Strode Rode

Sonny Rollins (tenor sax), Tommy Flanagan (piano), Doug Watkins (bass) and Max Roach (drums). From the album Saxophone Colossus (1956).

Rollins’ secret was to celebrate improvisation, which played an important role in his best performances. Even his passion for unaccompanied saxophone solos led him to play on television by himself. That way he was free to mix and match anything he could think of, whether it was operatic excerpts, movie themes, pop songs or bebop phrases.

His followers said that none of his recordings could match the way he played live, specially when he wasn’t chained by a rhythm section. His musical repertoire was very extensive, included the entire tradition of popular songs and continued to grow over time wounding the sensibilities of the most purists by the disparity of his themes.

The theme contains a catchy melody. Rollins immediately launches into his solo accompanied only by Watkins enjoying total freedom, and then the piano and the drums join them while Rollins continues his speech. Next comes Flanagan offering a serene, but lively solo, which extends over a long period of time. Then Rollins returns exchanging four-bar solos with the drummer in a large and friendly conversation until the group re-exposes the theme.