Tenor saxophone master Sonny Rollins: ``Sonny Rollins Plus 4..

Tonight`s Jazz Feature can be deemed a classic. It was the second album under Sonny Rollins` name since his return to the Jazz scene in late 1955 as a new member of the legendary band, the Max Roach/Clifford Brown Quintet. It was decided by Rollins and Prestige Records owner that Sonny could record with the Max Roach/Clifford Brown group with musical choices by Rollins and with Rollins` name on the album title. Hence ``Sonny Rollins Plus 4``. Sonny picked 3 standard tunes that were not part of the Roach/Brown repertoire and wrote two original compositions that entered into that band`s repertoire. ``Valse Hot`` and ``Pent-Up House`` were the two intriguing Rollins` originals and the other 3 standards were quite obscure as Rollins always liked odd and lesser known tunes. Sad to say this turned out to be the very last studio recording by the Roach/Brown band. It was recorded on March 22, 1956 and Brown and pianist Richard Powell were killed in an auto crash in June of 1956. The trauma reverberated in the Jazz community as much as Charlie Parker`s death the year before. The people involved here are Sonny Rollins on tenor saxophone, Clifford Brown on trumpet, Richie Powell on piano, George Morrow on bass and Max Roach on drums. A classic Jazz Feature tonight!