Wagon Wheels
  • 5. There is No Greater Love
  • 6. Way Out West
  • 7. Tune Up
  • 8. Asiatic Raes
  • 9. Wonderful! Wonderful!
  • 10. The Surrey With the Fringe On Top
  • 11. Blues For Philly Joe
  • 12. Namely You