Without a Song: The 9/11 Concert
The raw-boned sound and spellbinding solos of the Harlem-born,  septuagenarian make Sonny Rollins the "Saxophone Colossus." On this live date, recorded in Boston four days after the horrific September 11th attacks in New York – which Rollins witnessed – the leader and his band mates: trombonist (and nephew) Clifton Anderson, bassist Bob Cranshaw, pianistStephen Scott, African percussionist Kimati Dinizuli, and drummer Perry Wilson, unleash the healing power of music. Armed with wood, ivory, brass and steel, they played snappy and soulful renditions of the standards "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square," "Why Was I Born?," "Where or When," and the title track. The lone Rollins selection, an original calypso entitled "Global Warming," is a worthy successor to his classic "St. Thomas." The legendary saxophonist is a master of thematic improvisation, as he bends, molds and transmutes the DNA  of each song, and uplifts the audience, through the undying power of  art.--Eugene Holley, Jr.