Sonny Rollins - Way Out West - VINYL LP

Over his long and distinguished career, Sonny Rollins has made many dozens of albums. Among those recorded during the Fifties, Prestige's Moving Out (OJC 58) and Saxophone Colossus (OJC 291), Blue Note's a Night at the Village Vanguard, Riverside's the Sound of Sonny (OJC 29), and Way Out West on Contemporary qualify as all-time Rollins classics. The session for Way Out West, Rollins's first ever in California, was called for 3 a.m. to accommodate everyone's busy schedules. Sonny, who could never be accused of overstatement, announced after four hours of recording InchI'm hot now.Inch with Ray Brown, Shelly Manne. Tracks I'm an Old Cowhand, Solitude; Come, Gone; Wagon Wheels, There Is No Greater Love, Way Out West. Album Tracks 1. I'm An Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande) 2. I'm An Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande) [Alternate Take] 3. Solitude 4. Come, Gone 5. Come, Gone [Alternate Take] 6. Wagon Wheels 7. There Is No Greater Love 8. Way Out West 9. Way Out West [Alternate Take]

In 1962, legendary jazz pianist Bill Evans collaborated for the first time on record with jazz guitarist Jim Hall to create the landmark album Undercurrent. And even though it is a two-person improvisational affair, it is almost unfathomable that these two giants alone fill up all the grooves on this record. The thoughtful interplay between these two musicians created such a beautiful, rich, and emotional journey that their work influenced many.At the time of this recording, Bill Evans was one of the top jazz pianists (his performance with Miles Davis on Kind Of Blue is still a high-water mark), but he had stopped performing and recording after the death of his peer, bassist Scott LaFaro. Eventually, he was persuaded to return to music, and this was one of the first recordings upon his return.Guitarist Jim Hall - who had worked with Ella Fitzgerald, Sonny Rollins, and Chico Hamilton - started his partnership with Evans during this time. Recorded over two sessions in April and May 1962, the two have that beautifully unspoken musical language of give and take; their recordings are refreshingly busy but also incredibly sparse. These two giants understand that intertwining their personalities and harmonic styles could create greatness.This notable re-issue is an all-analog production affair-AAA Mastered and cut live by audio guru Kevin Gray (Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Charles Mingus)-and it's never sounded better.So dim the lights and let this music breathe with you; it's an incredible listen and an essential album for both the novice listener wanting to dip their toe into the genre or the audiophile who needs to replace their well-worn vinyl copy. And depending on your day, it will color your mood in any emotive shade you desire. Album Tracks 1. My Funny Valentine 2. I Hear a Rhapsody 3. Dream Gypsy 4. Romain 5. Skating in Central Park 6. Darn That Drea

Dizzy Gillespie/Sonny Stitt/Sonny Rollins - InchSonny Side Up (Verve Vault Series)Inch. Sonny Side Up, released in 1959 on Verve Records, is the masterful studio collaboration between trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and tenor saxophonists Sonny Rollins and Sonny Stitt. Recorded in December 1957 with producer Norman Granz, the album brings together three of modern jazz's most distinctive musicians in a rare frontline configuration. Gillespie, already a pivotal architect of bebop, trades choruses with two tenor titans of contrasting approach Rollins, with his thematic development and rhythmic elasticity, and Stitt, with his rapid-fire bebop fluency. It's rumored that Gillespie playfully pitted Rollins and Stitt against each other ahead of the session which resulted in the bar being raised and the creation of an iconic album. Make no mistake, though, the two trade blows throughout the set leaving no doubt that both are heavyweight champions. The Verve Vault Series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal. Album Tracks 1. On the Sunny Side of the Street 2. Eternal Triangle 1. After Hours 2. I Know That You Know