SONY ROLLINS - FREEDOM WEAVER: THE 1959 EUROPEANS TOUR RECORDINDS [VINYL]

RSD 20/4/24:

Freedom Weaver: The 1959 European Tour Recordings is the first official release of the 'Saxophone Colossus' Sonny Rollins’ European tour in 1959 with bassist Henry Grimes, and drummers Pete La Roca, Kenny Clarke and Joe Harris. Available previously only as a bootleg release, this is the first official release in cooperation with Sonny Rollins and is the first release on vinyl, as a limited-edition 180-gram 4-LP box set. Freedom Weaver includes an elaborate booklet with rare photos by Ed van der Elsken, Jean-Pierre Leloir, Bob Parent and many others; lead liners by jazz scholar Bob Blumenthal, and new interviews with Rollins himself, Branford Marsalis, James Carter, Joe Lovano, James Brandon Lewis and Peter Brötzmann. Mastered by the legendary mastering engineer Bernie Grundman.

Key Selling Points:

• Limited-edition 180-gm 4-LP box set mastered by Bernie Grundman and pressed at 33 1/3 RPM at Le Vinylist
• Record Store Day April 2024 release
• Massive booklet with rare photos by Ed van der Elsken, Jean-Pierre Leloir, Bob Parent and others.
• Interviews with Sonny Rollins, Branford Marsalis, James Carter, Joe Lovano, James Brandon Lewis, Peter Brötzmann and more!
• First ever release on vinyl

LP Track Listing:

Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone
Henry Grimes – bass
Pete La Roca, Joe Harris*, Kenny Clarke** – drums

SIDE A
1. St. Thomas (7:32) – Nalen Stockholm, March 2, 1959
2. There Will Never Be Another You (5:52) – Stockholm, Sweden, March 4, 1959
3. Stay As Sweet As You Are (4:41) – Stockholm, Sweden, March 4, 1959
4. I’ve Told Ev’ry Little Star (4:52) – Stockholm, Sweden, March 4, 1959

SIDE B
1. How High the Moon (10:46) – Stockholm, Sweden, March 4, 1959
2. Oleo (6:00) – Stockholm, Sweden, March 4, 1959
3. Paul's Pal (9:30) – Stockholm, Sweden, March 4, 1959

SIDE C
1. Sonny Rollins Interview (1:54) - Sodra Teatern, Stockholm, Sweden, March 4, 1959
2. It Don’t Mean a Thing #1 (4:54)* - Sodra Teatern, Stockholm, Sweden, March 4, 1959
3. Paul’s Pal #2 (7:00)* - Sodra Teatern, Stockholm, Sweden, March 4, 1959
4. Love Letters (5:34)* - Sodra Teatern, Stockholm, Sweden, March 4, 1959

SIDE D
1. I Remember You (6:50) - Zürich, Switzerland, March 5, 1959
2. I’ve Told Ev’ry Little Star #2 (6:33) - Zürich, Switzerland, March 5, 1959
3. It Could Happen To You (3:27) - Zürich, Switzerland, March 5, 1959
4. Oleo #2 (3:15) - Zürich, Switzerland, March 5, 1959
5. Will You Still Be Mine? (4:16) - Zürich, Switzerland, March 5, 1959
6. I’ve Told Ev’ry Little Star #3 (4:26) – Laren, Holland, March 7, 1959

SIDE E
1. I Want to Be Happy (4:08) – Laren, Holland, March 7, 1959
2. A Weaver of Dreams (4:12) – Laren, Holland, March 7, 1959
3. It Don’t Mean a Thing #2 (4:31) – Frankfurt, Germany, March 9, 1959
4. Cocktails For Two (4:58) – Frankfurt, Germany, March 9, 1959
5. I’ve Told Ev’ry Little Star #4 (5:54) – Frankfurt, Germany, March 9, 1959
6. I Want to Be Happy #2 (5:15) – Frankfurt, Germany, March 9, 1959

SIDE F

1. Woody ‘n’ You (15:54)** – Aix-en-Provence, France, March 11, 1959

SIDE G

1. But Not for Me (17:39)** – Aix-en-Provence, France, March 11, 1959

SIDE H

1. Lady Bird (18:49)** – Aix-en-Provence, France, March 11, 1959