Sonny Rollins - Tour De Force

1989 CD reissue. With Kenny Drew, George Morrow, Max Roach, Earl Coleman

One of the few improvisers to justify the opportunity to "stretch out" afforded by the long-playing record, Sonny Rollins puts on an incredible display of melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic virtuosity, aided and abetted by master drummer Max Roach. The self-renewing, motivic blues, "Ee-ah," and the reinventions on the chord sequences of "Cherokee" ("B. Quick") and "Lover" ("B. Swift") are dazzling performances; and Sonny’s ballad improvisations, in and around the rich, romantic baritone renditions of "Two Different Worlds" and "My Ideal" by Earl Coleman, are a perfect contrast.