by dataviz1000
1 subcomments
- I saw Sonny Rollins at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1997. I bought a single ticket from a classified ad. The group who sold it were about 10 or 12 people who have been attending together for 30 years — the type of people you would want to be sitting with there.
Diana Krall opened and by open I mean she was the first of 4 acts and had a free concert a couple days before at a coffee shop down the street — practically unknown.
Sonny Rollins headlined and for the encore he played La Cucaracha. After about 20 minutes of La Cucaracha the pianist was signaling to the sound engineer to cut the sound. 5 minutes later the band one by one started to put down their instruments walking off the stage. Sonny Rollins kept belting La Cucaracha from his saxophone probably for another half hour or more after that. Life is good.
- My favorite Sony Rollins story: he heard ‘Waiting on a Friend’ in a grocery store.
He thought to himself, “finally, a Rolling Stones song that I like.”
Then he remembered he was the saxophone player on the song…
- Maybe not the most flattering story about Sonny Rollins but, it was funny and one of the more notable storires told to us at Hartt by Jackie McLean: Jackie was coming home to NYC early AM with Sonny in Sonny's car - I forget the model, but it was referred to as "The Blue Demon" in this story. As they're getting close to the city, maybe crossing the GW, Sonny asks Jackie, "who is better, me or Trane?" Jackie feeling very put on the spot starts trying to find a way out without hurting Sonny's feelings says something like, "Aw man, it's not like that. You can't compare you guys.". At this point Sonny abruptly stops the car and says, "Get out." Jackie had to find the rest of his way home. Maybe KD in DB can corroborate, pretty sure he's on here too.
- RIP - last of the greats - hugely influential to me in his disciplined approach to perfecting his craft and overall grit - https://www.selmer.fr/en-int/blogs/infos/sonny-rollins-bridg...
- KCSM 91.1 San Mateo is doing an all-day tribute to the Sax Colossius today! HOT DAMN did he put out a lot of stuff.
by throw0101a
0 subcomment
- Rollins was the last living musician that was in the famous 1958 jazz photograph:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Great_Day_in_Harlem
Documentary:
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vao3d_QNnA
- We saw him live in Kansas City in 1998. He soloed for 36 choruses on St. Thomas. Gave the people what they came to see. Amazing to have so many ideas flow effortlessly.
- Comes just a few days after the death of Dick Parry, Pink Floyd's saxophonist.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Parry
- He was the last of the legends.
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