Jazz
Dennis Rollins
23 products
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PLUS 4
$25.99Vinyl20TH CENT JAZZ MAST.
Nov 21, 2025TWCJ6318675.1 -
NEXT STEPS
CD$16.61$16.60INFINITA RECORDS
Feb 13, 2026INFI227.2
SONEYMOON
GET BACK
Available as
CD
$23.99
Sep 18, 2007
This amazing double album collects some of the best sessions from the height of the European 'season of jazz' when many of the best American jazzmen sought and found refuge and comfort in the smoky dark venues of existentialist Mitteleuropa, away from the high tension of the violent civil rights battles raging back home. Recorded between 1963 and 1966, these live gigs performed by the Sonny Rollins/Don Cherry Quartet (Paris, January, 1963); the Sonny Rollins quintet with members of the Modern Jazz Quartet (Berlin, Oct. 30, 1965); and the Sonny Rollins trio (Graz, Austria, Nov. 12, 1966) showcase the magnificent sounds that made Rollins one of the top horn players of his day and one of the most interesting, prolific, and long-lasting jazz icons of all time.
VERY BEST
BLUE NOTE RECORDS
Available as
CD
$14.49
May 24, 2005
VERY BEST
ALFIE
UNIVERSAL JAPAN
Available as
SACD
$32.99
Jun 13, 2025
Super Audio CD (SACD) disc is not compatible with regular CD player or drive. This disc format is compatible only with SACD player. Japanese SHM-SACD pressing, packaged in a paper sleeve. This will play on Super Audio CD players, but they do not play on regular CD players. Universal. 2025.
FREEDOM WEAVER: THE 1959 EUROPEAN TOUR RECORDINGS
RESONANCE RECORDS
Available as
Vinyl
$102.49
Apr 20, 2024
Restock inventory available. Freedom Weaver: The 1959 European Tour Recordings is the first official release of Sonny Rollins' tour with bassist Henry Grimes, and drummers Pete La Roca, Kenny Clarke and Joe Harris. Released in cooperation with Sonny Rollins and for the first time on vinyl, this limited-edition 180g 4 LP set is available exclusively for Record Store Day. Freedom Weaver includes an elaborate booklet with rare photos by Ed van der Elsken, Jean-Pierre Leloir, Bob Parent and many others; lead liners by jazz scholar Bob Blumenthal, and new interviews with Rollins himself, Branford Marsalis, James Carter, Joe Lovano, James Brandon Lewis and Peter Br�tzmann. Mastered by the legendary mastering engineer Bernie Grundman.
WAY OUT WEST
ANALOGUE PROD.
Available as
Vinyl
$213.49
Aug 29, 2025
Dive into the timeless brilliance of Sonny Rollins' legendary album Way Out West like never before with the Analogue Productions UHQR edition! Meticulously pressed at Quality Record Pressings, this definitive audiophile version stands as a testament to one of jazz's most formidable talents. Way Out West, his classic 1957 album, received 5 Stars from Rolling Stone's prestigious Jazz Record Guide and has prompted Pitchfork to deem it, 'an album that looks like a novelty and sounds like transcendence.' How Way Out West shaped jazz * Masterful Trio: The album's infamous 3 a.m. recording sessions featured Rollins' sax strolling over the contributions of onetime Ella Fitzgerald bassist Ray Brown and iconic West Coast Jazz drummer Shelly Manne, neither of whom Rollins had ever played with. An open setting gives Rollins space to be harmonically inventive. Rollins' saxophone mastery shines brightly on every track! * Musical innovation: From the swinging 'I'm an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande),' written by Johnny Mercer and made famous by Bing Crosby - skillfully mixing country and jazz, to the haunting Rollins' original composition and title track 'Way Out West,' the album redefines jazz improvisation. * Frequently included in 'Best Saxophone Albums' and 'Best Jazz Trios' lists. AllMusic rates it 5/5 Stars! Sonny Rollins' groundbreaking album is a cornerstone of jazz history. The Ultimate Listening Experience * UHQR Vinyl: Immerse yourself in unparalleled sound quality with the Acoustic Sounds UHQR pressing, crafted for audiophiles who demand the best, with attention paid to every single detail of this one-of-a-kind reissue. * Precision craftsmanship: Four glorious sides of 200-gram Clarity Vinyl from Quality Record Pressings, the world's best pressing plant. Cut at 45 RPM to reduce distortion and high frequency loss as the wider-spaced grooves let your stereo cartridge track more accurately. UHQRs from Analogue Productions are the gold-standard in premium vinyl releases. The proprietary vinyl compound enhances the sound quality, offering improved dynamics, detail, and tonal accuracy. The heavier vinyl minimizes resonance and warping, providing a stable and flat playing surface. And great care is taken to eliminate any surface noise or imperfections throughout the manufacturing process. Lastly, your record is housed in a Stoughton Printing Old Style tip-on gatefold heavyweight jacket with scuff-resistant matte finish. The record and supporting materials are contained in a deluxe textured clamshell box. Overall, UHQR Clarity Vinyl from Analogue Productions is a sought-after format among audiophiles and collectors who value the highest possible audio fidelity from their vinyl records. Own a Piece of Jazz History: Rediscover Way Out West in it's purest form and elevate your vinyl collection with this essential masterpiece. Limited edition - reserve yours today and experience jazz like never before! Sonny Rollins' groundbreaking album _ Now on UHQR! 200-gram 45 RPM 2LP release Numbered edition limited to 2,750 copies! Mastered AAA by Bernie Grundman from the original analog tapes Set includes deluxe 16-page booklet telling the history of Contemporary Records together with new album liner notes by John Koenig, son of the label founder Pressed on Clarity Vinyl at Quality Record Pressings Stoughton Printing Old Style tip-on gatefold heavyweight jacket with scuff-resistant matte finish Purest possible pressing and most visually stunning presentation and packaging! A classic of the genre, Rollins' first album for the Contemporary Records label! Tracklist: Side 1 1. I'm An Old Cowhand 2. Solitude Side 2 1. Come, Gone Side 3 1. Wagon Wheels Side 4 1. There Is No Greater Love 2. Way Out West
EAST BROADWAY RUNDOWN - LIMITED EDITION
UNIVERSAL JAPAN
Available as
SACD
$36.49
Dec 12, 2025
This release features the high-fidelity SHM-SACD format and is part of the [Verve 70 SACD Selection Vol. 1] series, launched to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Verve Records in 2026. Celebrating one of the most prestigious labels in jazz history, the series revisits Verve's legendary catalog using the latest DSD remastering, delivering exceptional clarity and depth of sound. Each title is issued as a single-layer SACD, emphasizing pure audio quality, and is packaged in a deluxe double cardboard sleeve designed to evoke an authentic, premium collector's experience, making this series an essential offering for audiophiles and Verve enthusiasts alike.. This was Rollins' last album before industry pressures led him to take a six year hiatus. The album represents one of his more notable experiments with free jazz, and according to The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz illustrates "the furthest extent to which he incorporated noise elements into his playing". Music journalist Piero Scaruffi praised the album for the dissonant titular song, "a bold thematic improvisation on the riff of Lionel Hampton's 'Hey Baba Rebop'."
PLUS 4
20TH CENT JAZZ MAST.
Available as
Vinyl
$25.99
Nov 21, 2025
PLUS 4
PLUS 4 (ORIGINAL JAZZ CLASSICS SERIES)
CRAFT RECORDINGS
Available as
Vinyl
$41.49
Nov 21, 2025
Plus 4 was originally released on Prestige in 1956 and features Sonny Rollins playing with the Cliff Brown/Max Roach Quintet. Described as a particularly strong hard bop set, the album contains 5 cuts, including 2 Rollins originals "Pent-Up House" and one of his best-known pieces, "Valse Hot". This new edition of the album is released as part of the OJC Series on 180-gram vinyl pressed at RTI with all-analog mastering from the original tapes at Cohearent Audio and a Stoughton Tip-On Jacket.
GO WEST!: THE CONTEMPORARY RECORDS ALBUMS
CRAFT RECORDINGS
Available as
CD
$25.19
Jun 23, 2023
Sonny Rollins -"Go West!: The Contemporary Records Albums" - Go West!: The Contemporary Records Albums combines legendary jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins' two studio albums for Lester Koenig's Contemporary Records (Way Out West, Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders) with a third disc, Contemporary Alternate Takes. Featuring remastered audio by Bernie Grundman, the 3 CD set includes an expanded booklet with new liner notes and an interview by GRAMMY Award-winning music historian Ashley Kahn.
Bluebird - The Sampler
RCA
Available as
CD
$17.99
Jan 26, 2011
Track Listing
1. Song After Sundown - Stan Getz/Arthur Fiedler
2. Bridge, The - Sonny Rollins
3. Runnin' Wild - Benny Goodman Quartet
4. Evans - Art Blakey
5. Blood Count - Duke Ellington
6. Ill Wind - Paul Desmond
7. Salt Peanuts - Bud Powell
8. Figurine - Johnny Hodges
9. Swinging 'Till the Girls Come - Lambert, Hendricks & Bavan
10. Sweetheart of Sigmund Freud - Shorty Rogers
11. Stratusphunk - J.J. Johnson
12. As You Make Your Bed - The Sextet of Orchestra U.S.A.
13. Tijuana Gift Shop - Charles Mingus
14. Just a Mood - Red Norvo
A good cross-section of material, but only for those who wouldn't normally purchase any solo releases or boxed sets. ~ Ron Wynn
1. Song After Sundown - Stan Getz/Arthur Fiedler
2. Bridge, The - Sonny Rollins
3. Runnin' Wild - Benny Goodman Quartet
4. Evans - Art Blakey
5. Blood Count - Duke Ellington
6. Ill Wind - Paul Desmond
7. Salt Peanuts - Bud Powell
8. Figurine - Johnny Hodges
9. Swinging 'Till the Girls Come - Lambert, Hendricks & Bavan
10. Sweetheart of Sigmund Freud - Shorty Rogers
11. Stratusphunk - J.J. Johnson
12. As You Make Your Bed - The Sextet of Orchestra U.S.A.
13. Tijuana Gift Shop - Charles Mingus
14. Just a Mood - Red Norvo
A good cross-section of material, but only for those who wouldn't normally purchase any solo releases or boxed sets. ~ Ron Wynn
Clearings In The Sky - Boulanger, Et Al: Songs /Michaels Bedi
Cedille
Available as
CD
Lili Boulanger (1893-1918), younger sister of the more famous Nadia Boulanger, was a brilliant and precocious French composer who dazzled the world of European music at the beginning of the 20th century. At age 19, Lili Boulanger became the first woman to win France's Prix de Rome. In her short career, Boulanger advanced the impressionism of her era, finding her own voice in music that's expressive and luminous, moving and enchanting. Debussy descriptively described her music as "undulating with grace."
To place Boulanger's music in context, the CD offers songs by prominent French composers who had a connection to her music: Fauré, Ravel, Debussy, Messiaen, and Honegger.
To place Boulanger's music in context, the CD offers songs by prominent French composers who had a connection to her music: Fauré, Ravel, Debussy, Messiaen, and Honegger.
WAY OUT WEST (CONTEMPORARY RECORDS ACOUSTIC)
CRAFT RECORDINGS
Available as
Vinyl
$33.26
Dec 06, 2024
Sonny Rollins - "Way Out West (Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series)" / A classic of the genre, "Way Out West" was tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins' first album for west coast label Contemporary Records when released in 1957. The first album to employ the "strolling" technique, Rollins was backed by Ray Brown (bass) and Shelly Manne (drums). This new edition, released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series, features (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Bernie Grundman and is pressed on 180- gram vinyl at QRP, and presented in a tip-on jacket.
FREEDOM WEAVER: THE 1959 EUROPEAN RECORDINGS
RESONANCE RECORDS
Available as
CD
$30.42
Apr 26, 2024
Freedom Weaver: The 1959 European Tour Recordings is the first official release of the 'Saxophone Colossus' Sonny Rollins' European tour in 1959 with bassist Henry Grimes, and drummers Pete La Roca, Kenny Clarke and Joe Harris. Freedom Weaver includes an elaborate booklet with rare photos by Ed van der Elsken, Jean-Pierre Leloir, Bob Parent and many others; lead liners by jazz scholar Bob Blumenthal, and new interviews with Rollins himself, Branford Marsalis, James Carter, Joe Lovano, James Brandon Lewis and Peter Br�tzmann. Mastered by the legendary mastering engineer Bernie Grundman.
NEXT STEPS
INFINITA RECORDS
Available as
CD
Billboard #1 ranked recording artist Lawson Rollins, hailed by 'Guitar Player Magazine' as one of the "50 Best Acoustic Guitarists of All Time", announces the new release of his amibitious 2026 album, "Next Steps" a powerful statement of artistic evolution. Known for his virtuosic technique and globally inspired sound, Rollins breaks bold new ground by blending traditional jazz and clssical elements with his signature world-music fusion, creating one of the most stylistically expansive album of his career.
BRASS/TRIO (VERVE VAULT SERIES)
VERVE
Available as
Vinyl
$31.54
Feb 13, 2026
Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. Brass/Trio, released in 1958 on Verve Records, is an unusual two-sided statement from saxophonist Sonny Rollins - pairing a full brass ensemble session on one side with a stripped-down saxophone trio on the other. The first half features Rollins with a brass ensemble arranged and conducted by Ernie Wilkins, recorded in New York in July 1958. The lineup includes trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, trombonists J.J. Johnson and Jimmy Cleveland, and tuba player Don Butterfield, supported by a rhythm section of pianist Dick Katz, guitarist Rene Thomas, bassist Henry Grimes, and drummer Roy Haynes. The second half was recorded days later in Los Angeles with bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Specs Wright - a pared-down trio setting that emphasizes Rollins' rhythmic command and melodic elasticity. The Verve Vault Series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Alternatives / Sonny Rollins
RCA
Available as
CD
$17.99
Oct 05, 2010
Track Listing
1. Four
2. Four - (alternate take)
3. St. Thomas
4. St. Thomas - (alternate take)
5. I Remember Clifford
6. I Remember Clifford - (alternate take)
7. 52nd Street Theme
8. 52nd Street Theme - (alternate theme)
9. Bluesongo - (bonus track)
10. Jungoso
Personnel: Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone); Thad Jones (cornet); Herbie Hancock (piano); Bob Cranshaw, Ron Carter (bass); Roy McCurdy (drums); Candido (congas).
Producer: George Avakian.
Reissue producer: Orrin Keepnews.
Engineers include: Ray Hall.
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, New York, New York between May 14, 1962 and April 14, 1964. Includes liner notes by Orrin Keepnews.
This CD is what too few "previously unreleased" collections are: a well-documented, well-annotated recording with a purpose and a point of view. In a thoughtful essay, producer Orrin Keepnews discusses what these early Sixties recordings of Rollins reveal about the tenorist's approach to repertoire and improvisation and, more pragmatically, about his relationship to the recording studio and to record companies in general. Each of the first four tunes can be heard in two different versions. "Four" was recorded both with a trio (with Roy McCurdy on drums and Bob Cranshaw on bass) and a quartet (with Herbie Hancock on piano and Ron Carter replacing Cranshaw on bass)
The versions of "I Remember Clifford" and "52nd Street Theme" were recorded with Hancock on piano and Thad Jones on cornet added to the basic trio. "Bluesongo" and "Jungoso" are trio pieces with Rollins, Cranshaw, and Candido on congas. Keepnews explains that these two cuts, which were originally released on the album WHAT'S NEW in 1962, have not been reissued anywhere else recently (unlike the balance of the material from WHAT'S NEW) and have consequently been included here.
1. Four
2. Four - (alternate take)
3. St. Thomas
4. St. Thomas - (alternate take)
5. I Remember Clifford
6. I Remember Clifford - (alternate take)
7. 52nd Street Theme
8. 52nd Street Theme - (alternate theme)
9. Bluesongo - (bonus track)
10. Jungoso
Personnel: Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone); Thad Jones (cornet); Herbie Hancock (piano); Bob Cranshaw, Ron Carter (bass); Roy McCurdy (drums); Candido (congas).
Producer: George Avakian.
Reissue producer: Orrin Keepnews.
Engineers include: Ray Hall.
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, New York, New York between May 14, 1962 and April 14, 1964. Includes liner notes by Orrin Keepnews.
This CD is what too few "previously unreleased" collections are: a well-documented, well-annotated recording with a purpose and a point of view. In a thoughtful essay, producer Orrin Keepnews discusses what these early Sixties recordings of Rollins reveal about the tenorist's approach to repertoire and improvisation and, more pragmatically, about his relationship to the recording studio and to record companies in general. Each of the first four tunes can be heard in two different versions. "Four" was recorded both with a trio (with Roy McCurdy on drums and Bob Cranshaw on bass) and a quartet (with Herbie Hancock on piano and Ron Carter replacing Cranshaw on bass)
The versions of "I Remember Clifford" and "52nd Street Theme" were recorded with Hancock on piano and Thad Jones on cornet added to the basic trio. "Bluesongo" and "Jungoso" are trio pieces with Rollins, Cranshaw, and Candido on congas. Keepnews explains that these two cuts, which were originally released on the album WHAT'S NEW in 1962, have not been reissued anywhere else recently (unlike the balance of the material from WHAT'S NEW) and have consequently been included here.
Lazy Days Of Jazz
RCA
Available as
CD
$17.99
Sep 16, 2010
Track Listing
1. Samba Cantina - Paul Desmond
2. Our Waltz - Gary Burton
3. I'll Take Romance - Dominique Eade
4. Isfahan - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
5. Sweet Lorraine - Coleman Hawkins/Henry "Red" Allen
6. Lazy River - Hoagy Carmichael
7. Petals Danse - Tom Harrell
8. My Ship - Sonny Rollins
9. Blues for Bessie - Bud Powell
10. After the Rain - Don Braden
Personnel: Dominique Eade, Hoagy Carmichael (vocals); Romero Lubambo (guitar, acoustic guitar); Everett Barksdale, Jim Hall, Peter Leitch (guitar); Joe Venuti, Regina Carter (violin); Ron Lawrence (viola); Akua Dixon (cello); Greg Tardy, Jimmy Dorsey, Buster Bailey (clarinet); Johnny Hodges (saxophone, alto saxophone); Don Braden (saxophone, tenor saxophone); Paul Desmond (alto saxophone); Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins, Benny Golson (tenor saxophone); Tom Harrell (trumpet, flugelhorn); Henry "Red" Allen (trumpet); Tommy Dorsey (trombone); Duke Ellington, George Colligan, Herbie Hancock, Marty Napoleon, Bud Powell (piano); Gary Burton (vibraphone); Dwayne Burno, George Duvivier (acoustic bass); Connie Kay, Cozy Cole, Joe Morello, Matt Wilson , Roy McCurdy, Art Taylor (drums).
Recording information: New York, NY (11/30/1930-??/??/1997).
Arranger: Dominique Eade.
1. Samba Cantina - Paul Desmond
2. Our Waltz - Gary Burton
3. I'll Take Romance - Dominique Eade
4. Isfahan - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
5. Sweet Lorraine - Coleman Hawkins/Henry "Red" Allen
6. Lazy River - Hoagy Carmichael
7. Petals Danse - Tom Harrell
8. My Ship - Sonny Rollins
9. Blues for Bessie - Bud Powell
10. After the Rain - Don Braden
Personnel: Dominique Eade, Hoagy Carmichael (vocals); Romero Lubambo (guitar, acoustic guitar); Everett Barksdale, Jim Hall, Peter Leitch (guitar); Joe Venuti, Regina Carter (violin); Ron Lawrence (viola); Akua Dixon (cello); Greg Tardy, Jimmy Dorsey, Buster Bailey (clarinet); Johnny Hodges (saxophone, alto saxophone); Don Braden (saxophone, tenor saxophone); Paul Desmond (alto saxophone); Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins, Benny Golson (tenor saxophone); Tom Harrell (trumpet, flugelhorn); Henry "Red" Allen (trumpet); Tommy Dorsey (trombone); Duke Ellington, George Colligan, Herbie Hancock, Marty Napoleon, Bud Powell (piano); Gary Burton (vibraphone); Dwayne Burno, George Duvivier (acoustic bass); Connie Kay, Cozy Cole, Joe Morello, Matt Wilson , Roy McCurdy, Art Taylor (drums).
Recording information: New York, NY (11/30/1930-??/??/1997).
Arranger: Dominique Eade.
ROLLINS IN HOLLAND: 1967 STUDIO & LIVE RECORDINGS
RESONANCE RECORDS
Available as
CD
$22.99
Dec 04, 2020
Two CDs. Rollins in Holland: The 1967 Studio & Live Recordings is Resonance Records' first archival release from the Saxophone Colossus, Sonny Rollins. This deluxe set officially sanctioned by Rollins includes three different previously unissued 1967 performances with bassist Ruud Jacobs (bass) and Han Bennink (drums). With extensive booklet of unseen photos and essays by Aidan Levy and Frank Jochemsen, plus interviews with Sonny Rollins and Han Bennink, a remembrance of Ruud Jacobs, and more.
GO WEST: THE CONTEMPORARY RECORDS ALBUMS
CRAFT RECORDINGS
Available as
Vinyl
$125.99
Jun 23, 2023
Sonny Rollins - "Go West!: The Contemporary Records Albums" - Go West!: The Contemporary Records Albums combines legendary jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins' two studio albums for Lester Koenig's Contemporary Records (Way Out West, Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders) with a third disc, Contemporary Alternate Takes. Featuring remastered audio by Bernie Grundman, the 3 LP set pressed at RTI on 180-gram vinyl and includes an expanded booklet with new liner notes and an interview by GRAMMY Award-winning music historian Ashley Kahn.
EAST BROADWAY RUN DOWN (VERVE ACOUSTIC SOUNDS)
VERVE
Available as
Vinyl
$42.49
Oct 25, 2024
A heavyweight entry in the Rollins catalog, East Broadway Run Down was recorded in 1966 and released the following year by Impulse Records. It was his last album before industry pressures led him to take a six-year hiatus. - Seeking to offer definitive audiophile grade versions of some of the most historic and best jazz records ever recorded, Verve's Acoustic Sounds vinyl reissue series utilizes the skills of top mastering engineers and the unsurpassed production craft of Quality Record Pressings. Vinyl LP pressing.
NIGHT AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD: THE COMPLETE MASTER
BLUE NOTE RECORDS
Available as
CD
$28.07
Apr 26, 2024
Sonny Rollins - "A Night At The Village Vanguard: The Complete Masters" - Capitol Music Group; Blue Note; Jazz; Catalog - Version Title: [Blue Note Tone Poet Series] / A Night At The Village Vanguard: The Complete Masters expands legendary tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins' tour- de-force 1957 live trio album to a 2-CD set as part of the Blue Note Tone Poet Series. Produced by Joe Harley, the album has been remastered from the never-before-used original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray and includes a booklet featuring never-before-seen Francis Wolff photos, insightful essays and a new interview with Rollins in conversation with Don Was.
NIGHT AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD: COMPLETE MASTERS
BLUE NOTE RECORDS
Available as
Vinyl
$86.06
Apr 26, 2024
Sonny Rollins - "A Night At The Village Vanguard: The Complete Masters" - Capitol Music Group; Blue Note; Jazz; Catalog - Version Title: [Blue Note Tone Poet Series] / A Night At The Village Vanguard: The Complete Masters expands legendary tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins' tour- de-force 1957 live trio album to a 3-LP set on 180G vinyl as part of the Blue Note Tone Poet Series. Produced by Joe Harley, the album has been remastered from the never-before-used original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray and includes a booklet featuring never-before-seen Francis Wolff photos, insightful essays and a new interview with Rollins in conversation with Don Was.
NEWK'S TIME (BLUE NOTE CLASSIC VINYL SERIES)
BLUE NOTE RECORDS
Available as
Vinyl
$31.54
Dec 15, 2023
Sonny Rollins first appeared on a Blue Note recording session in 1949 as part of Bud Powell's Modernists during a period when the saxophonist was coming up on the scene and cutting his teeth alongside bebop innovators including Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis. After he began leading his own record dates in the 1950s, Rollins hooked up with Alfred Lion again and recorded four tremendous albums for Blue Note in less than a year between December 1956 and November 1957. Following two quintet dates that were released as Sonny Rollins, Volume 1 and Vol. 2, the saxophone colossus returned to Van Gelder Studio in September 1957 with a quartet comprised of pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Philly Joe Jones to record Newk's Time (the album title was a reference to his nickname Newk due to his resemblance to Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe). Rollins & Co. Romp through a typically eclectic set that includes pieces by his jazz peers (Miles Davis' "Tune Up" & Kenny Dorham's "Asiatic Raes"), Broadway showtunes (the saxophone-drums duet "Surrey with the Fringe on Top" & the sumptuous "Namely You"), pop songs ("Wonderful! Wonderful!" which was a hit for Johnny Mathis in 1956), and Rollins' own spirited original "Blues for Philly Joe."
