Sonny Rollins Bossa Nova

Originally issued as What's New? (RCA Victor LSP-2572), with the subtitle Sonny Rollins brings to jazz a new rhythm from South America, on the album presented here the saxophonist explored Latin rhythms during the heights of the Bossa Nova craze. This was Rollins' second album after his three-year long self-imposed musical exile (following The Bridge), and again featured him with Jim Hall on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Ben Riley on drums, plus added percussionists, among them the great Cándido Camero. A complete 1958 date featuring Rollins in a quartet format along with three members of the Modern Jazz Quartet has been added as a bonus. ****(*)AMG Tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins returned from a self-imposed two-year sabbatical in 1962 with a fury, recording prolifically and exploring various directions from outside to inside. Rollins mixes here standards and originals, providing his take on what was then an exploding trend, the bossa nova. Rollins' characteristically huge tone, relentless harmonic and rhythmic inventiveness, and fierce solos were consistently impressive. (Ron Wynn)