Landmark albums, including Saxophone Colossus and Worktime, appeared in 1956 and secured Rollins ’s standing as a premier saxophonist. Rollins ’s career soared with the group, which is considered one of the outstanding combos in the history of jazz. While continuing his work with Davis, Rollins joined the Clifford Brown- Max Roach quintet in 1955. Parker, himself an addict, died without knowing about Rollins ’s recovery. ” In 1954 Rollins finally gave up his habit at a federal drug facility in Lexington, Kentucky. Rollins recalled to Blumenthal, “Charlie Parker told me I could be a great musician if I didn ’t mess around, and that stayed on my mind. Charlie Parker, his mentor at the time, urged Rollins to get away from drugs, which were prevalent among jazzmen. Selected awards: Guggenheim fellow, 1972.Īddresses: Record company -Fantasy Inc., 10th and Parker, Berkeley, CA 94710.Īddiction to heroin. Performed in concert at Carnegie Hall and the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City. Guest on television programs, including The Tonight Show. Wrote film scores, including Alfie and Saxophone Colossus. Began playing in jazz combos in Harlem, NY performed with Miles Davis, 1951-57 joined Clifford Brown- Max Roach quintet, 1955 played and recorded with numerous other jazz musicians, including Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and Herbie Hancock led own groups, beginning in 1957. ![]() He soon made contact with pianists Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk, and trumpeter Miles Davis in 1951 Davis asked Rollins to join his band.Ĭritical and popular acclaim came easily while Rollins jammed with Davis during the early 1950s, but the saxophonist ’s personal life was overshadowed by his For the Record …īorn Theodore Walter Rollins, September 7, 1930, in New York, NY married wife ’s name, Lucille. In 1948 when he was 18 years old, Rollins began recording on the tenor sax with trombonist J. Proximity to the post- World War II Harlem jazz world made introductions easy for Rollins and, entranced by the music of Charlie Parker and Coleman Hawkins, he bought his first tenor sax in 1946. In the early 1940s, Rollins ’s family moved to a new neighborhood further uptown, which was home to numerous well-known musicians. He began taking lessons on an alto while spending his time listening to Louis Jordan records. Two years passed before Rollins, struck by the sight of a saxophone in its case, discovered his instrument. He preferred the baseball field, where he acquired the nickname “Newk ” because he idolized Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe. “I went down there at least once a week and caught practically everybody - Lionel Hampton, Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, ” Rollins recounted to Blumenthal.Īt home, Rollins ’s parents expected him to study piano like his sister, but the eight-year-old rebelled. ![]() ![]() The young Rollins dreamed of visiting both night spots, but contented himself at the Apollo Theater. Located in Harlem, his family ’s first apartment was within walking distance of such popular jazz hangouts as the Savoy Ballroom and the Cotton Club. “The year was 1930, but I had to put my age up when it came time to get working papers, so some of the books say 1929, ” Rollins explained to Bob Blumenthal in Rolling Stone. Rollins was born Theodore Walter Rollins on September 7, 1930, in New York City. He has remained popular over four decades, despite periodically dropping out of the jazz scene, and is often considered one of the greatest saxophonists in the music industry. ” Revered as a jazz master whose improvisational work has made him one of the most influential musicians in the genre, Rollins is a complex performer. “Rollins played with a vivacity and amplitude so far beyond the ken of most musicians, ” wrote Gary Giddins in the Village Voice about tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins ’s 1988 Town Hall concert, “that it might shame many into another line of work.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |