Comments on: Sonny Rollins on Art

By: robber game

robber game — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:53:50 +0000

That interview finally explains why his improvisation feels so chaotic but perfect at the same time. Honestly, most people just listen to the volume instead of the phrasing, which is why it always sounds like a different song every night.

By: Mac

Mac — Wed, 20 May 2020 15:46:20 +0000

Thank you Al, for sharing this excellent and thought provoking piece. I shared this with my teenage son who is in the high school select jazz band (and has played a few Sonny Rollins compositions). He was inspired by it. It’s sad that he and I will likely not see Sonny perform before he leaves our midst.

By: James

James — Wed, 20 May 2020 10:13:38 +0000

This is wonderful. Thanks for sharing it.

By: gw

gw — Tue, 19 May 2020 16:02:27 +0000

Saw him at Keystone Korner in ‘71. Great.

By: Julie Lomoe

Julie Lomoe — Tue, 19 May 2020 03:31:43 +0000

Beautiful thoughts from a great master. I heard Sonny Rollins many times, beginning when he was playing with Max Roach’s group after the death of Clifford Brown. Decades later, I heard him at Opus 40, an enormous site built from a bluestone quarry near Saugerties, NY. It’s a tricky site, and he fell off a ledge and landed on his back on the bluestone many feet below. Miraculously, he got up and kept on playing. He’s just about the last of his generation still alive. I have many of his original LPs. I’m new here but I’ll be posting about them soon.

By: d_notes

d_notes — Tue, 19 May 2020 00:08:43 +0000

Thanks for sharing Al. Great to hear from Sonny again. (Let me know if you ever need any “non-public domain” photos to support a JC post… I’ve got you covered !)

By: PD

PD — Mon, 18 May 2020 21:02:14 +0000

Such humility. Thanks for posting this.