Product Description

This collection presents Sonny Rollins in both a quartet and pianoless trio format utilizing a combination of stellar European and American accompanying musicians. The Copenhagen '65 concert is a splendid demonstration of why Boston drummer Alan Dawson has been so respected and even revered by fellow drummers around the world. Even Sonny Rollins, notorious for his demanding standards for drummers, spoke of Dawson's work in the highest superlatives. Both concert performances feature Europe's finest bassist, the ubiquitous Niels Henning Orsted-Pedersen, who was nineteen years old for the Copenhagen '65 concert and already regarded as a jazz veteran and Europe's most in-demand bassist. This is classic Sonny Rollins from what so many writers, fellow musicians, and fans consider his classic period when he and John Coltrane were regarded as the most important saxophonists in jazz.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18117 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-09-30
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Mono, Black & White, Dolby
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 87 minutes

Jazz Times Magazine
Jazz Icons is doing for jazz what the Criterion Collection has done for classic and important films.

Newsweek Magazine
The sound quality is first rate, and the performances are extraordinary.

JazzWeekly.com, George W. Harris, September 2008
Caught in Denmark/65 and 68 when Sonny Rollins was, well, SONNY ROLLINS, the tenorist looks, sounds and plays like a guy who is the Saxophone Colossus. With his head shaved and a sporting a groovy beard, Rollins does the trio format with NHOP/b and Alan Dawson/d in 65 for some room filling playing on "There Will Never Be Another You" and "Darn That Dream". The band glides like Katerina Witt on "Oleo/Sonnymoon for Two" as Rollins, with ever cool demeanor, tears of the layers of the piece like pealing an onion. The 68 quartet includes pianist Kenny Drew and drummer Tootie Heath along with NHOP and a bereted Rollins for a thunderous "Green Dolphin Street". Rollins' a capella intro, and 90 second closing cadenza, are simply heart stopping. Heath is having a good time during this set, humming along "St. Thomas" as he snaps, crackles and pops through the tune. Classic period of a classic tenor.

Customer Reviews

Sonny Rollins in Copenhagen 1965
I was present at the concert, and I have never heard Rollins better. The concert has been broadcast by the danish state radio, I taped it, and later burned it on cd, so I know every note. Many jazzpeople has tried to get the concert issued, but Rollins' wife would not allow it, no explanation why, so this dvd is a scoop.

Ole Olsen

Classic Sonny Rollins
These are landmark sessions in a very great career. In maturity, Rollins became, like Monk, a unique. His phrasing is always his own and he parses not simply the chords, but the songs themselves, which ar never lost. This is work by a master, bursting with originality and energy, and sometimes wit.

The last of the giants
I just hope that there is much more to come, from where this came from, just keep it coming.