G Man – 1986
Sonny Rollins
The great tenor stretches out
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The 1986 documentary Saxophone Colossus has many stirring performances from tenor-saxophonist Sonny Rollins.
The opener, “G Man,” features Rollins (who was 56 at the time) playing an extended solo with his regular group.
With support offered by keyboardist Mark Soskin, his longtime bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Rollins tears into the piece while his nephew trombonist Clifton Anderson mostly looks on.
Rollins never seems to run out of energy or ideas during his marathon solo.
-Scott Yanow
Ella Fitzgerald