Search - Sonny Rollins :: Freedom Suite

Throwing down the gauntlet!

Wayne Dawson | New Zealand | 03/29/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The stunning Freedom Suite 24-bit remastered in the Keepnews Collection helps crank up the sonic boom to this beautifully recorded session from early `58. Sonny's in peak form along with Max Roach on drums and Oscar Pettiford on bass.



The themes to Freedom Suite have Sonny's finger prints all over them, typically original and strong enough for the galvanizing variations that follow. I've tried searching for a transcription of this juggernaut of modern jazz and can't find one anywhere. It's not just the outer movements of razors edge excitement that keeps one turning it up for the neighbourhood to share, but the mesmerizing slow middle movement puts this way beyond the pale of most musicians ability of handling the blues.



My only qualm is that I wished the three movements to the Suite had been individually tracked as sometimes I head straight for that magisterial middle movement.



The rest of the tunes are pleasant enough and won't cause any side long glances, making this album a bit of something for everyone. The booklet too is an improvement on the earlier CD release.



Now could we have Harold Land's West Coast Blues, Eastward Ho! and Wynton Kelly's Full View given the same remastering treatment? . . . please Mr. Keepnews.

"

The Rollins Album You Will Revisit the Most

Gerrit R. Hatcher | 02/19/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This ranks highly amongst Rollin's must have works, and there is a lot of depth here. No one could ask for a more perfect trio than Rollins, Oscar Pettiford, and Max Roach. Frankly I just cannot listen to Rollins without Max Roach or Elvin Jones. Rollins demands an explosive and unpredictable drummer. Considering the title, and the harmonic possibilities opened up by the lack of piano, it's surprising how few chances Rollins takes here, indeed Rollins' freedom lies in melody, and there is no more melodically varied twenty minute jazz track out there than the Freedom Suite. To me this album is a spiritual precursor to the equally brilliant East Broadway Run Down, a trio album of similar structure on the Impulse label, cut nearly a decade later. On East Broadway Run Down, Rollins comes off as carefully probing for a freedom of playing style he does not actually want. He meanders uncertainly, trying to abandon his bop and broadway roots for a freer approach, and he does it with some success; personally I like to hear a soloist thinking and trying to change the way they usually play, it takes a lot of skill and humility to do. Here, however, Rollins plays with absolute artistic confidence, the 60's had not yet made him question the artistic viability of his rich melodic style, and he kills it on every number, laying down birdlike spontaneous ideas with the slow grace of a true master at ease. Like Trane once said, Rollins can play any song as if he wrote it, and he showcases this quality on this album's second side where he runs down standards. Unlike Tenor Madness where track 2 and onwards feel less energetic than the first marathon blowout, and even fail to hold the listeners attention sometimes, Rollins and company keep the fire burning for the whole second half, and a slew of bonus tracks. Rollins also rivals the likes of Albert Ayler in his ability to make the simplest melodies speak, just listen to the beginning of Freedom Suite. Of special significance is the bonus bass and drums duet on There Will Never Be Another You, taped before Rollins showed for the session, best bonus track I have heard in a while.



As of now, this album is being sold brand new for $1.99 by another seller here, I bought it this way, and for a total of $4, skip Starbucks or something, and buy this!"