Sonny Rollins (1930-2026)
5/29/202650 min
Sonny Rollins passed away this week at 95. Jazz pianists Peter and Adam are listening through the recordings that defined his career and made him one of the most influential musicians in jazz history.
From his earliest bebop tunes to Saxophone Colossus to A Night at the Village Vanguard, they trace the arc of a player who kept raising the bar on himself even when the rest of the world thought he'd already cleared it. Plus - they talk through the legendary Williamsburg Bridge sabbatical: two years of practicing up to 16 hours a day.
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About You'll Hear It:In this popular music series, Adam and Peter break down the greatest albums of all time. Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Joni Mitchell, D'Angelo: Jazz is the foundation of the most GENIUS music in recent history. These seasoned jazz pianists bring their deep musical knowledge to every joyful episode to help you hear the hidden qualities that make music AMAZING. You'll never hear music the same way again.
00:00 Sonny Rollins (1930-2026)
00:37 Celebrating Sonny Rollins: Opening Tribute
04:54 Sonny as the Bridge Between Bebop Generations
05:57 "Autobahn"
09:47 "Pent-Up House"
12:56 "I'll Remember April"
16:10 "Oleo"
17:32 "Tenor Madness"
19:32 "More Than You Know"
21:19 "The Way You Look Tonight"
22:51 "Bemsha Swing" with Clark Terry
24:00 Is Sonny Rollins the Most Influential Tenor Saxophone Player of All Time?
28:01 "St. Thomas" from Saxophone Colossus
34:40 "I'm an Old Cowhand" from Way Out West
36:14 "A Night at the Village Vanguard" (Afternoon Set)
39:00 "Wonderful! Wonderful!"
40:50 The Williamsburg Bridge Sabbatical
44:04 "Without a Song"
46:29 Later Career: 1970s - 2012
49:13 "Blue Seven"
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsAdam Maness· Host0:00
[jazz music] Hmm. I'm Adam Maness.
Peter Martin· Host0:38
And I'm Peter Martin.
Adam Maness· Host0:39
And you're listening to the You'll Hear It podcast.
Peter Martin· Host0:41
Music celebrated and explored.
Adam Maness· Host0:43
Celebrating today, uh, Peter, that's a great adjective, 'cause we are celebrating, uh, the great Sonny Rollins today- Yes ... whom we lost just a couple of days ago- Yeah ... at the age of 95. And Peter, I'm so excited to spend this time with you, to spend this time with our dear listeners- Yeah ... listening to and celebrating one of the great musicians in jazz. And, uh, I love Sonny Rollins and his music, and incredible, incredible musician, but incredible human being- Yeah ... as well, as we're, as we'll hear in his own words.
Peter Martin· Host1:11
I mean, one of the most, uh, uh, as far as I can tell, one of the most honest and direct, uh, musicians, improvisers, jazz musician, or probably of, of any type, you know, when we talk about great jazz musicians that could improvise, there's a potential for a directness and a connection- Hmm ... between that performer's,