Sonny Rollins, Road Shows vo. 1

Elliot · November-14th-2008, 07:52 PM

It is a commonplace among people who have seen Sonny live that he sounds so much better in concert than on record (as good as his records are). Even when he releases a live album, it often seems that the tapes weren't running on his best nights.

But, it turns out, they were.

This CD features 7 live performances, from different venues and different dates between 1980 and 2007. Each one is simply marvellous-- Sonny at the height of his powers.

I'm not going to bother describing the individual tracks. Just buy it!

JaSt · December-1st-2008, 12:51 PM

I enjoy most of the live recordings from mid 1962 and first part of 1963 with the quartet including Don Cherry, Billy Higgins and Henry Grimes or Bob Cranshaw.
Most of the recordings are from an European tour to Roma, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Paris and Stuttgart and maybe some other locations also.
Many of these are released on different labels marked “Recorded live in Europe during 1963”.
There is also an fantastic 8 hours recording of the quartet from the Village Vanguard, July 1962, in circulation.
One can not complain on Sonny’s playing on these recordings!!!

Elliot · December-1st-2008, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaSt

I enjoy most of the live recordings from mid 1962 and first part of 1963 with the quartet including Don Cherry, Billy Higgins and Henry Grimes or Bob Cranshaw.
Most of the recordings are from an European tour to Roma, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Paris and Stuttgart and maybe some other locations also.
Many of these are released on different labels marked “Recorded live in Europe during 1963”.
There is also an fantastic 8 hours recording of the quartet from the Village Vanguard, July 1962, in circulation.
One can not complain on Sonny’s playing on these recordings!!!

Those were never officially released. Sonny's official live releases (not counting the original Village vanguard trios) are, for the most part, disappointing. I'm thinking of albums like "Don't Stop the Carnival," "G-Man" and "Without a Song."

JaSt · December-2nd-2008, 05:20 AM

The SR recordings after 1980 are sometimes not in level with the 62/63 recordings I mention much thanks to a very stiff rhythm section – it lacks in freedom. And always the same rhythm bodies.
Maybe your recording is better? What is the label?

Mike Schwartz · December-2nd-2008, 03:38 PM

Not hard to find this on the web, including sound samples....

Cicero Slim · December-2nd-2008, 05:03 PM

I've heard Road Shows, and I was disappointed (with the exception of Some Enchanted Evening from last year's Carnegie show and Easy Living recorded 20+ years ago in Poland).

I was not disappointed by G-Man or the 9-11 Concert.

G-Man ranks with his best.

But Jan's point is well taken. I think the rhythm section, *in its sameness*, brings the home listening experience down.

abarzell24 · December-18th-2008, 02:29 PM

I agree, the *sameness* of the rhythm section does bring it down somewhat, but Sonny still sounds great!

Alino · December-24th-2008, 03:59 AM

[QUOTE=JaSt;790503]The SR recordings after 1980 are sometimes not in level with the 62/63 recordings (...) [QUOTE]

Let's say they're decidedly not all the way.

And his '70s recording already seem a shadow of the last Sonny's greatness of the '60s.

He's still a saxophone colossus nowadays, but some lack of ispiration and the costant use of average musicians in his records is why I find him lacking of interest, today. Not live, where some of his greatness still arises, naturally.

Darryl G. Thomas · December-29th-2008, 12:25 PM

I've been listening to "Road Shows" on and off over the last couple of weeks and I cannot disagree with Cicero Slim enough. I feel that if you are a Rollins fan, or just a fan of jazz tenor sax you have to pick this one up. Very powerful playing from end to end.

I used to be in that bag about Sonny not playing with his peers, his band not being up to snuff, etc. Then I realized that while I was enjoying his recordings through the '70s up till now I was just parroting the critics I was reading. True, Rollins' band is often reduced to a foil for his performance, so fans of jazz as a "democracy" would be turned off by that approach. But I just love the sound of his horn and the fact that his solos are seldom a series of musical cliches that I've heard from him in the past. The guy is just that good, as long as his supporting cast doesn't totally suck (and they never do, they're all accomplished pros) then I'm alright with Sonny.

Buy this recording. It's Sonny.

Gordon B · February-22nd-2009, 09:30 PM

I just received this a few days ago.

I can't stop playing the third track, "Blossom," recorded at UMEA(Sweden) Jazz Festival, 10.25.80. I never heard the tune before but it's very catchy and Rollins' improvising is marvelous.

clarke68 · February-24th-2009, 06:38 PM

I've only given this one spin, but so far I agree with Cicero Slim more than anyone else. I wouldn't go as far as to say this album is a disappointment, Rollins definitely does some great playing here, but for me it doesn't reach the heights of G-Man or Without a Song.

I agree that "Blossom" is smokin'!

lonely-at-the-top · April-2nd-2009, 12:10 PM

I've been a Colossal fan ever since and as such I bought it "blindfolded" ......

....and stowed it away in the "I don't dig this one" compartment!

Record label's intention of "cashing-in" just didn't work for me

so didn't Jarrett's/Peacock's/DeJohnette's attempt to sell me "Yesterdays"

Probably because there's a TODAY, too, and I kinda like it (and Sonny proved it for good on "Sonny, Please") which is what I 'd like to shout out to him!

Don't get me wrong on this: I also admire the past (but I already bought it!)