Jazz Legend Sonny Rollins Dies at 95

Legendary jazz musician Sonny Rollins has died at the age of 95. He passed away at his home in Woodstock, New York, according to his spokeswoman, Terri Hinte. Rollins was a tenor saxophonist and a restless genius whose bold, distinctive tone and constant experimentation kept him on the cutting edge of jazz for more than 50 years. He's widely regarded as one of the most influential saxophonists of his time.

Rollins was one of the last living greats of the bebop era, and he's often mentioned alongside John Coltrane and Charlie Parker. He was born into a musical household in Harlem on September 7, 1930. His father, a naval petty officer, played the clarinet, his sister played the piano, and his older brother was a violinist. They're all musicians who helped shape Rollins' early interest in music.

When he was eight, his parents insisted he study the piano, but he didn't take to it. He'd rather be outdoors playing baseball. By age 11, Rollins became fascinated with the saxophone, and he persuaded his parents to buy him one - an alto. He had difficulty affording lessons and was largely self-taught, but Rollins quickly became an all-star. He switched to tenor sax and played the clubs at night. He didn't have formal training, but he learned fast.

Rollins got his first major break in his late teens when he was invited to join Thelonious Monk's band. He soon was jamming with Miles Davis and Bud Powell, who introduced him to the recording world even before he finished high school. However, Rollins' rising star almost faded when he became hooked on heroin at the age of 19. His addiction grew steadily worse, and he served two stints in jail

• 10 months in 1950 and three months in 1953. He ultimately found himself living on the streets in Chicago. He didn't give up, though.

In 1954, Rollins checked himself into a hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, to undergo drug treatment. He said, 'I began to have a deeper philosophy of what life was about.' He told the AP in 2007, 'From that point on is when my consciousness awoke.' After being discharged, he returned to Chicago and signed on as a member of the Max Roach-Clifford Brown quintet. He didn't waste any time getting back to music.

In 1956, he recorded a solo album, Saxophone Colossus. Its stripped-down, hard bop sound announced him as one of jazz's premier sax players, and it remained one of his most influential works. The album's success wasn't a surprise, given Rollins' talent and dedication. He didn't rest on his laurels, though.

In the following two years, Rollins hit upon a different approach, switching to a piano-less trio on three more landmark albums: Way Out West, A Night at the Village Vanguard, and Freedom Suite. Then, at the peak of his popularity, Rollins went into seclusion, spending the next two years practising alone on a solitary niche above the East River on a Williamsburg Bridge walkway. He didn't disappear completely, but he didn't perform publicly either.

During his absence, jazz moved away from the fast-paced, tightly woven sound of bebop to the more frenetic and chaotic free jazz. When Rollins chose to return to the scene in 1961, he embraced the new sound - a move that divided his fans. He didn't worry about what others thought, though. He followed his own path.

In the mid-'60s, Rollins toured heavily in Europe, switching back and forth between more traditional and avant-garde approaches. He contributed original music to the soundtrack of Alfie, the 1966 British film that made Michael Caine a star. It was during a trip to Japan that Rollins discovered Zen Buddhism, prompting another lengthy sabbatical that would last into the early 1970s. He didn't stop learning, though.

When he chose to record again in 1972, he was now regarded as a legend, and he gained mainstream acceptance. He was granted a Guggenheim fellowship that year, and he was inducted into the Downbeat Hall of Fame the next. He appeared on The Tonight Show and began playing in concert halls instead of nightclubs. Rollins maintained a rigorous practice regimen and continued to tour into his 80s. He didn't slow down until he had to.

Pulmonary fibrosis, a thickening and damaging of the lungs, would eventually force him into retirement. He played his last concert in 2012 and stopped playing altogether in 2014. While he missed the adoration of crowds, he missed the actual playing more. He told the New York Times in 2020, 'I played a couple of concerts early on where I was out in the open in the afternoon.' He didn't take his talent for granted.

Rollins said, 'I don't consider myself a musician that has learned as much as I want to learn.' He told The Associated Press in 2007. He won a Grammy award for best jazz instrumental album for his 2001 album This is What I Do. He won again in 2006 for best jazz instrumental solo for Why Was I Born? Why Was I Born was from the album Without a Song: The 9/11 Concert, a live recording from a performance in Boston just four days after the September 11 attacks.

Rollins, who had been evacuated from his apartment a few blocks from ground zero, had gone ahead with the concert at the urging of his wife and manager, Lucille. She died in 2004. His survivors include a nephew, Clifton Anderson, and nieces Vallyn Anderson and Gabrielle DeGroat. They'll remember him as a talented musician and a dedicated family member.

Rollins leaves behind many unreleased recordings, and he didn't plan to leave behind instructions for what to do with them. He told the New York Times in 2020, 'After I get out of this planet, I'm not going to have any say about what's going on, so I'm not worried about that.' He didn't worry about the future; he focused on the present.

The jazz community will deeply miss Sonny Rollins, a true legend who left his mark on the music world. His music will continue to inspire and influence generations to come. It's a legacy that won't fade away. He's still widely regarded as one of the greatest saxophonists of all time, and his music will remain popular for years to come.