Advice for Young Musicians - Sonny Rollins responds to the New Yorker article
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- čas přidán 3. 08. 2014
- Sonny Rollins believes playing music is an important calling.. From "The Real Sonny Rollins - His Own Words," a response to the New Yorker article. Camera - Doug Yoel
Sonny Rollins will go down in history as not only the single most enduring tenor saxophonist of the bebop and hard bop era, but also as one of the greatest contemporary jazz saxophonists of them all. His fluid and harmonically innovative ideas, effortless manner, and easily identifiable and accessible sound have influenced generations of performers, but have also fueled the notion that mainstream jazz music can be widely enjoyed, recognized, and proliferated. Born Theodore Walter Rollins in New York City on September 7, 1930, he had an older brother who played violin. At age nine he took up piano lessons but discontinued them, took up the alto saxophone in high school, and switched to tenor after high school, doing local engagements. In 1948 he recorded with vocalist Babs Gonzales, then Bud Powell and Fats Navarro, and his first composition, "Audubon," was recorded by J.J. Johnson. Soon thereafter, Rollins made the rounds quickly with groups led by Tadd Dameron, Chicago drummer Ike Day, and Miles Davis in 1951, followed by his own recordings with Kenny Drew, Kenny Dorham, and Thelonious Monk.
In 1956 Rollins made his biggest move, joining the famous ensemble of Max Roach and Clifford Brown, then formed his own legendary pianoless trio with bassist Wilbur Ware or Donald Bailey and drummer Elvin Jones or Pete La Roca in 1957, doing recorded sessions at the Village Vanguard. Awards came from DownBeat and Playboy magazines, and recordings were done mainly for the Prestige and Riverside labels, but also for Verve, Blue Note, Columbia, and Contemporary Records, all coinciding with the steadily rising star of Rollins. Pivotal albums such as Tenor Madness (with John Jazz Video Guy Recommends
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amzn.to/3CDQ5JK), Saxophone Colossus (with longstanding partner Tommy Flanagan), and Way Out West (with Ray Brown and Shelly Manne), and collaborations with the Modern Jazz Quartet, Clark Terry, and Sonny Clark firmly established Rollins as a bona fide superstar. He also acquired the nickname "Newk" for his facial resemblance to Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe.
But between 1959 and 1961 he sought a less superficial, more spiritual path to the rat race society of the times, visiting Japan and India, studying yoga and Zen. He left the music business until 1962, when he returned with the groundbreaking and in many ways revolutionary recording The Bridge with guitarist Jim Hall for the RCA Victor/Bluebird label. Rollins struck up a working relationship with trumpeter Don Cherry; did a handful of innovative LPs for the RCA Victor, MGM/Metro Jazz, and Impulse! labels; did one record with his hero Coleman Hawkins; and left the scene again in 1968. By 1971 he came back with a renewed sense of vigor and pride, and put out a string of successful records for the Milestone label that bridged the gap between the contemporary and fusion jazz of the time, the most memorable being his live date from the 1974 Montreux Jazz Festival, The Cutting Edge. Merging jazz with calypso, light funk, and post-bop, the career of Rollins not only was revived, but thrived from then onward. He was a member of the touring Milestone Jazz Stars in 1978 with McCoy Tyner and Ron Carter, and gained momentum as a touring headliner and festival showstopper. - Hudba
Happy 90th birthday, Sonny Rollins !
I was the young woman who asked this question on Twitter years ago. Man, how times have changed. I thought I was going to go to college to study Jazz Performance. I still play piano in an ensemble at college- which is fine by me- and seeing this video two years after really reflects how I've changed as a musician and individual as well. Great advice. Ya gotta follow the heart regardless of the tangible rewards. Music is someplace else- and it always will be.
So did you enter a musical college or something another ?
And 5 years past... any updates ?
I see young people into hip hop and pop and contemporary music and if they dont get things immediately they freak out. They are after instant fame and its sad. Rollins has the right idea. His advise is the most honest Ive heard from any musician. Just play and keep getting better thats the real reward.
It's a process and it doesn't happen overnight.
I love to hear Sonny talk. He reminds me of when NY was populated with NYers.
'Music is someplace else': he shows us in the most practical way. Thanks Sonny and JVG.
Bret, your bringing Sonny's light, love and perspective to our little glowing devices around the world is such a powerful and moving thing. Congrats to you and thank god for Sonny Rollins music and his words.
Reflecting what i have been through as jazz musician in my 20s , now that i’m in my 30s.
What sonny said here has always been so true. Once you have given your life to music, it will devour and demand all your energy that if you want to truly enjoy it at highest level. In my 20s, i will always be worried of jobs , relationship , acceptance or fame. still i was not practicing and not developing my music enough.
If Music is truly your life , you will never get tired of practicing. It’s just constant discovery and learning.
Well said. Good luck in your musical pursuits.
That was some of the best advice I've ever heard.. Thanks for that Sonny.. and JVG.
Wow. Honest and useful advice. Thanks Sonny!
Play music for love, not for money. And best to have an alternative source of income. That way you can always play what you enjoy playing - not what "the house" wants you to play. Whihc is kind of what Sonny is saying, I suppose.
Today I was in a thrift store just walking around and a lady brought your picture to me I seen it and liked it and I brought it didn't even know that it was your birthday 🎉 happy birthday Mr music from Brunswick Georgia
Sad but true, I studied jazz right out of high school and gave up after a few semesters and went back in my late thirties and it’s tough. So competitive, just gotta ignore all that and keep your head down and practice.
“Music is someplace else” indeed
Love and appreciation to Sonny Rollins even more.
Thanks for posting.
Sharp of mind as ever.
School us, Sonny. Respect.
Thank you.
Yeah I just play for a hobby I suppose for now. Went to school for jazz and the pretty much took all the fun out of it
this is amazing
Ryan Kisor YOU are amazing too ! Love your tp sound and phrasing !
Preach!
Astounding …well said
He has a way with words.
hero!
After all his life dedicated to music he reached this mindset and now he is sharing it with us, this is pure gold and one of the best description of what music and art is.
If you have a chance, check out the new Sonny Rollins bio. It's full of fascinating details.
@@JazzVideoGuy i will thanks,
Wheatleigh Hall with Dizzy Gillespie, 1957.....a Rollins tour de force!
That record with Stitt and Rollins is too much.
You do it because you have to. It takes your whole life to get somewhere.
art was not invented as means to riches
Music is really something for the dreamers . Regular people just listen to whatever the radio play . The pop station, not the jazz station ...
for people that aren't familiar with the article, could you please put in the info what the article was about? thank you. I clicked on the video because I feel like this man has some wisdom to drop on me.
After you’re successful, yes you can have a family and blah-blah-blah 😂😂😂