The word of jazz has just lost one of its last giants.
Sonny Rollins passed away on Monday 25 May 2026 at the age of 95, at his home in Woodstock. With him, the final living chapter of a golden age has ended, leaving the world of music bereft of a sound that was almost believed to be immortal, such was the artist’s dedication to playing until he could play no more.
The man known as the Saxophone Colossus, born in Harlem in 1930, helped redefine the history of modern jazz through his unique and daring approach to improvisation, but also through his ability to constantly reinvent himself, developing a rich, deeply expressive and instantly recognizable sound.
From the very start, Rollins rubbed shoulders and worked with the greats: Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and the pianist Thelonious Monk, who took him under his wing. And, of course, his great friend and rival for decades, John Coltrane. Driven by the fierce fervor of the era, his early years were also marked by a heroin addiction, which he managed to overcome for good after two stints in prison. Following his recovery, he recorded his first masterpiece, Saxophone Colossus, which features “St Thomas”, his most famous composition.
What made Rollins great, beyond that authentic, biting, almost incandescent sound, was his obsessive perfectionism, coupled with a chronic dissatisfaction, which drove him, whilst at the height of his fame, to give it all up and go and play alone, at night, facing the wind, on the Williamsburg Bridge in New York. It was there, between the rumble of the subway and the incessant lapping of the East River, that he forged his legend and his comeback masterpiece, The Bridge.
Rollins’ music was a ceaseless torrent of ideas, a masterclass in thematic improvisation where he could dissect a Broadway melody just as he might a traditional calypso (St. Thomas), only to reconstruct them as he saw fit. Even rock music bowed down before him: it is his solo, as warm as it is melancholic, that can be heard on the legendary “Waiting on a Friend” by the Rolling Stones, released in 1981 on the album Tattoo You.
Forced into retirement in 2014 due to respiratory problems, the man with the beard and white hair had nevertheless never ceased his quest for balance of body and mind, turning to yoga and spirituality. More than just a musician, Sonny Rollins had become one of the last witnesses to the golden age of jazz, and whilst his breath has finally ceased, the timeless echo of his saxophone continues to resonate in our ears thanks to his hundreds of recordings, both live and in the studio.
To celebrate the memory of this giant of 20th-century music, we present our selection of his essential albums, to be listened to without moderation so you can appreciate the full extent of this singular genius’s talent.
Saxophone Colossus: His first masterpiece, which cemented his reputation and earned him his nickname. Recorded in a single session with a dream rhythm section (Tommy Flanagan on piano, Doug Watkins on double bass and Max Roach on drums), this record is hard bop perfection from start to finish, a timeless jazz classic.
Way Out West: Recorded in California, Rollins took a mad gamble with this album by doing away with the piano. Accompanied by Ray Brown (double bass) and Shelly Manne (drums), he weaves a unique space of freedom with his instrument, constantly pushing the harmonic possibilities that present themselves to him.
Freedom Suite: Once again in a trio with Max Roach and Oscar Pettiford, Rollins delivers one of the very first jazz records committed to the civil rights of African Americans. The legendary A-side is a nearly 20-minute suite, undulating and passionate, with an absolutely formidable sonic power.
The Bridge: In 1959, Rollins decided to withdraw from the world and rebuild himself. For two years, he practised for hours on end, alone on the Williamsburg Bridge in New York. The Bridge is the fruit of this spiritual and musical retreat, showcasing a more mature, more refined style, yet one that remains as sharp and formidable as ever.