Freedom Suite
SONNY ROLLINS
Riverside
While Freedom Suite has not earned the same groundbreaking cred as Ornette Coleman's early work that also emerged in the late '50s, it was certainly innovative for its time. Working in a trio with drummer Max Roach and bassist Oscar Pettiford, tenor saxophonist Rollins navigates the nearly 20-minute title track, constantly referencing and reworking the sing-songy main melody, shifting tempos and rhythmic feels. There is an abundance of loose, spirited improvisation along the way. The album also includes short versions of three standards — all perfectly fine — but it's the title opus that's the real achievement.
