Sonny Rollins

Theodore Walter (Sonny) Rollins (born September 7, 1930 in New York City) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist.

He started as a pianist, then switched to alto saxophone, finally switching to tenor in 1946. He was first recorded in 1949 with Babs Gonzalez; in the same year he recorded with J. J. Johnson and Bud Powell. Rollins recorded with Miles Davis in 1951 and Thelonious Monk in 1953.

Rollins joined the Clifford Brown - Max Roach quintet in 1955, and after Brown's death in 1957 worked as a leader.

He was considered the leading tenor player of the 1950s and remains a major figure to this day. He was presented with a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement in 2004

Samples

• Download sample of "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" from The Sound of Sonny