The author of this Sonny Rollins bio promises us “A Journey into his World of Spirituality” — and that sets high expectations.
Sonny-Rollins
The Fuse in London: Jazz Festival Diary 6 — Sonny Rollins
Like a guru, Sonny Rollins offered words to live by at the conclusion of the show, words that are his own guidelines as much as they were advice to his fans: “Keep yourself straight and never mind the rest of the world.” By Steve Elman Imagine a great, blank canvas. Now begin to populate the […]
Music Interview: Blumenthal on the Making of a Saxophone Colossus, Part Two
By Steve Elman My conversation with jazz critic Bob Blumenthal circled around two poles. Part one focused on the music of Sonny Rollins. Part two concentrates on the making of the new book, Saxophone Colossus: a Portrait of Sonny Rollins. Text by Bob Blumenthal. Photography by John Abbott. Abrams, 160 pages, $35. Aside from the Saxophone […]
Music Review: Becoming Coltrane: Part One
By J. R. Carroll This review/commentary will focus on Coltrane’s recordings with the Miles Davis Quintet for Columbia (in October 1955 and June and September 1956) and Prestige (in November 1955 and May and October 1956), as well as a variety of sideman dates and nominally leaderless sessions, many of which have recently been reissued […]
Fuse Music Commentary: Talent Beyond Time — Music Veterans Quietly Have a Landmark Year
Of course this Social Security Six is a fluke, not a trend. And at first, the albums seem to have nothing in common beyond persistence and determination by the leaders. And not even that.