Search - Sonny Rollins :: Volume 1

A Solid Album

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 07/07/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Sonny Rollins' first effort for Blue Note is a solid, if not stellar, album. Joining Sonny on the five tracks (four by Rollins) of "Volume One" are Donald Byrd, Wynton Kelly, Gene Ramey and the great Max Roach. Roach, by the way, brings much needed cohesion to the recording as a result of his past playing experiences with Rollins. Unfortunately, Byrd and Rollins don't always mesh, and Kelly is often pulled along by Sonny. Otherwise, it's a spirited session, recorded (as always) impeccably by RVG and full of good Rollins compositions. It just seems that an album sandwiched between three of the greatest jazz albums of the 50s ("Tenor Madness," "Saxophone Colossus," and "Volume 2") would be better, but then we all have to be entitled to an off day. If only my off days could be as successful...."

Another Lost Masterpiece

Dennis Stiff | Sacramento, Ca United States | 07/17/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Volume Two" gets most of the noise while "One" is pushed down the ladder of Sonny's massive recorded output. The Rollins/Coltrane standoff on "Tenor Madness" is good for a couple of listenings but drifts slighly off point. "Volume One" is straight Sonny at one of his best periods before leaving for Europe. This album defines Sonny Rollins for me, but there are many more LP's of his that look toward the same conclusion. This particular record is a great add to the Blue Note Jazz catalogue...there is nothing better than the round sound Rollins gets from his horn"