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Beautiful - Magic, mastery and magisterial power: 10 of Sonny Rollins' greatest recordings
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/may/26/sonny-rollins-greatest-recordings-jazzA 30-year-old Sonny Rollins had already made his unique mark with Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk by the time this 1956 session was cut, just a year after bebop sax revolutionary Charlie Parker’s death – but hooking up with his contemporary and admirer John Coltrane happened by chance on the two-tenor blues chase of this album’s title. In a vivacious set with the Miles Davis rhythm section of the time (Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, Philly Joe Jones on drums), the leader’s already unquenchable inventiveness is in full flow on Paul’s Pal, and The Most Beautiful Girl in the World.
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A good innings 95
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I saw him play live a couple of times, and he was an astonishing font of human creativity. He would take 15, 20, or more choruses on a tune, improvising completely fresh ideas every time. And all of it made perfect musical sense (and his music was always gorgeous, hip, fun, and deep, all at the same time).
It’s a cliche to say great musicians are “one of a kind,” but Sonny absolutely was.
