Sonny Rollins: The Contemporary Leader

Editor's Choice

Rating: ★★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Ernie Wilkins (arr)
Shelly Manne (d)
Percy Heath (b)
René Thomas (g)
Hampton Hawes (p)
Max Roach (d)
Barney Kessel (g)
Victor Feldman (p, d, vib)
Harry Saunders (d)
Leroy Vinnegar (b)
Sonny Rollins
Roy Haynes (d)
Kenny Clarke (d)
8-Piece Brass Ensemble (Arr)
Pete La Roca
Henry Grimes (b)
Jim Hall (g)
Connie Kay (d)
John Lewis (p)
Specs Wright (d)
Milt Jackson (vib)
Bob Cranshaw (b)
Oscar Pettiford (b)
Barney Kessel
Dick Katz (p)
Ben Riley (d)
Pete La Roca (d)

Label:

Proper

August/2014

Media Format:

4 CDs

Catalogue Number:

PROPERBOX186

RecordDate:

27 February 1958-14 February 1962

An absorbing compilation, assembled and annotated by Simon Spillett, it's a useful reminder of the period when Rollins carried all before him with his idiosyncratic but utterly compelling music. Not yet the one-man-band he became in later years, the tenorist nevertheless was heading towards world domination (at least until his friend Coltrane, referred to in the tune-title ‘John S.’, achieved apotheosis). Partly dictated by public-domain considerations and the existence of a previous Properbox covering Sonny's early years, this covers 1958 and early ’59, after which he retired and recorded nothing until 1962's The Bridge, which closes Disc Four. Other complete albums included are Freedom Suite, The Big Brass and The Contemporary Leaders – which gives this box its name – while the selection of European trio recordings with Henry Grimes covers the Swedish studio broadcast and the Aix-en-Provence set also featuring Kenny Clarke (previously on Solar's 3-CD set reviewed in Jazzwise 162. The temptation to talk about the manifold virtues of Rollins's playing at this stage can be easily resisted, given the voluminous descriptions in the accompanying booklet, and it only remains to say that, with Freedom Suite and The Bridge as its bookends, this comes highly recommended.

Follow us

Jazzwise Print

  • Latest print issues

From £5.83 / month

Subscribe

Jazzwise Digital Club

  • Latest digital issues
  • Digital archive since 1997
  • Download tracks from bonus compilation albums during the year
  • Reviews Database access

From £7.42 / month

Subscribe

Subscribe from only £5.83

Never miss an issue of the UK's biggest selling jazz magazine.

Subscribe

View the Current
Issue

Take a peek inside the latest issue of Jazzwise magazine.

Find out more