Sonny Rollins' 2001 'Without a Song' Wins 2006 Grammy for Jazz Instrumental Solo
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 26
Sonny Rollins' 2001 'Without a Song' Wins 2006 Grammy for Jazz Instrumental Solo
9 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 26
A 2001 Berklee performance recorded four days after the Sept. 11 attacks earned Sonny Rollins the 2006 Grammy for jazz instrumental solo.
The concert carried unusual personal weight: Rollins and his wife Lucille lived near the World Trade Center, saw the towers collapse and soon had to evacuate their apartment.
That session, released as "Without a Song: The 9/11 Concert," featured Rollins with his regular sidemen and included a noted performance of "Why Was I Born?"
The award caps a career-defining run that stretched from 1950s landmarks such as "Saxophone Colossus" and "Freedom Suite" to the late-career album "This Is What I Do" in 2000.
Beyond the bridge, what secrets to lifelong creativity did Sonny Rollins leave behind in his extensive archives?
How did a saxophonist who pioneered pianoless trios also end up on a classic Rolling Stones track?
Why did one of jazz's greatest innovators repeatedly step away from the spotlight at the height of his fame?