Saxophone Colossus - Sonny Rollins (1957)

ideated from: the weird world of pop music in 1957. Ironically, I apparently picked one that may have actually been released the previous fall, but sources differ. We’re forging ahead.

Honestly, I could do a whole week just on great jazz albums that came out in 1957. Both Monk–written up a couple days ago– and Sonny Rollins had multiple releases drop in 1957 that are considered all-time greats. There were multiple releases from Miles Davis and Charles Mingus, as well as lots of others getting at least one release out.

Rollins is at the top of most lists for the greatest sax players in jazz history. He has had a long and amazing career (still alive as of this writing, but not playing anymore for health reasons). Saxophone Colossus is an early masterpiece, in the “hard bop” style that was popular in the 50s and that Rollins was a master of. Constant motion, quick chord changes, fast tempos, and frequent solos are all hallmarks of the style.

Tracks I Liked

St Thomas - a great bop with a Caribbean flavor

Strode Rode - Sophisticated badassery. I was going to say it was “cool” but that’s a really different sort of jazz that was just getting started in the late 50s.

Moritat - It’s Mack The Knife from Threepenny Opera. The song’s German title uses the word Moritat, which is a German term for a murder ballad. Also, just my opinion: his German name, “Mackie Messer,” sounds so much better than “Mack the Knife”