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Sonny Rollins, jazz saxophonist, has died

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Re: Sonny Rollins, jazz saxophonist, has died

#11

Post by bananaboy »

boarsofcanada wrote: post #8
bananaboy wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sonny Rollins was probably the last great player from the bebop age though who was there at its birth, and probably the last master who played with Charlie Parker too! Ron Carter and Herbie Hancock are still going strong of course, and still brilliant. George Coleman, Jack DeJohnette, and Dave Holland are all still playing to pick some other names at random.

Jack DeJohnette died in October.

Oh crap I completely missed that! Boo!

Re: Sonny Rollins, jazz saxophonist, has died

#12

Post by bananaboy »

dhosek wrote: post #10
bananaboy wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sonny Rollins was probably the last great player from the bebop age though who was there at its birth, and probably the last master who played with Charlie Parker too! Ron Carter and Herbie Hancock are still going strong of course, and still brilliant. George Coleman, Jack DeJohnette, and Dave Holland are all still playing to pick some other names at random.

I have to admit, I was a little surprised to discover that Rollins was still alive. You tend to assume that giants like him are all in the distant past, not still walking the earth.

Yeah I know what you mean! I’m so thankful we can still go see Ron Carter and Herbie Hancock.

Re: Sonny Rollins, jazz saxophonist, has died

#13

Post by BashiBazouk »

boarsofcanada wrote: post #3
rtsil wrote: post #2

He was the last of the legends.

Definitely on sax. On bass we still have Ron Carter, age 89, still touring.

Just came from my kid's school district jazz fest. One of the band instructors mentioned Sonny Rollins had passed and he was the last jazz legend alive that appeared in the A Great Day in Harlem photo : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Great_Day_in_Harlem Maybe what they were referring to...

Re: Sonny Rollins, jazz saxophonist, has died

#15

Post by bananaboy »

dyauspitr wrote: post #14
rtsil wrote: post #2

He was the last of the legends.

Yep. Who in the current milieu (specifically in music) has a chance of becoming a legend? I can’t really think of anyone.

Depending on your definition, in jazz, I would say there are a few who might become/already are legends: Branford and Wynton Marsalis, Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Pat Metheny, John Scofield. Maybe also John Patitucci, Dave Weckl, Bill Charlap, Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein, Bill Stewart, Brian Blade, Kenny Garrett, Kenny Barron, Bill Frisell. I tried to pick the bigger names who do a lot more touring internationally and who I think already have some wider visibility, rather than some of the (perhaps) lesser known players like Mike LeDonne, Chris Potter, Eric Alexander, Sam Yahel, Andy Gravish, David Hazeltine (who are all still phenomenal of course). I think Wynton and Branford, Mehldau, and McBride all have pretty visible profiles.

Re: Sonny Rollins, jazz saxophonist, has died

#16

Post by anentropic »

bananaboy wrote: post #15
dyauspitr wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep. Who in the current milieu (specifically in music) has a chance of becoming a legend? I can’t really think of anyone.

Depending on your definition, in jazz, I would say there are a few who might become/already are legends: Branford and Wynton Marsalis, Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Pat Metheny, John Scofield. Maybe also John Patitucci, Dave Weckl, Bill Charlap, Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein, Bill Stewart, Brian Blade, Kenny Garrett, Kenny Barron, Bill Frisell. I tried to pick the bigger names…

Scofield and Frisell are both legends to me, both getting on in years by now though...

Julian Lage picking up the torch

Re: Sonny Rollins, jazz saxophonist, has died

#20

Post by h-c-c »

Maybe not the most flattering story about Sonny Rollins but, it was funny and one of the more notable storires told to us at Hartt by Jackie McLean: Jackie was coming home to NYC early AM with Sonny in Sonny's car - I forget the model, but it was referred to as "The Blue Demon" in this story. As they're getting close to the city, maybe crossing the GW, Sonny asks Jackie, "who is better, me or Trane?" Jackie feeling very put on the spot starts trying to find a way out without hurting Sonny's feelings says something like, "Aw man, it's not like that. You can't compare you guys.". At this point Sonny abruptly stops the car and says, "Get out." Jackie had to find the rest of his way home. Maybe KD in DB can corroborate, pretty sure he's on here too.
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