Sonny Rollins – Tenor Madness (Rudy Van Gelder Remaster) (1956/2014) [HDTracks FLAC 24bit/44,1kHz]

Sonny Rollins – Tenor Madness (Rudy Van Gelder Remaster) (1956/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 35:23 minutes | 215 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Master, Official Digital Download – Source: HDTracks | Digital Booklet | © Prestige Records
Recorded: May 24, 1956 at Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ
Remastered:2006, Rudy Van Gelder at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ

By the time this LP was released, Sonny Rollins already had such albums under his name as Worktime and Sonny Rollins Plus 4 in addition to his sideman exploits with the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet. Even the critics who had been slow in recognizing what fellow jazzmen already knew-that here was a young giant in our midst-could not help see the light. Tenor Madness, in which he was joined by the rhythm section from the Miles Davis Quintet, further substantiated and underlined his rapidly rising stature. The material is an effective mixture of Rollins’s playing attitudes with an intriguing original, “Paul’s Pal,” and the mining of unusual material such as “My Reverie” and “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World.” And, of course, there is the celebrated title track featuring the two titans to emerge in the Fifties, Rollins and his guest, visiting in the studio that day, John Coltrane.

At a time when he was a member of the legendary Clifford Brown/Max Roach sextet, Sonny Rollins was still the apple fallen not too far from the tree of Miles Davis. Tenor Madness was the recording that, once and for all, established Newk as one of the premier tenor saxophonists, an accolade that in retrospect, has continued through six full decades and gives an indication why a young Rollins was so well liked, as his fluency, whimsical nature, and solid construct of melodies and solos gave him the title of the next Coleman Hawkins or Lester Young of mainstream jazz. With the team of pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones, staples of that era’s Miles Davis combos, Rollins has all the rhythmic ammunition to cut loose, be free, and extrapolate on themes as only he could, and still can. This is most evident on his version of “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World,” started in its normal choppy waltz time, followed by a sax/drums prelude, a drum solo from Jones, and steamed from there on in, a hot 4/4 romp. Garland is particularly outstanding for keeping up the pace, depth and placement on this one. A bluesy version of “When Your Lover Has Gone,” again enlivened by Jones, and the legendary title track with Rollins and John Coltrane trading long solos, and fours with Jones, are tunes that in the mid-’50s defined the parlance “blowing session.” “Paul’s Pal,” in tribute to Chambers, has become a standard in its own right with a bright, memorable melody showing the good humor of Rollins, especially on the second time through, while the saxophonist’s ability to sing vocal like tones through his horn is no better evinced as during the light ballad “My Reverie.” A recording that should stand proudly alongside Saxophone Colossus as some of the best work of Sonny Rollins in his early years, it’s also a testament to the validity, vibrancy, and depth of modern jazz in the post-World War era. It belongs on everybody’s shelf. ~~AllMusic Review by Michael G. Nastos

Tracklist:
1 Tenor Madness 12:15
2 When Your Lover Has Gone 6:13
3 Paul’s Pal 5:12
4 My Reverie 6:09
5 The Most Beautiful Girl In The World 5:34

Personnel:
Sonny Rollins, tenor saxophone
John Coltrane, tenor saxophone (#1)
Philly Joe Jones, drums
Red Garland, piano
Paul Chambers, bass

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