Sonny Rollins, jazz saxophonist, has died(rollingstone.com) |
Sonny Rollins, jazz saxophonist, has died(rollingstone.com) |
Diana Krall opened and by open I mean she was the first of 4 acts and had a free concert a couple days before at a coffee shop down the street — practically unknown.
Sonny Rollins headlined and for the encore he played La Cucaracha. After about 20 minutes of La Cucaracha the pianist was signaling to the sound engineer to cut the sound. 5 minutes later the band one by one started to put down their instruments walking off the stage. Sonny Rollins kept belting La Cucaracha from his saxophone probably for another half hour or more after that. Life is good.
I especially remember that he played "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" - my wife and I still talk about it.
He thought to himself, “finally, a Rolling Stones song that I like.”
Then he remembered he was the saxophone player on the song…
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Great_Day_in_Harlem
Documentary:
On bass we still have Ron Carter, age 89, still touring.
Ron Carter and Herbie Hancock are still going strong of course, and still brilliant. George Coleman, Jack DeJohnette, and Dave Holland are all still playing to pick some other names at random.
Julian Lage picking up the torch
They’re playing together at the Monterey Jazz Festival in September. Bit of a stretch to go to that, but I might go to Indianapolis to see Herbie in August.