• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Double Bass Sonny Rollins/Bob Cranshaw

TroyK

TroyK

Mar 14, 2003
8,127
10,484
Seattle, WA
#1
I'm going to see Newk tonight here in Seattle. Has anyone else caught a date on this tour? I found some general information suggesting that Bob Cranshaw is touring with him, but I don't know if the band is making all the stops.

Anyone got any info on what I should expect?

Not that expecting to see Sonny Rollins isn't enough!
 
#2
It's been a few years since I've heard Sonny play live, but he isn't the kind of guy to tour and pick up a local (or regional even) rhythm section, So it'll be whoever's in the band currently, prolly Bob, Clifton Andersen, I can't remember the percussionist's name... when I heard him it was Michael Weiss on piano and Billy Kilson on drums, but Billy's been out with Chris Botti ( and that rhythm section ****in' KILLS), but I imagine if you check out reviews of earlier tour dates it will be the same personnel.

I had a similar experience hearing Jimmy Raney live, it sounds like nobody else in the band can swing, after hearing Sonny play. Everybody else's time feel sounds stiff (even if it's not, really. I heard Michael Weiss about a week later at Bradley's, and he was swinging his ass off.) and then there's the phenomenon with Sonny that I call "spinning your wheels". It's like he's playing stuff and sort of passing the time until inspiration really hits and then it can be some phenomenal **** and then it's back to "spinning" until the next inspirational moment. But he doesn't take the horn out of his mouth; he makes it work, I would sound like ****.
 
#3
Ed, maybe you've seen Mr. Cranshaw around the island. Would you guess that I'll see him play doublebass or electric? I know he's always done both and seems to prefer the bass guitar perhaps more than most players of his era.

I know what you mean about Sonny. There's always been something about his playing that I just can pin down, maybe what you suggest is it. I'll listen with those ears.

Excited about the show. I'm skating in on my lovely wife's radio station tickets. I'm spoiled with that.
 
#4
TroyK said:
Ed, maybe you've seen Mr. Cranshaw around the island. Would you guess that I'll see him play doublebass or electric? I know he's always done both and seems to prefer the bass guitar perhaps more than most players of his era.

I know what you mean about Sonny. There's always been something about his playing that I just can pin down, maybe what you suggest is it. I'll listen with those ears.

Excited about the show. I'm skating in on my lovely wife's radio station tickets. I'm spoiled with that.
Click to expand...
I saw him a few weeks ago. He was playing with Bob Cranshaw, Bobby Broom on guitar, Kobie Watkins on drums, and Victor See-Yuen on percussion. I didn't know either of the two latter beforeand, but it was a great show.

If I remember correctly, Bob Cranshaw suffered a back injury years ago that forced him to switch to electric, which he's been playing ever since.

Sonny has a reputation as an uneven performer (hot one night, cold the next) but every time I've seen him it's been fantastic. He kind of shuffled around the stage on this last one, looking a bit fragile, but you wouldn't know it from the sounds emanating from his horn. Stupendous imagination, he can still floor you with a single note.

And yeah, the great rhythm section did sound a bit wooden in comparison. A giant.
 
#7
Ed Fuqua said:
And Sonny prefers electric bass...
Click to expand...

Really? Interesting.

Well, it was great seeing him. He's got to be the coolest 80 year old I've ever seen. It kills me knowing that I can never have an afro like that. He played an hour and a half. 18 minute solos, wandered all over the stage, the whole bit. I had a great time seeing him.

The band was interesting. The show was at a really nice old downtown theatre where I've seen a lot of stuff and for some reason, I thought the sound was kind of bad tonight. The band did some unconvincing things that I just didn't understand. Might have come off differently in a club or if I had been in a different seat or something. Great drummer, not sure who it was, he definitely kept things going.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back