Sonny Rollins: Moritat
Musicians:
Sonny Rollins (tenor sax), Tommy Flanagan (piano), Doug Watkins (bass), Max Roach (drums).
Recorded: Hackensack, NJ, June 22, 1956
Rating: 80/100 (learn more)
Rollins's dedication to the Great American Songbook is extended to this German chestnut, by Weill-Brecht, which most of us know as "Mack the Knife." The great Jazz Ambassador, Louis Armstrong, had recorded the tune shortly before Rollins, in September 1955. This is worth noting as context for Rollins’s playing here. To my ears it sounds like he was very familiar with Pops’s vocal. As usual he uses the tune as a starting point and takes his time extending beyond the core material. He’s supported beautifully throughout but the track is a little long for my taste.
Reviewer: Frank Murphy
Tags: mack the knife
Comments are closed.