Sonny Rollins - A Night at the Village Vanguard - SHM SACD

Between March 1956 and November 1957, Sonny Rollins recorded two albums that would cement forever his rightful place as a jazz icon.

Saxophone Colossus for Prestige in ’56 would become a jazz masterpiece while the live ‘trio’ recordings for Blue Note in late 1957 at the Village Vanguard would show another side of Rollins altogether. His some-what daring use of basically replacing the piano with his tenor, was not new for him nor, would it be the last time; his Way Out West in early 1957 was a breakthrough landmark and later, Freedom Suite in 1958 would be his return to the triad.

Operating at his creative peak, Rollins was making the art of extended soloing his own and was able to both focus and stretch each song out in extemporaneous thoughts and whims. From an afternoon set he locked horn with bassist Don Bailey and drummer Pete LaRoca on the famous rendition of “A Night In Tunisia”.

The evening set found the highly underrated Wilbur Ware on bass and the great Elvin Jones behind the skins, resulting in “The Ol’ Devil Moon”, “Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise”, “Sonnymoon For Two”, “I Can’t Get Started”, and “Striver’s Row”.

Simply one of the greatest and most powerful live dates in the history of recorded jazz.