Customer Reviews

Bridge

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In my opinion "The Bridge" is one of the two Rollins' greatest recordings ever, another one is of course "Saxophone Collossus". It opened to us, young jazz musicians of those days, a new dimensions in jazz. What struck me most was a unique transparency of rythmic background which rythm section was providing. It was done by very laconic but impressive chord play of Jim Hall, accurate swing of Ben Riley. Rollins' solos were very profound, full of feelings. This marks them noticeably from what he plays nowdays. Jim Hall was very young and full of energy and apart from elegant chord support also produced a number of beautiful solos of his own. I would recommend everybody who likes Rollins and Hall to buy this recording.

Though not as stellar as his 50's recordings for Prestige and Blue Note, this album nevertheless offers rewards for the listener. Rollins is clearly the star here, showing no ill effects of his two year self-retirement. He has a perfect foil in guitarist Jim Hall, who surprisingly complements Rollins very well throughout the album. "John S.," "God Bless the Child," and the title track are the highlights.

This is one of Sonny Rollin's finest recordings. Sonny's playing here is some of the finest sax ever recorded. This is Sonny at the height of his powers, and he swings madly, but always under control. His ballad playing here is also superb. In my opinion, this is the greatest pure sax player that ever lived, and he shows it here on the title cut, "The Bridge." His playing is simply astonishing -- I have listened to this piece over and over and I can't believe he can swing so hard and be so creative and melodic at the same time. That is the mark of genius -- knowing where you are headed all of the time, but not afraid to push the envelope. I think that this recording is a cut above the "tenor madness" stuff -- it is more creative and powerful, in my opinion. Sonny's solos here are amazing. Jim Hall is in fine form as well, setting the background chords for Sonny to play over. Hall is smooth and creative, and the other players shine as well.
This is one of the very finest saxophone dates on record, combining swing and ballad tunes.

I recently got this cd and I love it. All the tracks are very good and engaging. The treat of the whole experience is hearing Jim Hall on guitar right along side Rollins. What a great matchup! The title track was featured prominently in the Ken Burns film 'Jazz'. As far as Sonny's catalogue goes-this is one of the must haves.

Rollins and the band maintain extraordinary control and breathe fire as well. Jim Hall's guitar is unexpected but a lovely partner for Rollins' sax.

Much has been made of Sonny Rollins 3 year long self imposed exile during which he practiced alone on the Williamsburg bridge. This is his comeback album, the first since the semi-retirement and all I can say is we waited 3 years for this? Perhaps he should have played with other people 'cause while there's nothing wrong with the playing, I fail to see any stylistic difference between what he was doing before his retirement and this album. Lack of growth could be forgiven I suppose but the music is nothing more than pleasant cocktail jazz, nothing either deeply emotional, ground breaking or all that exciting occurs. Rollins plays a couple of languid covers and some ho hum mid tempo originals. Jim Hall plays some nice guitar licks and Ben Riley plays some tasteful drums. Perhaps a little too tasteful. Compared to what his contemporaries such as Coltrane or Wayne Shorter were doing, Rollins sounds staid, even old fashioned and none too imaginative. This is way too polite and conservative for my taste and somewhat gutless. C'mon this was recorded in 1962, not 1954! Give me any recording of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers over this.

I first discovered this album a couple weeks ago and cannot get it out of my head. The liner notes indicate "The Bridge" was recorded after Rollins took a self-imposed three year break from music. He used his time well.

The streets of New York City seem to ring out in the overtones. Jim Hall provides a subtle, though haunting guitar accompaniment. This music conjures a sweaty night on a brownstone stoop, neighborhood boys playing a game of pick-up on a halogen-lit court, concrete and brick all around, steam from a sewer pipe, and a lonely saxophone heard over the din of traffic and life.

According to George Avakian's liner notes, the inspiration for the album's title supposedly comes from a story by Ralph Berton in the July 1961 issue of "Metronome" about a jazz fan who hears the sound of a saxophone on the Brooklyn Bridge. During his hiatus, Rollins didn't live far from it. The rhythms of the street, the rolling Hudson River, come through in the music.

The album I have is a 1968 RCA re-issue (APL1-0859) and has an image of a blue-lit Rollins playing super-imposed over a blue-lit image of the Brooklyn Bridge. The back cover has a black and white photo of Rollins, sidelit, his face barely shown, but lines and keys of his saxophone in vivid detail. This album looks nearly as good as it sounds.

If I were forced to choose only one CD to listen to for the rest of my life, this would be it (with Henderson's 'Inner Urge' coming tight 2nd.)

After 15 years of listening, it just keeps getting better...

Edited to add: Other reviewers already mentioned Jim Hall on guitar. While we are talking about fenomenal musicians, let's not forget about Bob Cranshaw on bass.

This is surely one of the 10 albums I'd take if I had to be stranded on a desert island! Rollins is a phenomenon. This is surely one of the best jazz albums ever. Just spend some time with it and you'll see, and did you ever hear Jim Hall swing like this! If you love jazz, you must have this in your collection!

If you like jazz, this is a classic. I don't think Sonny Rollins got the fame he deserved. This is good stuff from the late 50's.