Sunday Is Sonny's Birthday

Sunday is Sonny Rollins' 84th birthday. Rather than wait, I thought I'd share some of Sonny with you in an early celebration of the man, the artist and jazz's greatest treasure. Happy pre-birthday Sonny! [Photo of Sonny Rollins above in 2005, by Jimmy & Dena Katz]

Here's Capitolizing, the A-side of Sonny's first recording, made on January 20, 1949, with the Babs Gonzales Orchestra: Bennie Green and J.J. Johnson (tb); Julius Watkins (fhr); Jordan Fordin (as); Sonny Rollins (ts); Linton Garner (p); Arthur Phipps (b); Jack Parker (d) and Babs Gonzales (vcl)…

Here's the B-side, Professor Bop…

Here's Sonny in 1959 playing Paul's Pal with Henry Grimes (b) and Joe Harris (d) in Sweden…

 



Here's Sonny in 1962 playing If Ever I Would Leave You with Jim Hall (g) Bob Cranshaw (b) and Ben Riley (d) on Ralph J. Gleason's TV showJazz Casual…

And here's Sonny in 1965 [I belive in Copenhagen, with Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (b) and Alan Dawson (d)] playing There Will Never Be Another You…