Sonny Rollins: Dearly Beloved

Its difficult to overstate the effect that Ornette Coleman had on Sonny Rollins. The always-critical Rollins was in self-imposed exile from the scene within months of hearing Colemans New Sound, only to emerge three years later with a new approach and a band featuring Coleman alums. On Dearly Beloved, he pulls all the stops in a performance that exudes the spontaneity and intensity that mark all of his efforts from the period. Spurred by Rollins infectious tenor, Higgins and Cranshaw segue from up-tempo swing to jaunty waltz-time at the subtlest turn of phrase, pushing Rollins and Cherry to breathtaking heights.