Sonny Rollins, Volume 1: Hard Bop at Its Ease
Rollins in a relaxed, swinging session that shows his tenor sound fully formed.
Put the needle down and the first thing you hear is Max Roach's drums pushing the room forward while Sonny Rollins's tenor saxophone sits confidently on top. The sound is warm, unhurried, and muscular, the kind of hard bop that swings without strain. Rollins plays with a big, round tone and a loose, rhythmic looseness that makes even the simplest phrase feel like it has room to breathe.
Recorded on December 16, 1956, and released on Blue Note the following year, Sonny Rollins, Volume 1 features Donald Byrd on trumpet, Wynton Kelly on piano, Gene Ramey on bass, and Max Roach on drums. The lineup is tight and the playing is lively without showing off. Rollins's solos stay melodic and conversational, and the rhythm section gives him plenty of space to stretch out.
If you're new to Rollins, this is a solid, enjoyable entry point rather than his single greatest statement. It captures him at an early and confident stage, before some of his more ambitious later records. Fans of hard bop from the same period will find it a comfortable, rewarding listen.
Who's playing
Where next?
More by Sonny Rollins
All 23 albums →
The musicians on this record
Kelly Blue 1959
Wynton Kelly
plays piano here
plays piano here
Byrd in Flight 1960
Donald Byrd
plays trumpet here
plays trumpet here
We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite 1961
Max Roach
plays drums (drum set) here
plays drums (drum set) here
