Artist Name: Sonny Rollins Artist Biography: A true jazz giant and one of the greatest tenor saxophonists of all time, Sonny Rollins has been in the vanguard of improvising musicians for more than 50 years, spinning spontaneous phrases into epic solos, full of wit, elegance, passion, and nonchalance. Born September 7, 1930 in New York, Sonny took up the tenor in ´46 after briefly studying piano and alto. He made his recording debut with Babs Gonzales in 1949; later that year he made breakthrough impressions on dates with J.J. Johnson and Bud Powell. Sonny´s mastery was unmistakable, even at so young an age. He was in demand, recording with Miles Davis in ´51 and Thelonious Monk two years later. After the fist of many sabbaticals he would take in his career, Sonny joined the Max Roach-Clifford Brown Quintet late in 1955, continuing after Brownie´s death until 1957 and becoming a leader unto his own. With brilliant recording dates for Prestige, Contemporary, Riverside, and Blue Note came critical accolades for his ability to compose on the spot and turn the most unlikely, hackneyed tunes into vehicles for brilliant improvisation. In 1959 Rollins took his most publicized sabbatical, mythologizing himself when found practicing in the upper reaches of the Williamsburg Bridge. When he returned to the jazz world in ´61 with a quartet featuring guitarist Jim Hall, he had opened up his style, with an ear to Ornette Coleman´s innovations. Sonny maintained steady work until ´68, when he decided once again to retire. During the years before his return in ´71, he visited Japan and India, studying zen, yoga, and the theories of the Gita. When he reemerged, Sonny played music with R&B rhythms and a pop sensibility; to this day he remains a vital improviser, one of the few musicians who demand complete attention and sustain inventiveness in an unaccompanied solo. E-mail:   Web Site: