Sonny Rollins Quintet, Kenny Dorham, Max Roach – Rollins Plays For Bird (180g, Mono, Analogue Productions)

Cut from the analogue masters by renowned mastering engineer Kevin Gray

180-gram pressing by Quality Record Pressings

Deluxe high-gloss tip-on album jacket

As the tenor sax is not in the same key as an alto, Sonny Rollins would have to transpose a lot of music to take a tribute to Charlie Parker to a high level. Instead Rollins has chosen standards associated with Parker, and recorded them within a year after Bird’s passing.

The music certainly has its moments, as on the inexhaustible 27-minute medley of seven tunes seamlessly stitched together. Rollins plays the melody on alternating songs "I Remember You" and "They Can’t Take That Away from Me," Kenny Dorham has at it for "My Melancholy Baby" and "Just Friends," with Wade Legge getting his two cents in on trio only versions of "Old Folks" and "My Little Suede Shoes." Finally the whole band joins in on the ten-minute medley finale "Star Eyes." Two independent selections accompany the medley: Rollins does the ballad "I’ve Grown Accustomed to Your (Her) Face," from the musical "My Fair Lady" and the horns finally play together for the nearly 12-minute cool waltz "Kids Know."

Originally released in 1956

Sonny Rollins, tenor saxophone

Wade Legge, piano

George Morrow, bass

Max Roach, drums

Kenny Dorham, trumpet