Sonny Rollins - Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders / vinyl LP

U.S. vinyl LP reissue.

This was Sonny’s second Contemporary album and his second West Coast session, a year and a half after the historic Way Out West. Jazz labels acquire "personalities" not only from the musical tastes of the owner/recording director but also from the roster of musicians signed to the company. The "Contemporary Sound"–every bit as distinctive as the competing "Blue Note Sound," "Prestige Sound," and "Pacific Jazz Sound"–was largely a product of the work by Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, and Shelly Manne, all of whom had won Down Beat awards for their respective instruments and recorded as "The Poll Winners."