Road Shows, Vol. 1
Reviews
Fo
Reviewed 2009-01-25
Reviewed 2009-01-25
SONNY ROLLINS: Road Shows, Vol. 1
Doxy/EmArcy, 2008
BOP – These live concert performances, spanning 1980-2007, all find the tenor sax icon in fine form. But both the strengths and weaknesses of Sonny’s shows are apparent here.
Some tracks put the focus squarely on Sonny, with the band just setting up a groove and letting him blow and blow and blow for the next 10 minutes. That’s great, but it can get more than a little tiring. On ballads, Sonny shows a lot more nuance, but then the other members of the various bands solo, and they invariably pale in comparison to the leader (exception: #7). So it’s a mixed bag.
* * * | Fo’s Picks: 1, 5, 7
1. 9:26 – Japan, 1986: simple, happy melody. SR grooves with soul & verve
2. 8:44 – France, 2006: languid ballad, muscular sax; trombone & guitar solo
3. 12:27 – Sweden, 1980: upbeat blowing session, sub-par audio/mix
4. 11:04 – Poland, 1980: slightly jittery ballad, striding sax, cheesy backing
5. 7:50 – Japan, 2000: Sonny swings over a steady walking groove
6. 12:11 – Canada, 2007: Caribbean ditty; plodding tempo but good solos
7. 9:56 – Carnegie Hall, 2007: ballad, first-rate trio, everybody shines
[ Fo ] 01/25/09
Doxy/EmArcy, 2008
BOP – These live concert performances, spanning 1980-2007, all find the tenor sax icon in fine form. But both the strengths and weaknesses of Sonny’s shows are apparent here.
Some tracks put the focus squarely on Sonny, with the band just setting up a groove and letting him blow and blow and blow for the next 10 minutes. That’s great, but it can get more than a little tiring. On ballads, Sonny shows a lot more nuance, but then the other members of the various bands solo, and they invariably pale in comparison to the leader (exception: #7). So it’s a mixed bag.
* * * | Fo’s Picks: 1, 5, 7
1. 9:26 – Japan, 1986: simple, happy melody. SR grooves with soul & verve
2. 8:44 – France, 2006: languid ballad, muscular sax; trombone & guitar solo
3. 12:27 – Sweden, 1980: upbeat blowing session, sub-par audio/mix
4. 11:04 – Poland, 1980: slightly jittery ballad, striding sax, cheesy backing
5. 7:50 – Japan, 2000: Sonny swings over a steady walking groove
6. 12:11 – Canada, 2007: Caribbean ditty; plodding tempo but good solos
7. 9:56 – Carnegie Hall, 2007: ballad, first-rate trio, everybody shines
[ Fo ] 01/25/09
Recent airplay
Some Enchanted Evening
Music Casserole — May 25, 2024
Tenor Madness
Rebop — Jun 10, 2016
Best Wishes
Moonlight Impressions — Dec 09, 2015
Tenor Madness
Rebop — Nov 06, 2015
Best Wishes
Rebop — Jul 17, 2015
Some Enchanted Evening
Moonlight Impressions — Apr 22, 2015
Charting
2009-01-25 — 2009-03-29
Jazz
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Mar 29 | 1 |
| Mar 8 | 1 |
| Feb 22 | 1 |
| Feb 8 | 1 |
| Feb 1 | 1 |
Track listing
| 1. | Best Wishes | ||
| 2. | More Than You Know | ||
| 3. | Blossom | ||
| 4. | Easy Living | ||
| 5. | Tenor Madness | ||
| 6. | Nice Lady | ||
| 7. | Some Enchanted Evening |