Newk's Time [Remastered] - Sonny Rollins

Advantages: Possibly the best tenor saxophonist ever - without a doubt the best still alive!
Disadvantages: None - if you want to see him live, you should try to soon - he's getting on a bit now - 73 yrs old now - still as good as ever though!

...with many jazz greats, having already done so with Babs Gonzalez, J.J. Johnson, Bud Powell and Miles Davis before he turned twenty, and also benefitting from having Thelonius Monk as a mentor. Later in his life, during the mid-sixties, Rollins stopped playing in public and tried to get into religion, and especially eastern religions, spending time in Japan and India, and also spending a lot of time in a monastry. In the 70's however, Sonny resurfaced again and returned to recording and playing again, making his next recording in 1972, and is still going strong. Recently, I had the chance to see Sonny Rollins playing in a rare appearance at the Barbican in London, and I must say that he was absolutely fantastic. Although he may now look slightly older, his playing is still as good as when he was younger and on those classic recordings... Read review

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Advantages: Sublime music and musicianship
Disadvantages: None

...This is the original score to the 60s film Alfie, composed and played by Sonny Rollins, one of the greatest tenor sax players. I watched this film several times before really appreciating the score, being so intent on the story and film locations, and later checked yes, it was Rollins playing, and he also wrote it. WHO IS SONNY ROLLINS? If you like jazz you don't need me to provide a biog. Sonny [Theodore Walter] Rollins was born in 1930 in New York, arguably one of the best jazz tenor saxophonists of all time. He was already playing with one of the greats, Thelonious Monk before he was 20, and later performed and recorded with John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Art Blakey. In 1955 he joined the Clifford Brown / Max Roach quintet. He was known for his improvisations, sometimes highly imaginative takes on relatively moribund... Read review

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Advantages: Actually very good
Disadvantages: overlooked for more well known martial arts actors

...Sonny Chiba movies seem to often get overlooked for the more glitzy martial arts actors such as Jet Lee and Jackie Chan and Chow Yun Fat. Many of Sonny Chiba's movies are often mature, and totally action packed, with very good storylines. Many of Sonny Chibas films are traditional period types, such as samurai's or ninjas. The fight scenes are often very good indeed, especially the sword fights. More often that not the films are in the native Japanese language with subtitles which is better, becuase that way you are getting the original script, rather than sometihng made up. For me these are the movies that opened the door for movies such as Azumi, Azumi 2, and Versus. These movies are most definitely worth a look.... Read review

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