Sonny Rollins

Newk’s Time captures Sonny Rollins in a quartet with Wynton Kelly on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and “Philly” Joe Jones on drums, midway through one of the most fertile stretches any saxophonist has enjoyed. Rollins brings his huge, flexible sound and restless imagination to a set of standards and originals, bending them to his will without ever disrespecting the material. Rhythmic play is central: he toys with the beat, displaces phrases, and locates unexpected syncopations inside familiar forms. The band keeps pace, providing firm swing and leaving plenty of room for his detours and returns. It’s a reminder of how much he could do with just four instruments and the songbook.