Customer Reviews

Tenor Madness

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The bad news is that tenor Olympians Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane joined forces in the studio just once. The good news is that it's available on TENOR MADNESS. The title track is battle of two gladiators, exchanging solos with such strength and imagination it's mind-boggling. Coltrane begins the exchange, which is really not a battle but rather a collaboration with Rollins. Although the piece is not really a competition, Rollins is every bit Coltrane's equal during the 12+ minute romp. This recording is astounding and timeless. It literally doesn't get any better than this.

So the CD goes downhill from there, right? No way. Sonny is as relaxed as a late summer morning on the second track, "When Your Lover Has Gone." Red Garland (piano) and Paul Chambers (bass) also takes solos that are as smooth as a velvet rainbow. "Paul's Pal" is a nice groove number with some outstanding brush work by drummer Philly Joe Jones. "My Reverie" finds Sonny floating a soft, smoky vibrato over the rhythm section. The disc concludes with "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World," a Richard Rodgers tune that the boys have great fun reconstructing. Great solos by all.

Very highly recommended.

Recorded in 1956
Total time: 35:24

To my mind, Sonny's best along with "Saxophone Colossus". The first cut is the most famous, no doubt because of John Coltrane's sharing of the solos. Trane enters the ring first - all over the place and brilliant but Sonny delivers the knock-out punch with comparatively terse and lyrical ease. On first hearing the recording, some 20 years ago, I was more impressed with the first two tunes, but now I find the other cuts even more absorbing - just my taste, perhaps - I meet many jazz fans who are primarily bowled over by speed and pyrotechnics, passing over anything that which doesn't immediately grab you by the collar. Sonny can play like fire but he appreciates melody. "My Reverie" is a great melody and Sonny displays a his supple, gorgeous tone and phrasing throughout. Hearing Sonny's notes here, I visualize a warm, translucent golden sphere - ready to step into, and conducive to ethereal transport. "The Most Beautiful Girl" has a bounding, exuberant groove and tremendous playing by all. Sonny will always reach someone, somehow...so "Vive la difference!"

This was, in my opinion, Sonny's first real important and influential album. The public was aware of his talents, when he replaced Harold Land in the Max Roach/Clifford Brown Quintet the year before, but Sonny hadn't really made a ground breaking album yet. This was it!

Tenor Madness swings in ever which way. There ain't a bad track on the whole album. A masterpiece from start to finish. Though over-shadowed by its more famous father release, Saxophone Colossus, Tenor Madness can hold its own, and it features some of the best tenor saxophone playing by Sonny, and ever in jazz.

The players were top notch too. For the first track, John Coltrane sits in. I believe Sonny thought it was his job to let the new guy blow. Sort of like old man let's young man have a shot. And back and forth solos between them in the song is almost woth the price of the cut alone.

There isn't two saxophonists who play more different. You can easily distinguish Sonny from Trane, and both of their ideas are endless and imaginative.

And joining Trane and Newk was The Red Garland Trio. Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Also know as, the rhythm section of the Miles Davis Quintet. The three worked together on numerous projects, though Garland substituted Art Taylor for drummer Philly Joe Jones most of the time, on Red's solo projects, The Red Garland Trio quickly became Garland, Chambers, and Art Taylor, but the original drummer, Philly Joe Jones is here for the recording.

Red Garland was truely his own man. Very distinct style, with his use of block chords, and melodically swinging approach. After Sonny gives up his solo time and Garland comes in, a beautiful mileau comes over you, due to Garland's colorful and imaginative solos.

Paul Chambers' bass solos, some while using a bow, are extraudinary. Philly Joe had a way of being very melodic when he soloed. His solos are very imaginative and all fit well with the piece. He compliments whom ever is soloing very well, and makes it even more of a joy to listen to.

Though the album opens up with the classic, Tenor Madness, I agree with the other reviewer who was pleased more with the last few tunes, omit John Coltrane.

There is The Most Beautiful Girl started out in 3/4 and which features a very nice melodic drum solo by Philly Joe, and there is the dedication piece to Paul Chambers, Paul's Pal, perhaps the most melodic tune on the whole album. I love when Sonny and Philly Joe are trading solos, and Sonny just finds that special note he likes and just sticks with it, calm and subtle, and Philly Joe just picks up his brushes and solos like nothing ever happened.

This was a unique and enjoyable recording all around. I highly recommend it to anybody into jazz, for a short time or for a while. You can't go wrong with Tenor Madness.

by far one of my favorite albums. i love rollins' big full open tenor sound. somewhat of a listening novice when i first heard this album, which i loved from the beginning, i confessed to an old jazz head that i couldn't always tell on the title track when each horn player was blowing. he asked he if i knew what coltrane sounded like, and i started a longwinded answer which he silenced by saying don't tell him, just listen to coltrane, and i did, and i heard coltrane and i heard rollins, and i learned to distinguish players of the same instrument playing together, an act of real consciousness raising. which added to my listening pleasure.
i still go wild listening to the most beautiful girl in the world.

This CD's title track is the much-heralded encounter between John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. In 1956, Sonny was closer to a peak than Trane. This encounter between titans, though, isn't so titanic. It's a good song, there's nothing wrong with it, but not the sum of its parts. "Paul's Pal" is my favorite song on the CD, it has a bright, catchy melody. "When Your Lover Has Gone" and "My Reverie" are ruminative songs, "Beautiful Girl" ends things nicely. All in all, a good album, and recommended.

How can you get a CD that be over 50 years old and still rocking, you guessed it Sony Rollins Tenor Madness. The first cut is 12:18 minutes long and for good reason, the other guy on tenor sax is none other than John Coltrane. I heard this track a few weeks ago and I thought wow I have got to get this CD and I mean now. Man was the right decision or what I am now on happy customer. If you have a chance listen to the first track on this CD, you will not be disappointed. Peace

"Who can take a nothing day and, suddenly make it all seem worthwhile?" asked Mary Tyler Moore (show). Apparently, Sonny Rollins can, also. Tenor Madness is just another day at the office; not bad, not great. The opener, Sonny's own "Paul's Pal" is a simple, but very good theme. Sonny's brief solo swings, as does Paul Chamber's, and Red Garland's, followed by some 'fours with Philly Joe. Sonny gives the best rendition of "My Reverie" that I've ever heard. Of note here, also, is Red's supportive work and Paul's solo. Sonny's sense of humor delivers all of the Pagentry of "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World", before jumping off to some high-speed swinging. All of Sonny's solos are evolved and excellent. Note Philly Joe's solo here. "When Your Lover Has Gone" is beautifully handled by everyone. Sonny's solo is followed by Red's typical,laid-back,solid solo. Paul speaks, Philly Joe comments before Sonny concludes (notably). Then John Coltrane passed by! While "Tenor Madness" is neither "Blue Trane" or "Worktime", it's not that far from either. It is two giants "gettin' down". Trane's hard-jammin runs, followed by Sonny's smooth-line swing has everybody jumping. Trane/Rollins 'fours' have to be heard. The whole Tenor Madness album is certainty a MOST WORTHWHILE asset.

I'll be honest; not being a sax player, and really being more of a 'moldy fig' in many ways when it came to my real preferences, I listened to Sonny Rollins a little back in my early days of jazz discovery - and did not much like nor 'get' his stuff. Perhaps I was listening to the 'wrong' stuff, I really don't know, but I re-listened and dug what I heard, as much as I dig this kind of sax playing. The title cut, contrary to most listeners, did not move me...(...), it almost sounded like Trane set him up, but the tone which I thought I remembered not liking, and the ideas as well, grabbed me right away. What hooked me were the last few cuts (the ones which one reviewer called "cruise ship music"). Hey, if you find a cruise with Red Garland, Philly Joe, and Paul Chambers...let me know, I'll book it today. I finally GET IT!

As the editorial review indicates, this is a classic album. I have to rank "Tenor Madness" in Rollins' top five albums of all time, if not higher. The only bad thing to say is it's too bad Coltrane and Sonny couldn't have recorded together more.