Saxophone Colossus

The sixth album Sonny Rollins recorded as the leader of his own band, Saxophone Colossus features Sonny on saxophone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Doug Watkins on bass and Max Roach on drums. It was recorded in a single day, the tight knit of the musicians enabling them to record most of the songs in one take, then something of a rarity. Featured are Sonny’s best known song St Thomas, two other original compositions and two covers, of which Moritat (better known as Mack The Knife) is probably the best known. Overall the album is a jazz classic, consistently regarded as one fo the best jazz albums released by not only Sonny but by his label Prestige.