The Bridge - Sonny Rollins

The Bridge marks Sonny Rollins' return to recording after a self-imposed three-year sabbatical during which he famously practiced alone on New York's Williamsburg Bridge. Recorded at RCA Studios in January and February 1962, his first album for RCA Victor features a pianoless quartet with guitarist Jim Hall, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Ben Riley. Hall's clean-toned guitar replaces the traditional piano, creating a transparent, open sound that suits Rollins' melodic approach. The program includes two Rollins originals alongside standards, with Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child" standing out as the album's emotional center — Rollins' solo is spare and deeply felt, carrying the weight of his time away. The title track unfolds with a playful, unraveling theme, while "John S." opens with a rhythmic stop-start head that gives way to driving solos. Some critics at the time found the album less revolutionary than expected given the length of Rollins' absence, but retrospective assessment has been far more generous, recognizing the session's understated authority and the chemistry between Rollins and Hall. The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015.