Sonny Rollins, a giant of jazz who was often called the music’s “greatest improviser” died today at his home in Woodstock, NY. That, according to a post on his official social media. He was 95.
The tenor saxophonist’s 60-plus year career saw him record 60-plus albums. His compositions “St. Thomas,” “Oleo,” “Doxy” and “Airegin” are jazz standards. In its obituary, the New York Times observed, “Even by the standards of a music that prizes individuality, he stood out.” The Associated Press called Rollins “the restless genius of jazz.” Undoubtedly that restlessness helped fuel his work over the decades.
Rollins was influenced early on by another all-time great saxophonist, Charlie Parker, who played alto. In high school, none other than Thelonious Monk took Rollins under his wing. The two later recorded together. Rollins went on to record with Parker (the duo dueled on “Tenor Madness”), Ornette Coleman, Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach and Miles Davis. His work with Davis resulted in the albums Dig, Collectors’ Items and Bags’ Groove.
In 1957, Rollins recorded Saxophone Colossus, considered his greatest work as a bandleader. It was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2017. The notice of induction called it “one of the defining albums of Rollins’ career,” and cited the “power, grace and humor” of his solos.
Even those completely unfamiliar with jazz know his work: Rollins contributed the lilting the sax solo at the end of the Rolling Stones’ “Waiting on a Friend.”
While Rollins wasn’t a fan of the Stones’ music, the band’s drummer Charlie Watts, who had a jazz background, idolized the sax player.
“When he stands and plays, there isn’t a saxophone player who doesn’t look on in awe,” said Watts in 2010. “He’s the last one standing, and he’s still playing as well today as he was then. He’s still at the peak at what he does. It’s great inspiration that there isn’t really a time limit, but very few people can do it at that level.”
DEADLINE RELATED VIDEO:
Rollins stopped performing in 2014.
He received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 2004. He received a National Medal of the Arts in 2010. Alongside Yo Yo Ma, Neil Diamond and Meryl Streep, Rollins was awarded a Kennedy Center Honor in 2011 by President Obama.
With the announcement, there was the following 2009 quote from Rollins about creativity and the afterlife:
“I think when the creative person ends, he continues in the next existence. I’m a person who believes this life isn’t the be-all and end-all of everything. A spiritual person doesn’t feel like that.”
