Album artwork for Saxophone Colossus
The early days of Sonny Rollins were a time when jazz was flourishing across the United States. The atmosphere in the music scene was full of excitement as jazz musicians continued to experiment and strive to push the envelope. Growing up in Harlem alongside other soon-to-be jazz greats, Rollins quickly become enamored with such a world full of creative expression, and he began rising through the ranks as an outstanding jazz musician. He played with the likes of Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis. By this time, the stage was set for Rollins to cross the bridge into jazz stardom, and in 1956 he released Saxophone Colossus, an album which would change the perception of jazz saxophone forever.
There are very few records that are more definitively jazz than this one. Saxophone Colossus is an essential part of any jazz collection worth its salt. Despite having been recorded over fifty years ago, it still remains as an incredible album that stands out effortlessly against some of today’s best releases, just as Sonny Rollins still remains as one of the most influential jazz musicians. Sonny Rollins brought about a new method of musical creativity and improvisation to the table; something that made his style truly unique. To this day, it has proven immensely hard for other jazz musicians to copy such a distinct style. He’s frequently been described as a “free player” and a “thematic improviser.” As Rollins himself has put it, he is a so-called “stream-of-consciousness player.” In other words, he has gained the incredible ability to be completely spontaneous in his solos, but also to give such improvisations a cohesive overall structure at the same time. This is not an easy task at all when soloing over fast, complex chord changes.
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