Sonny Rollins – St. Thomas

Sonny Rollins passed away not long ago, and I hate to admit it, but I only knew him for playing sax on Waiting On A Friend by the Stones. Christian always runs a jazz song on his Sunday Six posts, and I find myself getting excited to hear another jazz song to start my Sunday. This post took me a while to write. I went out of my comfort zone with this one, but it was worth it, and I would like to do more in the future.

Sonny Rollins spent years learning from some of the giants of the era. He was born in New York City in 1930; Rollins came of age during the rise of bebop. By the early 1950s, he had already recorded with legends such as Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, and Charlie Parker. Rollins quickly developed a style of his own. His playing was powerful and melodic. He became known for taking simple melodies and turning them into something completely new through improvisation.

This one was recorded on June 22, 1956, during the sessions for the album Saxophone Colossus. Rollins was backed by pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Max Roach. The tune was based on a Caribbean folk melody that Rollins had heard from his mother’s family. His parents were from the Virgin Islands, and the song reflected those roots. The calypso rhythm immediately set it apart from many jazz recordings of the period.

What I’m hearing is Rollins using a melody as a launching point for a series of inventive solos. Max Roach drives the recording while Flanagan and Watkins provide a steady foundation. I’ve noticed in these recordings that the musicians leave plenty of space for one another, which gives tracks a loose and natural feel. It is one of those recordings that sounds new no matter how many times you hear it because it’s unpredictable in the best way.

This song introduced many listeners to Rollins and became his signature tune. More than seventy years later, it is still played by jazz musicians around the world. Like so many great recordings, it takes something simple and familiar and turns it into something you remember. I understand why Sonny Rollins is regarded as one of the true giants of jazz.