Sonny Rollins, widely regarded as one of the greatest jazz saxophonists of all time, has died at the age of 95. His publicist Terri Hinte confirmed the news, calling him “one of the most honored and influential figures in American music.” He died at his home in Woodstock, New York on Monday afternoon.
Born and raised in the Harlem district of New York City, Rollins started learning the saxophone when he was seven, inspired by the likes of Louis Jordan and Fats Waller. He took up the alto saxophone in high school, playing with future legends including Jackie McLean, Kenny Drew, and Art Taylor, before switching to tenor at 16. He began making his first recordings in 1948, as a sideman with bebop vocalist Babs Gonzales and under the leadership of pianist Bud Powell, while his first composition, ‘Audubon’, was recorded by J.J. Johnson.
During the 1950s, Rollins went on to play with Art Blakey, Miles Davis, and Thelonious Monk. Later in the decade, his chops as a bandleader shone with a series of iconic records, including Saxophone Colossus, A Night at the Village Vanguard, and Tenor Madness. His fame continued to grow in the 1960s, with albums like 1962’s The Bridge and 1966’s East Broadway Run Down, the latter of which was hailed by Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea as the greatest record ever made. Rollins continued playing and recording throughout his life; his most recent album, Sonny, Please, came out in 2006. He had been struggling with respiratory health issues that kept him from public performance since 2012, when he played his final concert.
The announcement of Rollins’ death was accompanied by a quote of his dating back to 2009: “I think when the creative person ends, he continues in the next existence. I’m a person who believes this life isn’t the be-all and end-all of everything. A spiritual person doesn’t feel like that.”
