The last of the classic
Sonny Rollins
albums prior to his unexpected three-year retirement features the great tenor with pianist
Hampton Hawes
, guitarist
Barney Kessel
, bassist
Leroy Vinnegar
, and drummer
Shelly Manne
(all bandleaders for
Contemporary Records
during this era) on an unusual but inspired list of
standards
.
Rollins
creates explorative and often witty
improvisations
on such songs as
"Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody,"
"You,"
"In the Chapel in the Moonlight,"
and roaring versions of
"I've Found a New Baby"
and
"The Song Is You."
Great music. ~ Scott Yanow