Episode 31: Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus (Album Review)

In the world of the saxophone, Coltrane comes to my mind first, but in 1949 there was a man from Sugar Hill in the neighborhoods of Harlem who played his first concert using his tenor saxophone. Walter Theodore “Sonny” Rollins, was born on September 7, 1930, in New York City. Sonny began his life in music playing the piano. He would later switch to the alto sax and in 1946 made the decision to switch again to the tenor saxophone. This decision would make Sonny one of the most well versed, tenor sax jazz soloists in the world. I wanted to review what I think is Sonny’s greatest studio album (well, maybe you should be the judge). It’s Sonny’s sixth studio album, titled Saxophone Colossus. Recorded in one day on June 22, 1956 at Van Gelder Studios in Hackensack, NJ, Saxophone Colossus might be an obvious choice as a classic for most jazz fans. However, I’m doing this review today to let my listeners and readers in on a special treat, once again.