Sonny Rollins: Dearly Beloved
Musicians:
Sonny Rollins (tenor sax), Don Cherry (cornet), Bob Cranshaw (bass), Billy Higgins (drums).
Composed by Jerome Kern
.Recorded: Live at the Village Gate, New York, July 27-30, 1962
Rating: 93/100 (learn more)
It’s difficult to overstate the effect that Ornette Coleman had on Sonny Rollins. The always-critical Rollins was in self-imposed exile from the scene within months of hearing Coleman’s “New Sound,” only to emerge three years later with a new approach and a band featuring Coleman alums. On “Dearly Beloved,” he pulls all the stops in a performance that exudes the spontaneity and intensity that mark all of his efforts from the period. Spurred by Rollins’ infectious tenor, Higgins and Cranshaw segue from up-tempo swing to jaunty waltz-time at the subtlest turn of phrase, pushing Rollins and Cherry to breathtaking heights.
Reviewer: Matt Miller
Tags: tenor sax
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