Sonny Rollins
, one of jazz's great tenors, is heard here at his peak with a pair of piano-less trios (either
Wilbur Ware
or
Donald Bailey
on bass and
Elvin Jones
Pete La Roca
on drums) stretching out on particularly creative versions of "Old Devil Moon," "Softly As in a Morning Sunrise," "Sonnymoon for Two," and "A Night in Tunisia," among others. Not only did
Rollins
have a very distinctive sound but his use of time, his sly wit, and his boppish but unpredictable style were completely his own by 1957. Truly magical. [Originally released as separate albums,
A Night at the Village Vanguard
has also been reissued in its entirety, complete with alternate takes.] ~ Scott Yanow