Rollins Cuts Loose with Wall of Brass
A saxophonist at full strength, trading phrases with three trumpets and three trombones.
The first thing you hear is weight — three trumpets and three trombones stacked behind Sonny Rollins, who tears into the opening with that familiar big tone and sprawling phrasing. There's no subtlety here. This is Rollins at full volume, and the brass section isn't backing him; they're pushing back, creating a sound that's closer to a small big band than anything delicate. Roy Haynes drives the rhythm hard, Henry Grimes holds down the low end, and Dick Katz threads piano lines through the brass. It's brash and unglamorous and swinging.
The album catches Rollins in 1958, a period when he was releasing records regularly and experimenting with different settings. This one stands apart because the brass arrangement changes everything — there's nowhere to hide, no room for the intimate, conversational feel of his trio work. On uptempo numbers, the horns and saxophone jostle for space. On ballads, the density can feel almost overwhelming, yet Rollins' tone cuts through it. Nat Adderley on cornet and Clark Terry on trumpet get moments to breathe, but this is fundamentally a showcase for Rollins commanding a full sound.
It's a solid session, honest and direct, never pretending to be more than what it is. Rollins fans looking for his most approachable work should start elsewhere — try Saxophone Colossus (1956) first. But if you want to hear him energized by a big, loud, ungainly ensemble, refusing to be buried by it, this delivers.
Who's playing
Henry Grimesdouble bass
Dick Katzpiano
René Thomasguitar
Sonny Rollinstenor saxophone
Reunald Jonestrumpet
Ernie Royaltrumpet
Clark Terrytrumpet
Billy Byerstrombone
Jimmy Clevelandtrombone
Frank Rehaktrombone
Roy Haynesdrums
Nat Adderleycornet
Don Butterfieldtuba
Where next?
More by Sonny Rollins
All 23 albums →
The musicians on this record
The Cannonball Adderley Quintet in San Francisco 1959
Nat Adderley
plays cornet here
plays cornet here
Just Us 1960
Roy Haynes
plays drums (drum set) here
plays drums (drum set) here
