Tenor Madness
This 1956 outing pairs the tenor great withMiles Davis's rhythm section of the time: pianistRed Garland, bassistPaul Chambers, andPhilly Joe Jones. Most significantly, the title track represents the only recorded meeting between Rollins andJohn Coltrane(also a Davis Quintet member at the time), a fierce cutting contest that finds the two legends pushing each other to great effect. The remainder of the session finds Rollins in a warm, relaxed mood, rolling through a typically eclectic repertoire and adding the lightly swinging original "Paul's Pal." His respect for melody and emphasis on tone shine through clearly.--Marc Greilsamer