Sonny Rollins - The Complete Prestige Recordings (1992) {7CD} 320 kbps

Tracklist

CD1

01. Elysee
02. Opus
03. Hilo
04. Fox Hunt
05. Morpheus
06. Down
07. Blue Room
08. Whispering
09. I Know
10. Conception
11. Out Of The Blue
12. Denial
13. Bluing
14. Dig
15. My Old Flame
16. It's Only A Paper Moon

CD2

01. Time On My Hands
02. Mambo Bounce
03. This Love of Mine
04. Shadrack
05. On a Slow Boat to China
06. With a Song in My Heart
07. Scoops
08. Newk's Fadeaway
09. Compulsion
10. The Serpent's Tooth (Take 1)
11. The Serpent's Tooth (Take 2)
12. Round About Midnight
13. In a Sentimental Mood
14. The Stopper
15. Almost Like Being in Love
16. No Moe
17. Think of One (Take 1)
18. Think of One (Take 2)

CD3

01. Let's Call This
02. Friday The 13th
03. Soft Shoe
04. Confab In Tempo
05. I'll Take Romance
06. Airegin
07. Oleo
08. But Not For Me [take 1]
09. But Not For Me [take 2]
10. Doxy
11. Movin' Out
12. Swingin' For Bumsy
13. Silk 'n' Satin
14. Solid

CD4

01. I Want To Be Happy
02. The Way You Look Tonight
03. More Than You Know
04. There's No Business Like Show Business
05. Paradox
06. Raincheck
07. There Are Such Things
08. It's All Right With Me
09. In Your Own Sweet Way
10. No Line
11. Vierd Blues

CD5

01. I Feel A Song Coming On
02. Pent-Up House
03. Valse Hot
04. Kiss And Run
05. Count Your Blessings
06. My Reverie
07. The Most Beautiful Girl In The World
08. Paul's Pal
09. When Your Lover Has Gone
10. Tenor Madness

CD6

01. You Don't Know What Love Is
02. St. Thomas
03. Strode Rode
04. Blue 7
05. Moritat
06. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
07. Kids Know
08. The House I Live In

CD7

01. The Bird Medley
02. B. Swift
03. My Ideal
04. Sonny Boy
05. Two Different Worlds
06. EE-AH
07. B. Quick

This seven-CD box set lives up to its title, reissuing in chronological order all of tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins' recordings for Prestige. Dating mostly from 1951-1956, these valuable performances find Rollins developing from a promising player to a potential giant; many of his best recordings would take place a year or two after this program ends. In addition to his own sessions, Rollins is featured with trombonist J.J. Johnson, on four dates with Miles Davis, and on sessions led by Thelonious Monk and trumpeter Art Farmer. Among the other musicians participating are trumpeters Kenny Dorham and Clifford Brown; pianists John Lewis, Kenny Drew, Horace Silver, Elmo Hope, Ray Bryant, Red Garland, and Tommy Flanagan; drummers Max Roach, Roy Haynes, Art Blakey, and Philly Joe Jones; the Modern Jazz Quartet; Julius Watkins on French horn; altoist Jackie McLean; and even Charlie Parker. Among the many highlights are the original versions of Rollins' compositions "Airegin," "Oleo," "Doxy," "St. Thomas," and "Blue 7," and his one recorded meeting with John Coltrane ("Tenor Madness"). Essential music that is treated as it should be. The attractive booklet is a major plus too.~ Scott Yanow