Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye - Sonny Rollins

Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye - Sonny Rollins

3:23

The Sound Of Sonny, 1957

Written by Cole Porter

Sonny Rollins died yesterday at the ripe old age of 95.  What better send-off for the great tenor saxophonist than this terrific Cole Porter song?  Legendary drummer Roy Haynes, nicknamed "Snap Crackle," provides a terrific high metallic counterpoint to Rollins' fluid and conversational sax lines.  I like it when jazz artists don't play too many ideas and let the melody speak up.  Rollins gives Porter's beautiful melody some respectful space.

Newk's Fadeaway - Sonny Rollins Quartet

Newk's Fadeaway - Sonny Rollins Quartet

3:11

Sonny Rollins Quartet, 1952

Written by Sonny Rollins

Okay, first, who is Newk?  Newk is Rollins' nickname (newkname?) due to his supposed resemblance to the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball pitcher Don Newcombe.  Second: credit.  This is often credited to Sonny Rollins with the Modern Jazz Quartet, but that's wrong.  Only the first four tracks on the 1956 compilation album were with the MJQ.  Anyhoo, this is a great saxophone track.  His tenor tone is bright but unhurried, riding atop the sparse comping like it's no big thing. The quartet leaves space open, giving Rollins room to explore ideas without much clutter.  It’s cool, loose, and self-assured.  I was surprised to find that it doesn't, at least on Spotify, fade away so much as stop abruptly.