For all his unparalleled genius as a thematic or motivic improviser, tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins has remained somewhat a voice in the wilderness since the cult following of John Coltrane swept the jazz scene in the early '60s. Still, Rollins, who has continued to walk his own course during his more than 50-year career, is arguably the greatest saxophone player since Charlie Parker's explosion on the scene in the '40s. Rollins was born Sept. 7, 1930, in New York City. He started with alto sax in high school, then shifted to tenor when he began his career in 1947. During the late '40s and early '50s, Rollins worked with a who's who of the period -- Art Blakey, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Miles Davis and Tadd Dameron, among them. His first leader recordings were made in 1951.
Rollins joined the combo of trumpeter Clifford Brown and drummer Max Roach for a couple of years in 1955, then continued leading his own groups in 1957 when Brown died. Rollins' 1957-'59 recordings remain not only his high water marks but contain some of the most brilliant improvising in modern jazz. Those efforts include Saxophone Colossus (Prestige), Way Out West (Contemporary), Freedom Suite (Riverside) and numerous Blue Note outings.
Gunther Schuller wrote in 1959 about Rollins' efforts on "Blue 7" from the Saxophone Colossus album with great praise. Schuller referred to Rollins' abilities to divide the tune's theme into motifs and to work on the elements as a composer might approach a major work -- instead of the usual jazz methodology of merely employing chord changes. Further, most experts would agree that his lone recorded meeting with Coltrane on Tenor Madness had him as the hands-down winner.
However, in '59 he dropped out of the jazz world, returning in '62 with the album The Bridge with guitarist Jim Hall, bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Ben Riley. The album's name is derived from his legendary practicing at the Williamsburg Bridge in New York during the hiatus. After numerous recordings in the '60s, including several sides for Impulse!, he traveled to India in '68. He retired again in '69, and stayed away from music until November '71.
Rollins' career has continued since the '70s with annual international concert tours and numerous albums.
In 1973, Rollins was elected by the Readers into the Down Beat Hall of Fame.
