Sonny Rollins, the influential tenor saxophonist known for a distinctive tone and relentless experimentation, died at 95 at his home in Woodstock, New York. He had been largely housebound for the past couple of years due to physical problems, with no specific cause of death provided. Revered for improvisational skill, he was among the last living greats of the bebop era and one of the most influential saxophonists of his time. His music reached rock audiences through the Rolling Stones’ 1981 album Tattoo You and through original contributions to the 1966 film Alfie. He repeatedly took hiatuses, adopted new styles, and described himself as a work in progress, later retiring after pulmonary fibrosis.
"Sonny Rollins, the tenor saxophonist whose bold, distinctive tone and constant experimentation kept him on the cutting edge of jazz for more than 50 years, has died aged 95."
"From his early days as a teenage phenom to his more measured solo work and experimentation with free jazz, Rollins was revered for his improvisational skill. He was one of the last living greats of the bebop era and - along with John Coltrane and Charlie Parker - one of the most influential saxophonists of his time."
"Despite his enduring success, Rollins was never quite satisfied with his art, occasionally taking lengthy hiatuses from playing and consistently adopting eclectic new styles. He always referred to himself as "a work in progress", saying he wasn't one of those artists who settle into one way of playing. While his early bebop work was the most popular with his fans, Rollins never looked back, saying he found it "excruciating" to even listen to the flaws in his older recordings."
"Pulmonary fibrosis, a thickening and damaging of the lungs, would eventually force him into retirement. He played his last concert in 2012 and stopped"
Read at Irish Independent
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