Customer Reviews

Open Sky: Sonny Rollins and His World of Improvisation

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Eric Nisenson claims that this is not a definitive biography of Sonny Rollins. I would have to agree. Not only does this book tell us hardly anything about Sonny's personal life (his inpirations, his heartbreaks, his relationships with other jazz musicians), it has neither a discography nor an index. It's list of sources is only a page and a half, half of which seem to be previous books by Nisenson. After an inspired first chapter, Nisenson just seems to list through Sonny's albums and notable achievements, using generous quotes from Sonny describing events that were just described by the author himself. There were some good discriptions of some of the albums and some of Sonny's better solos, but most of it reads like a textbook. I would suggest that someone wait for either Sonny's autobiography (for which he's obviously saved a lot of info) or a "definitive" biography.

Eric Nisenson is a fanzie not a writer. His attempt at this Rollins book fails on every level. At the end we know no more of Rollins than we do at the beginning. When Nisenson begins rambling he goes off cliffs. Was there no editor to put this book back on track. Nisenson will always use ten words when one would do nicely. I picked this book up with great expectations. The only thing 'great' that happened was my disappointment. I wondered while reading the book of the author had ever even heard Rollins play. Something was that amiss.

TThe endless unsubstanntiated praise of Rollins is someghing to behold. 'Fanzie' doesn't do justice to the egoless hero worshipping by the author. Maybe he has no ego. I'd wait for a definitive book on Rollins rather than buy this. Really I'd nominate it as the worst jazz book of the decade.

The first test to me on reading about an artist is whether the book is a spur to sending the reader back to the works. This book passes that test and I'm revisiting Mr Rollins' legacy especially that on the RCA Collected Set and Live at the Village Vanguard with Wilbur Ware, Elvin Jones et al. Those of you familiar with HEAR ME TALKIN' TO YOU will appreciate the insights gained from the musicians' own thoughts and feelings not to mention the appeal of the patois. OPEN SKY is quite valuable in that Mr ROLLINS makes quite a contribution. The author adds to the appeal by going over the recorded legacy of Mr Rollins. We don't only need great musicians, they need great listeners.
There is also many added pleasures to this fine read, including thoughts about health, attitude, race, as well as the added pleasure of Mr Rollins' involvement with some of our greatest artists including COLEMAN HAWKINS and JOHN COLTRANE. For lovers of improvised music (jazz) I would think this is an essential purchase.

For an understanding of Rollins' playing and his uniqueness as an artist I would recommend this book. Nisenson does capture the feelings that I associate with seeing/hearing Sonny Rollins perform live. As other reviewers have said below this is not a comprehensive biography but it is written with a deep appreciation of the music that is Rollins' contribution to the culture. Sonny Rollins is the greatest live performer I've ever seen and this book captures some of that spirit so for me it was a worthwhile read.

As he does with the melodies of standards, Sonny Rollins altered the phrase "The sky's the limit" to "Music is an open sky" to fit his musical style. In Eric Nisenson's rewarding analysis of Rollins' career, it's evident that the saxophonist's musical motto served as both an inspiration for him to become one of the greatest improvisers in jazz history. While not a definitive boigraphy (nor intended to be), the book captures Rollins' rise to the upper echelon of jazz. It's widely accepted, even by Rollins, that the surging ecstasy of his live performances seldom manifested in the studio. Probing and honest, w/o trying to be psychoanalytical, Open Sky is an ideal point of entry to Rollins' improvisational world.

"Open Sky" provides the reader with a music fan's perspective on the brilliance of sax great, Sonny Rollins. Nisenson writes with an obvious love of jazz and his book is peppered with Rollins's own words -- originally expressed in a series of telephone interviews with the author. As others have mentioned here, "Open Sky" is not a comprehensive survey or an extensive biography. Nisenson focuses instead on the highlights of Rollins's long recording career -- providing insight into the evolution of his improvisational art. The book does not include a discography (or an index) but this does not seriously detract from enjoying a good read. As with good improv, sometimes it's best to be left wanting more!

First, let me disclose that I haven't yet read this book. But, I'm in the midst of reading "Ascenion," Nisenson's book about Coltrane and his music. It sounds to me like Nisenson is taking a similar approach here in his Rollin's book. The complaint that this book is not a comprehensive book about Rollin's life, but rather, more about his music and process, seems to me like complaining that a lecture on Picasso spoke too much of his art and artistry and not enough about his life. Yes, if you want a biography of Rollin's personal life, then this may be thin from that perspective. But, if this book is anything like "Ascension," it will provide the reader and lover of Rollin's music with valuable insight into his music, which is, after all, the most important thing. Isn't it?

I am a relative newcomer to the music and career of Sonny Rollins, but I very much appreciated the tone of this book and approach taken by author Eric Nisenson. The fact that Sonny Rollins himself shared in the writing and was pleased with the outcome is testimony both to the quality of the work as well as to the importance and value of writing about living legends while they are just that. This is not a novel, as the first reviewer indicates, but a non-fictional account of the ongoing life and career of a true jazz giant.