The Sonny Rollins Quartet Tenor Madness 180g LP (Mono)

ANALOGUE PRODUCTIONS

PRESTIGUE

Musicians:
Sonny Rollins, tenor sax
Philly Joe Jones, drums
John Coltrane, tenor sax (Track 5)
Red Garland, piano
Paul Chambers, bass

Selections:
1. My Reverie
2. Paul's Pal
3. The Most Beautiful Girl In the World
4. When Your Lover Has Gone
5. Tenor Madness

Tenor Madness was the recording that, once and for all, established Rollins as one of the premier tenor saxophonists, an accolade that in retrospect, has continued through six full decades and gives an indication why as a young player, Rollins was so well liked, as his fluency, whimsical nature, and solid construct of melodies and solos gave him the title of the next Coleman Hawkins or Lester Young of mainstream jazz. 

Tenor Madness, using Miles Davis’ group – pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones, is the only recording of Rollins with John Coltrane, who was also in Davis’ group. 

Rollins and John Coltrane met in 1956 and went on to largely define the state of jazz tenor saxophone in the mid-Fifties. Their playing set a standard that has been a benchmark of excellence for saxophonists—and others—ever since. By the time this LP was released, Rollins already had such albums to his name as Worktime and Sonny Rollins Plus 4 in addition to his sideman exploits with the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet. 

As well as the celebrated title track, Tenor Madness includes an intriguing original, Paul’s Pal, and the mining of unusual material such as My Reverie, and The Most Beautiful Girl in the World. 

Originally released in 1956.

Coltrane's fearlessness is front and center as he takes the first solo, firing flurries and fusillades from the high end of his tenor sax. He is definitely on his game for the time. He's a willing teammate as he trades fours with Rollins on an ending dialogue where the two players happily finish each other's thoughts... Rollins shows his romantic-ballad side on 'When Your Lover Has Gone' and 'My Reverie', gets playful on 'Paul's Pal' (his tribute to bassist Paul Chambers), and upends Rodgers and Hart's 'The Most Beautiful Girl In The World' when he switches mid-stream from a waltz to a fast 4/4... It's a given that John Coltrane was a miraculous player; his cameo here shows how far he went to become that way. - J. Hunter, All About Jazz 

Features:
• Limited Edition
• 180g Vinyl
• Pressed at Quality Record Pressings
• Plated by Gary Salstrom
• Mastered by Kevin Gray
• Mono