Tour de Force is an album by jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins containing his final recordings for the Prestige label. Rollins performed with Kenny Drew, George Morrow, and Max Roach, with vocals by Earl Coleman on two tracks.Sonny Rollins discography, accessed October 8, 2009.
Reception
The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow states: "Rollins was in consistently creative form during this prime period but the overall set is not as classic as most of the tenor's other recordings from the 1950s." The Penguin Guide to Jazz describes it as being "almost as good as Colossus, with the ferocious abstractions of 'B Swift' and 'B Quick' contrasting with the methodical, almost surgical destruction of 'Sonny Boy'."
Track listing All compositions by Sonny Rollins except where noted. "Ee-Ah" – 6:52 "B. Quick" – 9:13 "Two Different Worlds" (Al Frisch, Sid Wayne) – 7:37 "B. Swift" – 5:15 "My Ideal" (Newell Chase, Leo Robin, Richard A. Whiting) – 4:21 "Sonny Boy" (Lew Brown, Buddy DeSylva, Ray Henderson, Al Jolson) – 8:22
Personnel Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone Kenny Drew – piano George Morrow – bass Max Roach – drums Earl Coleman – vocals (tracks 3, 5)
References