Saxophone Colossus

Recorded the same year as his earllier Masterpiece, Tenor Madness , Rollins hits another one out of the park with this album. The line-up here is completely different from Tenor Madness, with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Doug Watkins on bass and Max Roach on drums. Watkins is a bassist to whom I pay close attention, which makes this album all the more valuable to me. He was Charles Mingus choice to replace himself (so he could play piano) on Oh Yeah (US Release) , and had Watkins not died at 27 he had the potential to be one of jazz's top bassists. Of course Saint Thomas is the reason most non-jazz aficionados love this album, but my personal favorites are Moritat (also known as Mack the Knife) and Blue 7. However, personal favorites aside, I hold every track on this album to be a masterpiece. Not a bad effort for a 26 year old who had previously that year made a landmark album that would be hard to top. This album (and Tenor Madness) should be in every jazz lovers library, and is so beautifully crafted that any music lover - jazz or otherwise - should enjoy it.

Saxophone Colossus is, all around, incredible, from the first moment. The album opens with Max Roach, arguably the best jazz drummer ever, setting out a cool latin beat that relies heavily on toms. Then Rollins comes in with the mellow, but somehow exuberant head to "St. Thomas." After a wailing solo from Sonny, Roach launches into a solo, which ranks high among his best work. But the amazing point is when Roach's solo concludes, building, and building, and then the music just explodes into a fast swing beat and another round by Sonny. After a piano solo by Tommy Flanagan which slowly brings the energy down, we're back into the head, still in swing. But after one repetition, the latin groove reappears - Max is in control - to finish out the tune. The rest of the album is full of masterful renditions, including perhaps the best instrumental version of Moritat (Mac the Knife from the Three Penny Opera) on record. For me, this is the best jazz album of all time.

My all-time favorite Sonny Rollins album. The opening bars of St Thomas never fail to put a smile on my face. Strode Rode hits its stride. And Moritat will have you snapping your fingers - or at least it does for me. He has such a round, full sound - but not overblown or over-recorded in any way. Max Roach on drums? How about that. Tommy Flanagan and Doug Watkins are just as strong, too. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than I can definitively say whether this is bop, bebop, or post-bop. But however you categorize it, this is an amazing album that belongs in your collection if you like 50s era small-group jazz in any way.

After repeatedly seeing this album mentioned as Rollins' best as well as a jazz masterpiece, I ordered it and listened to it several times with pleasure. After repeated listenings, however, I've begun to question the basis for this seemingly universal high praise. Certainly, more than a few jazz critics rate the album very highly. For example, Joe Goldberg, in his Jazz Masters of the Fifties , states: "This LP, recorded with Roach, bassist Doug Watkins, and pianist Tommy Flanagan, is notable for two tracks, Moritat and Blue 7. With the latter piece, serious criticism of Rollins' work began. In the first issue of the highly influential Jazz Review, Gunther Schuller called Blue 7 'an example of a real variation technique. The improvisation is based not only on a harmonic sequence but on a melodic idea as well... what Sonny Rollins has added conclusively to the scope of jazz improvisation is the idea of developing and varying a main theme, and not just a secondary motive or phrase which the player happens to hit upon in the course of his improvisation and which in itself is unrelated to the 'head' of the composition.' " As for Moritat, Goldberg has nothing in particular to say. Personally, though, Mac the Knife is not one of my favorite older tunes and Rollins' improvisations do not make the standard any more pleasurable for me. Additionally, Rollins' bouncy, Carribbean-tinged tune, St Thomas, while light-hearted and with an infectious beat, wears rather thin upon repeated listenings. The masterwork on the album is indeed Blue 7, which I like a lot, but had jazz historian/composer Gunther Schuller not written his influential article, I suspect that it would remain among the many warmly appreciated but largely unheralded jazz compositions from the 1950s. Despite my personal idiosyncracies, still a highly recommended CD for fans of Sonny Rollins and fans of 1950s jazz.

Outstanding, short Saxophone driven jazz album. It hits you with a fast track like "Strode Rode", the catchy Caribbean beats of the famous hit, "St. Thomas" as well as the slow and smooth "You Don't Know What Love Is". Rollins is a great player and legend who can thrive in all these settings and styles. It doesn't hurt he has cats like Max Roach playing the drums on this session. I like listening to this album as a nice counterpoint to Coltrane's style on "Blue Train". Highly recommended. Jazz fans won't be disappointed with this classic.

This album, along with We Three is essential to any music collection. It's melodic and accessible and just right for either background or full-on listening. Sonny Rollins is a down to earth musician. The tracks on Saxophone Colossus lack the more esoteric flights of fancy of say, Coltrane, though there is enough improv to satisfy anyone. I particularly like St. Thomas and the riffs on Mack the Knife/Moritat are superb. This is as close to perfect a jazz album as you'll find. Listen to the samples and you'll see what I mean.

Sonny Rollins' "Saxophone Colossus" is one of those albums that you could listen to 20 times in a row and never tire of because it's just that good. I've owned this recording for a couple of years and I still return to it from time to time. Rollins' warm, round tone makes this album the masterpiece it is, but that's not to discount his group for this session: Tommy Flanagan on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Max Roach on drums, who provide excellent support. This is a classic for reason. Want to find out why? Pick this up today. An essential jazz recording.

Saxophone Colossus is easily one of the top 20 jazz albums in the world. Sonny Rollins in his prime put together a spectacular saxophone performance, very few saxophonist could equal. It has surely become one of my favorite albums in class with Charlie Parker and John Coltrane.