Tenor Saxophone Legend Sonny Rollins At Davies Symphony Hall In San Francisco.

President Barack Obama presenting
tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins with
the 2010 National Medal of Arts Award.

When Sonny Rollins was awarded the 2010 National Medal of Arts for outstanding achievements and support of the arts by President Barack Obama on March 2, 2010, I wonder if, among the many things that were going through his mind, was the time, "as a seventeen year old senior, and brilliant tenor player, attending Benjamin Franklin High School in New York, he used to go everyday up to Thelonious Monk's place (243 West 63rd Street, NYC) in Sugar Hill and practice with Monk, tenor saxophonist Jackie McClean, drummer Art Taylor, pianist Kenny Drew, and bassists Arthur Phipps and Connie Henry - the original "Sugar Hill Gang." "Monk helped Rollins, and encouraged him to develop his own sound, but most importantly, allowed him to play what he wanted." (Source: Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original by Robin D. G. Kelley). During those nascent days, he was known as Theodore Rollins, but his friends called him "Sonny."

Sonny Rollins 'practicing' on
the Williamsburg Bridge, NYC
circa 1960

On Sunday evening September 30, 2012, Theodore Walter "Sonny" Rollins, now eighty-two years old, made an appearance at the prestigious Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco,  as part of the city's 30th annual jazz festival, for an 8:30 PM concert before an audience in excess of two thousand patrons. They had come to hear, pay respects to, and celebrate a living jazz legend...and Sonny did not disappoint. Though the years had taken their natural toll on his physical frame, they had done nothing to his formidable 'chops.' The soaring power, electricity, energy and nimble, wonderfully melodic explorations burst forth from his tenor saxophone like time had stopped one day in the 1960s, high up on New York City's Williamsburg Bridge.

The band accompanying Sonny this night included, preeminent percussionist, Sammy Figueroa from the Bronx, New York; in demand trombonist Clifton Anderson from Harlem, New York, a former member of Slide Hampton's renowned "World of Trombones" group; Chicago, Illinois drummer Kobie Watkins, known for his ability to ignite searing spectrums of rhythm; from Cranston, Illinois, bassist Bob Cranshaw, who has had a long association with Rollins covering several decades, in addition to an extensive, and distinguished career; and New York-based guitarist, accomplished composer/producer Saul Rubin, who has enjoyed an especially diverse career.

For Rollins this was clearly an occasion to look back to some of the great jazz musicians and others he has known during his extended and glorious career; to recognize their contributions to jazz, while simultaneously using his considerable talent and legend to ensure that the flame of jazz music remains an eternal light of hope, peace, and love for future jazz players and audiences alike. The opening selection (D Cherry), a rhythmic, percussion-filled tune with a pronounced calypso beat, was dedicated to the late Don Cherry, an innovative trumpeter whom Rollins humbly described as a great trumpet player, further adding that he had also composed songs for pianists Tommy Flanagan, Thelonious Monk, trumpeter Roy Hargrove, and bassist Paul Chambers, "these songs don't do these great people justice, so I accept that, but still it came from a good heart."

L - R Sonny Rollins, sax; Clifford Brown, tr;
Richie Powell, piano; Max Roach, drums
George Morrow, bass.

Sonny Rollins is a spiritual seeker. His next dedication was to a mystic called (Katandra), "...I used to know him...this was way back...and so this is the one I wrote for him, it's called (Katanchalee)." Not a total surprise, because Rollins traveled to Japan in 1963 & 1968 and became interested in Zen Buddhism. Shortly after (late 1968) he trekked to India and "spent four months at the Powaii Ashram in the Bombay suburbs, meditating on his life's mission and practicing hatha yoga." (George Goodman; Atlantic Monthly). What is surprising about this mystic dedication, was the strong Caribbean Calypso rhythmic chant from Rollins' saxophone that hearkened back to his West Indian roots and was repeated in circular waves; each wave inching toward a festival-like fever of sustained, rocking energy and blazing colors poured into infectious, explosive, undulating improvisational explorations from Rollins' now totally free saxophone; a freedom of movement that the rest of the band locked into with pounding harmonic and percussive frenzy. The audience suddenly found themselves in a carnival velodrome, as Rollins pushed the band higher; building fiery tension and anticipation of a climax that created audible, involuntary sound reactions from the crowd, morphing into a spontaneous eruption of released joy, even before Rollins' saxophone had reached the climax with his own coda of gut-busting notes. At the fourteen minute mark, there was a cacophony of hooting and hollering mixed with loud applause; those who could not contain themselves, just got to their feet, and simply shouted. Sonny Rollins and this incredible band had seared a stamp of memorable accomplishment on this very special evening.

Capitalizing on the surging energy that reached to the rafters, Rollins and the band launched the perennial pleaser (St. Thomas). This classic composition will forever belong to Sonny Rollins; no one plays it like he does; tonight he played it how he wanted because, as he explained: "Somebody made a request. I usually don't play that song, but I did. I told you I was a nice guy!" The audience ate it up!

Rollins is known to have a 'jones' for show tunes, ballads and standards, and he plays them with transcendent feeling and authority. His classic albums of the 1950s contain many of them: Freedom Suite - 1958, Meredith Wilson's ("Till There Was You"); Newk's Time - 1957, Rogers & Hammerstein's ("Surrey With The Fringe On Top"; Saxophone Colossus - 1956, Don Raye & Gene DePaul's "You don't Know What Love Is"); The Sounds Of Sonny - 1957, Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein's ("The Last Time I Saw Paris"), Adolph Green, Betty Comden & Jule Styne's ("Just In Time"), Cole Porter's ("Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye"), Jimmy Van Heusen & Johnny Burke's ("It Could Happen To You"); Tenor Madness - 1956, Einar A. Swan's ("When Your Lover Has Gone"); and Work Time - 1955, Billy Strayhorn's ("Rain Check"). The list goes on...but for this occasion he selected Michael Edwards and Bud Green's 1937 standard, ("Once In A While"). This tune showed the mastery and control that Rollins still maintains over all the registers of his horn, and that he is still able to express his wealth of spontaneous ideas with power, or subtlety. However, the tune's performance is memorable because of a deep-rooted, melodic, four-minute bass solo from Bob Cranshaw. I first became aware of the convincing playing ability of Cranshaw from his appearance on trumpeter Lee Morgan's ground-breaking album "The Sidewinder," with Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, Barry Harris, piano, and Billy Higgins on drums. It was Cranshaw's playing on the title track that stood out then, as it did now on 'Once In a While,'  playing with absolutely masterful discipline, great imagination, and a keen lyrical sense that Rollins embroidered further with lissome, harmonic imprvisations; two jazz masters  supremely comfortable in their element.  

Eventually trombonist Clifton Anderson and drummer Kobie Watkins found the perfect vehicle in the song (Serenade) to showcase their playing skills. Anderson's playing was thoughtful, melodic and smooth, displaying the results of his professional associations with such musical giants as Frank Foster, McCoy Tyner, Clifford Jordan, Stevie Wonder, Dizzy Gillespie and others that secured him a place in his uncle's band (Sonny Rollins) since 1983. Drummer Watkins produced an extended solo that wrapped the room in suspenseful awe with a demonstration of his wizardry at changing tempos and rhythm with dramatic ease, and garnering him his most spirited, sustained applause. 

The final dedication was made to the late great trombonist J. J. Johnson, whom Rollins regarded as a mentor; an individual of impeccable personal and professional character; the musician who allowed him (Rollins) to play on his first record date. Rolling remembered J.J with a divinely sublime homage, accented with an occasional staccato change in tempo to match the initials "J.J." When the tune ended, Rollins offered a supplication for continued support, and long life for the art form that has been the bedrock of his existence, with a vibrant entreaty of "...more jazz, more jazz." 

The band and Rollins ended the program in rhythm as they had begun it, with the beat of the Calypso (Don't Stop The Carnival), staying true to the fiery colors, dance, and energy deep in his roots. The audience called for an encore, more out of love, longing and respect, I think, than musical thirst or selfish desire. Secretly, they had to appreciate that this octogenarian jazz legend had played for 90 minutes, almost non-stop, and had availed them of the opportunity one day, to tell their children and grandchildren...'I got to see the legendary jazz man Sonny Rollins one memorable night in San Francisco.'

Sonny and the band did return to the stage one last time to take a bow.

Rollins this night, proved not only to be a legendary tenor player, but also a consummate showman by keeping the audience engaged and in good humor throughout the evening with stories, perspectives, and priceless morsels of his unique musical and personal philosophy; providing great satisfaction, wonderful balance, and warmth, to a memorable program. He had come a long way from 243 West 63rd Street in New York City.

Thank You, Sonny!

What is Sonny Rollins doing these days?

The 89-year-old played his last concert in 2012, and in 2014, he stopped playing saxophone altogether, a result of pulmonary fibrosis. That doesn’t mean we’ll never hear music from him again — Resonance Records will release a set of previously unissued performances this fall.