In 1959, Sonny Rollins (born in 1930, he is 88 years-old at this writing) declared that he was dissatisfied with his sound and took the first of his long sabbaticals to work on his playing. (He would not record another note until 1962.) Despite his self criticism, Rollins had already started a daring line of experimentation on his previous albums. In 1957, Rollins pioneered the use of bass and drums, sans piano, as accompaniment for his saxophone solos. Two early tenor/bass/drums trio recordings are Way Out West and A Night at the Village Vanguard. By this time, Rollins had become well known for transforming relatively banal or unconventional songs (such as “There’s No Business Like Show Business” on Work Time, or “Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye” on The Sound of Sonny) into viable jazz vehicles. The latter album, presented here in its entirety along with a tenth tune that completes the sessions, also contains a piano-less trio track, along with Rollins’ superb unaccompanied sax reading of “It Could Happen to You”. SONNY ROLLINS, tenor sax SONNY CLARK, piano (out on A1 & B3) PERCY HEATH, bass (A2, A3, A5, B1, B2 & B4) PAUL CHAMBERS, bass (A1, A4 & B5) ROY HAYNES, drums (out on B3) Reeves Sound Studio, New York, June 11 (A2, A3, A5 & B1-B4) & June 19 (A1, A4 & B5), 1957. B3 is an unaccompanied tenor sax performance. Original recordings taped by Jack Higgins & produced by Orrin Keepnews. *BONUS TRACK: From the same sessions. Originally issued on the 1957 compilation LP Blues for Tomorrow (Riverside RLP-12-243). 1. The Last Time I Saw Paris 2. Just In Time 3. Toot, Toot, Toosie, Goodbye 4. What is There To Say 5. Dearly Beloved 6. Evry Time We Say Goodbye 7. Cutie 8. It Could Happen To You 9. Mangoes 10. Funky Hotel Blues
