Sonny Rollins
Tenor Sax Solo on
Solitude

About

Sonny Rollins's tenor sax solo is the first of two solos on this recording, followed by Ray Brown on acoustic bass. Spanning one chorus of the 32-bar AABA form in G♭ at a slow 75 BPM with a ballad feel, taken at a slow ballad tempo in the unusual key of G-flat, Rollins navigates the 32-bar AABA form with a rich, vocal quality in his tone, embellishing Ellington's melody with characteristic grace notes and rhythmic variations while never losing sight of the song's melancholic beauty. Sonny Rollins was 26 to 27 years old at the time of this recording.

Sonny Rollins was 26 to 27 years old at the time.