Sonny Rollins
- MatchSonny Rollins
- 81%Count Basie
- 74%Charlie Parker
- 63%Thelonious Monk
- 62%Ben Webster
- 59%Benny Goodman
- 59%Benny Goodman And His Orchestra
- 59%Coleman Hawkins
- 55%John Coltrane
- 55%Lester Young
- 54%Charles Mingus
Biography
Theodore Walter Rollins, 7 September 1929, New York City, New York, USA. Although an older brother played violin and, at the age of nine, he took piano lessons, Rollins was destined for the saxophone. In 1944 he played alto saxophone in high school and when he left in 1947 he began gigging round New York on tenor. His first inspiration was Coleman Hawkins, but he was well aware of the beboppers, many of whom lived in his neighbourhood. His first recording session was with scat-singer Babs... Read more