Legendary Jazz musician Sonny Rollins, who was known as the “saxophone colossus”, has died aged 95.
He died at his home in Woodstock, New York, on Monday afternoon according to a statement from his publicist, who called him “one of the most honored and influential figures in American music”.
Rollins had a prolific career that began in the late 1940s. He worked with artists including Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and John Coltrane and released more than 60 albums as a band leader. He won two Grammys before respiratory illness forced him to retire in 2014.
No cause of death was given.
In an interview with Jazz Times, Rollins described his immediate fascination with the instrument with which he would build his fame.
“My mother gave me my first saxophone, an alto saxophone, when I was 7 years old. I got the saxophone and I went into the bedroom and I started playing – that was it. I was in seventh heaven… I could have been there forever,” he said.
Rollins was a gifted player and was mentored by pianist Thelonious Monk.
He went on to play with many leading jazz artists including Art Blakey, Bud Powell and Miles Davis.
In 1956, Rollins released his sixth and one of his best-known albums Saxophone Colossus.
As his fame rose through the early 1960, Rollins took to practising for hours every day on New York’s Williamsburg Bridge.
It led to one of his most famous albums, 1962’s The Bridge, and has sparked calls for the bridge to be renamed in his honour.
Known for long solos, Rollins was considered among the best improvisers and told PBS he would go on stage with his mind blank and no plan beyond an awareness of the structure of the piece.
“Improvising on it, that I leave completely to the forces,” he said. “Sometimes I’m surprised by what comes out.”
