Tenor saxophonists · 1930–2026
Sonny Rollins
American jazz saxophonist and composer (1930–2026)
- Born
- 7 September 1930
- Died
- 25 May 2026
Woodstock - Country
- United States
- Active
- 1947–2026
- Record labels
- Blue Note, Prestige, Contemporary Records
- Discography
- 76 albums
Biography
Sonny Rollins was a jazz musician who played tenor saxophone and soprano saxophone. Sonny Rollins was born on 7 September 1930 and died on 25 May 2026 in Woodstock. The music is usually filed under jazz and post-bop. Record labels: Blue Note, Prestige and Contemporary Records. The discography here lists 76 albums, from “Blows for LP” (1954) to “Freedom Weaver: The 1959 European Tour Recordings” (2024). Honours include NEA Jazz Masters (1983), Paul Acket Award (1993) and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2004).
Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (September 7, 1930 – May 25, 2026) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential of jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, Rollins recorded more than 60 albums as a leader. His 1956 album Saxophone Colossus was selected for preservation by the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2016. A number of his compositions, including "St. Thomas", "Oleo", "Doxy", and "Airegin", have become jazz standards. Rollins was often called "the greatest living improviser". Sometimes known as "saxophone colossus", Rollins was awarded a lifetime Grammy Award and was honored with the Kennedy Center Honors in 2011. He was credited as a defining figure of the jazz genre.
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Discography
Studio and live albums
Also plays on
Albums where Sonny Rollins is credited as a sideman
Standards written by Sonny Rollins
Analysed solos by Sonny Rollins
- Airegintenor saxophone · 243 BPM · Ab-maj · 1954-06-29
- I'll Remember April (Alternate Take 2)tenor saxophone · 294 BPM · G-maj · 1956-02-16
- Vierd Bluestenor saxophone · 114 BPM · Bb-maj · 1956-03-16
- Blue Seventenor saxophone · 135 BPM · Bb-maj · 1956-06-22
- Blue Seventenor saxophone · 138 BPM · Bb-maj · 1956-06-22
- Blue Seventenor saxophone · 133 BPM · Bb-maj · 1956-06-22
- St. Thomastenor saxophone · 207 BPM · C-maj · 1956-06-22
- St. Thomastenor saxophone · 224 BPM · C-maj · 1956-06-22
- Tenor Madnesstenor saxophone · 176 BPM · Bb-maj · 1956-06-22
- Playin' in the Yardtenor saxophone · 155 BPM · G-maj · 1972
- Playin' in the Yardtenor saxophone · 159 BPM · G-maj · 1972
- The Everywhere Calypsotenor saxophone · 193 BPM · C-maj · 1972
- The Everywhere Calypsotenor saxophone · 197 BPM · C-maj · 1972
Awards
Historic 78 rpm records
- FOX HUNT JAY JAY JOHNSON'S BOPPERS · JAY JAY JOHNSON · SONNY ROLLINS · KENNY… · 1949 archive.org ↗
- HILO JAY JAY JOHNSON'S BOPPERS · Jay Jay JOHNSON · SONNY ROLLINS · KENNY… · 1949 archive.org ↗
- "ELYSSES" JAY JAY JOHNSON BOPPERS · MAX ROACH · Kenny Dorham · Sonny Rollins ·… · 1949 archive.org ↗
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Frequently asked questions
What instrument did Sonny Rollins play?
Sonny Rollins is known for playing tenor saxophone and soprano saxophone.
When and where was Sonny Rollins born?
Sonny Rollins was born 7 September 1930.
What are Sonny Rollins's best-known albums?
Albums in our database include Blows for LP (1954), Moving Out (1956), Sonny Rollins Plus 4 (1956), Sonny Rollins With the Modern Jazz Quartet (1956) and Work Time (1956).
External links
- en.wikipedia.org ↗
- de.wikipedia.org ↗
- it.wikipedia.org ↗
- wikidata.org ↗
- musicbrainz.org ↗
- discogs.com ↗
- allmusic.com ↗
- sonnyrollins.com ↗
Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.