Genius, humour, and tenacity until the end.
Sonny Rollins, the tenor saxophonist hailed as jazz’s “Saxophone Colossus,” has died at 95.
A towering figure alongside John Coltrane, Rollins carved an unmatched legacy through blistering improvisation, sly humour, and melodic genius.
From his early days alongside Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis to his iconic “Tenor Madness” duel with Coltrane, Rollins reshaped jazz.
He penned enduring standards like ‘St. Thomas’ and ‘Oleo,’ and famously retreated to practice on New York’s Williamsburg Bridge, escaping the spotlight he mistrusted.
A Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and Kennedy Centre honoree, Rollins remained restless, meditating in India, recording with the Rolling Stones, and performing after 9/11 with his saxophone in hand.
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His passing, announced by family on social media, marks the end of an era for improvisation’s most cunning visionary.
