Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders
Encyclopedia
Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders is an album by jazz
saxophonist Sonny Rollins
, recorded for the Contemporary
label, featuring performances by Rollins with Hampton Hawes
, Barney Kessel
, Leroy Vinnegar
, and Shelly Manne
with Victor Feldman
added on one track. It was the last record Rollins produced before a several-year hiatus from recording and performing in public, before his return with The Bridge
in 1962.
states "The last of the classic Sonny Rollins albums prior to his unexpected three-year retirement features the great tenor... on an unusual but inspired list of standards. Rollins creates explorative and often witty improvisations... Great music".
A copy of this album is featured on the cover to The Nightfly
by Donald Fagen
in 1982, where Fagen poses as a late-night jazz DJ.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
saxophonist Sonny Rollins
Sonny Rollins
Theodore Walter "Sonny" Rollins is a Grammy-winning American jazz tenor saxophonist. Rollins is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. A number of his compositions, including "St...
, recorded for the Contemporary
Contemporary Records
Contemporary Records was a jazz record label founded by Lester Koenig in 1951 in Los Angeles. Contemporary was known for seminal recordings embodying the West Coast sound, but also released recordings based in New York...
label, featuring performances by Rollins with Hampton Hawes
Hampton Hawes
Hampton Hawes was an American bebop and hard-bop jazz pianist, recognized as one of the finest and most influential of the 1950s.-Biography:...
, Barney Kessel
Barney Kessel
Barney Kessel was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA. Generally considered to be one of the greatest jazz guitarists of the 20th century, he was noted in particular for his vast knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies...
, Leroy Vinnegar
Leroy Vinnegar
Leroy Vinnegar was an American jazz bassist.Born in Indianapolis, the self-taught Vinnegar established his reputation in Los Angeles during the 1950s and 1960s. His trademark was the rhythmic "walking" bass line, a steady series of ascending or descending notes, and it brought him the nickname...
, and Shelly Manne
Shelly Manne
Shelly Manne , born Sheldon Manne in New York City, was an American jazz drummer. Most frequently associated with West Coast jazz, he was known for his versatility and also played in a number of other styles, including Dixieland, swing, bebop, avant-garde jazz and fusion, as well as contributing...
with Victor Feldman
Victor Feldman
Victor Stanley Feldman was a British jazz musician, best known as a pianist.-Early history:...
added on one track. It was the last record Rollins produced before a several-year hiatus from recording and performing in public, before his return with The Bridge
The Bridge (Sonny Rollins album)
The Bridge, 1962, was the first release of Jazz giant Sonny Rollins following his unexpected early retirement in 1959. The saxophonist was joined for the first time with the musicians with which he would record for the next segment of his career, featuring Jim Hall on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on bass...
in 1962.
Reception
The Allmusic review by Scott YanowScott Yanow
Scott Yanow is an American jazz commentator, known for many contributions to the Allmusic website, for writing ten books on jazz and for reviewing jazz recordings for over 30 years.-Biography:...
states "The last of the classic Sonny Rollins albums prior to his unexpected three-year retirement features the great tenor... on an unusual but inspired list of standards. Rollins creates explorative and often witty improvisations... Great music".
A copy of this album is featured on the cover to The Nightfly
The Nightfly
The Nightfly is the first solo album by Steely Dan co-founder Donald Fagen, released in 1982. It was one of the first fully digital recordings of popular music...
by Donald Fagen
Donald Fagen
Donald Jay Fagen is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the co-founder, lead singer, and the principal songwriter of the rock band Steely Dan ....
in 1982, where Fagen poses as a late-night jazz DJ.
Track listing
- "I've Told Ev'ry Little StarI've Told Ev'ry Little Star"I've Told Ev'ry Little Star" is a popular song with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, published in 1932.The song was introduced in the musical play, Music in the Air. It has since been recorded by a large number of artists....
" (Oscar Hammerstein IIOscar Hammerstein IIOscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II was an American librettist, theatrical producer, and theatre director of musicals for almost forty years. Hammerstein won eight Tony Awards and was twice awarded an Academy Award for "Best Original Song". Many of his songs are standard repertoire for...
, Jerome KernJerome KernJerome David Kern was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over 100 stage works, including such classics as "Ol' Man River", "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man", "A...
) - 5:28 - "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie MelodyRock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody"Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" is a popular song written by Jean Schwartz, with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young. The song was published in 1918....
" (Sam M. LewisSam M. LewisSam M. Lewis was a Jewish-American singer and lyricist, born in New York City, New York as Samuel Levine-Biography:...
, Jean SchwartzJean SchwartzJean Schwartz was a songwriter.Schwartz was born in Budapest, Hungary. His family moved to New York City when he was 13 years old...
, Joe YoungJoe YoungJoe Young was a lyricist. He was born in New York. Young was most active from 1911 through the late-1930s, beginning his career working as a singer and songplugger for various music publishers. During World War I, he entertained the U.S...
) - 4:55 - "How High the MoonHow High the Moon"How High the Moon" is a jazz standard with lyrics by Nancy Hamilton and music by Morgan Lewis. It was first featured in the 1940 Broadway revue Two for the Show, where it was sung by Alfred Drake and Frances Comstock....
" (Nancy HamiltonNancy HamiltonNancy Hamilton was an American actress, playwright, lyricist, director and producer. She worked in the New York theater from 1932-1954. She wrote sketches and lyrics for the revues New Faces of 1934 , One for the Money , Two for the Show and Three to Make Ready...
, Morgan LewisMorgan LewisMorgan Lewis may refer to:*Morgan Lewis , Governor of New York State, U.S.A.*Morgan Lewis *Morganics, hip hop artist Morgan Lewis-See also:*Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, law firm*Lewis Morgan...
) - 7:45 - "You" (Harold AdamsonHarold AdamsonFor the Toronto Police Chief see Harold Adamson Harold Adamson was an American lyricist during the 1930s and 1940s.- Biography :...
, Walter DonaldsonWalter DonaldsonWalter Donaldson was a prolific United States popular songwriter, composing many hit songs of the 1910s and 1920s.-History:...
) - 4:16 - "I've Found a New BabyI've Found a New Baby"I've Found a New Baby", also known as "I Found a New Baby", is a popular song written by Jack Palmer and Spencer Williams. It was introduced by Clarence Williams' Blue Five in 1926 and has since been recorded by many artists, making it a popular jazz standard.Spencer Williams and Palmer had...
" (Jack Palmer, Spencer WilliamsSpencer WilliamsSpencer Williams was an American jazz and popular music composer, pianist, and singer. He is best known for his hit songs "Basin Street Blues", "I Ain't Got Nobody", "Royal Garden Blues", "I've Found a New Baby", "Everybody Loves My Baby", "Tishomingo Blues", "Careless Love", and many...
) - 3:40 - "I've Found a New Baby" [alternate take] (Palmer, Williams) - 4:25 bonus track on compact disc reissue
- "Alone TogetherAlone Together (song)"Alone Together" is a song composed by Arthur Schwartz with lyrics by Howard Dietz. It was introduced in the Broadway musical Flying Colors in 1932 by Jean Sargent....
" (Howard DietzHoward DietzHoward Dietz was an American publicist, lyricist, and librettist.-Biography:Dietz was born in New York City and studied journalism at Columbia University...
, Arthur SchwartzArthur SchwartzArthur Schwartz was an American composer and film producer.Schwartz supported his legal studies at New York University and postgraduate studies at Columbia University by playing piano before concentrating his talents on vaudeville, Broadway theatre and Hollywood.Among his Broadway musicals are The...
) - 6:01 - "In the Chapel in the MoonlightIn the Chapel in the Moonlight"In the Chapel in the Moonlight" is a 1936 popular song written by Billy Hill. The song was revived by Kitty Kallen in 1954. Her recording, which was released by Decca Records as catalog number 29130, reached number four on the Billboard charts and number five on the Cash Box Best Selling Record...
" (Billy HillBilly Hill (songwriter)Billy Hill was an American songwriter, violinst, and pianist who found fame writing Western songs such as "They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree", "The Last Roundup", "Wagon Wheels", and "Empty Saddles"...
) - 6:41 - "The Song Is YouThe Song Is YouThe Song Is You is a 1994 box set by the American singer Frank Sinatra.This five disc box set contains every studio recording Frank Sinatra performed with Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra, a few tracks of alternate recording takes, and a full disc of mostly-unreleased radio broadcasts...
" (Hammerstein, Kern) - 5:44 - "The Song Is You" [alternate take] (Hammerstein, Kern) - 6:11 bonus track on compact disc reissue
Personnel
- Sonny RollinsSonny RollinsTheodore Walter "Sonny" Rollins is a Grammy-winning American jazz tenor saxophonist. Rollins is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. A number of his compositions, including "St...
– tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble... - Hampton HawesHampton HawesHampton Hawes was an American bebop and hard-bop jazz pianist, recognized as one of the finest and most influential of the 1950s.-Biography:...
- pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Barney KesselBarney KesselBarney Kessel was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA. Generally considered to be one of the greatest jazz guitarists of the 20th century, he was noted in particular for his vast knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Leroy VinnegarLeroy VinnegarLeroy Vinnegar was an American jazz bassist.Born in Indianapolis, the self-taught Vinnegar established his reputation in Los Angeles during the 1950s and 1960s. His trademark was the rhythmic "walking" bass line, a steady series of ascending or descending notes, and it brought him the nickname...
- bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2... - Shelly ManneShelly ManneShelly Manne , born Sheldon Manne in New York City, was an American jazz drummer. Most frequently associated with West Coast jazz, he was known for his versatility and also played in a number of other styles, including Dixieland, swing, bebop, avant-garde jazz and fusion, as well as contributing...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Victor FeldmanVictor FeldmanVictor Stanley Feldman was a British jazz musician, best known as a pianist.-Early history:...
- vibesVibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
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