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Asked to name the greatest living saxophone player, most musicians and jazz fans will agree: Sonny Rollins. Better than anyone he succeeded in moving from bebop through the free jazz and fusion periods while remaining true to himself. Just turned 70, his career now spans six decades, and shows no signs of letting up.
But, despite his acknowledged stature, Rollins has always been a puzzling figure, given to chronic self-doubt, sometimes withdrawing from the music scene for years. In this penetrating study, Peter Niklas Wilson looks at the life, personality, style, and recorded legacy of this "doubting giant" of jazz. Aspects of Rollins' approach to improvising and composing are expertly analyzed. A narrative discography gives helpful information on all of Rollins' recordings from 1949 through 2000. Wilson also explores the source of Rollins' restlessness, and describes his ongoing search for peace through Zen, Vedic philosophy, and other disciplines.
