This re-mastered vinyl showcases an excellent Sonny Rollins album with a large ensemble.
Sonny Rollins – Original Music From The Score “Alfie” – Impulse! A-9111 !1966)/UMG (2025) 602475207740 Acoustic Sounds Series 180-gram stereo vinyl ****1/2:
(Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone, composer; orchestra conducted and arranged by Oliver Nelson; J.J. Johnson – trombone; Jimmy Cleveland – trombone; Phil Woods – alto saxophone; Bob Ashton – tenor saxophone; Danny Bank – baritone saxophone; Roger Kellaway – piano; Kenny Burrell – guitar; Walter Booker – bass; Frankie Dunlop – drums)
As the culture of jazz began to evolve, it was inevitable that the film medium would be a pivotable step. Among the many notable scores included Anatomy Of A Murder (Duke Ellington), The Man With The Golden Arm (Elmer Bernstein), “Round Midnight (Herbie Hancock), Taxi Driver (Bernard Herrman), Shadows (Charles Mingus) and Farewell My Lovely (David Shire). Often, these musical journeys have defined film noir grittiness. But jazz is a versatile genre, and has framed romantic movies like Paris Blues.
Another example of a less theatrical score is the 1966 British comedy-drama Alfie. While the popular Burt Bacharach theme song (played over the final credits) is closely associated with the film, the original score was composed and performed by Sonny Rollins (initially with British musicians). Rollins then recorded the score (on Impulse Records) with an all-star ensemble including J.J. Johnson, Phil Woods, Kenny Burrell and others with an orchestra conducted by Oliver Nelson. Verve/UMe has released a 180-gram stereo vinyl as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series. Rollins worked closely with Lewis Gilbert to capture the essence of the morally ambiguous protagonist. Side 1 opens with “Alfie’s Theme”. The complex arrangement (by far the longest on the album at over 10 minutes) is a bluesy groove with bass, drums, piano, a horn chorus and lyrical solos by Kenny Burrell. Roger Kellaway’s sustaining piano run with crescendos is noteworthy. Then, the jam gets turned over to Rollins. His solo is among his finest with soulful articulation and swagger. It soars and has punctuated timing with raw emotion. It is a jazz exploration that manifests beyond an elemental film score. Oliver Nelson’s meticulous arrangements are a vital component. Slowing things down, “He’s Younger Than You Are” is melancholic, with tender shading. The orchestral counterpoint to Rollins is compelling. This is jazz balladry at its finest, The horns and reeds are always complementary, never overshadowing the saxophone.
Walter Booker kicks off the propulsive intro to “Street Runner With Child”. After a low-key piano-infused interlude, Rollins delivers an emphatic, incendiary run that ends with large group accents. Rollins is never predictable. “Transition Theme For Minor Blues Or Little Malcolm Loves His Dad” is a certain highlight of this soundtrack. Nelson’s sensual reed/horn intro leads into a steady finger-snapping translation with Burrell showcasing his technical dexterity and soulful delivery. Rollins’ improvisational runs are sinewy and push the edges of saxophone tonality. He manages to distill the essence of the film’s mood, but with a transcendental jazz aesthetic. “On Impulse” is imbued with a nuanced, hypnotic 3/4 tempo that gently caresses the melody. Rollins is the centerpiece and delivers. The finale “Alfie’s Theme Differently” is more concise than the main theme, but swings with hard bop “coolness”.
Sonny Rollins is as impressive in a large group as in a trio or quartet. The re-mastered vinyl (Matthew Lutthans/The Mastering Lab at QRP) maintains the aural integrity of Rudy Van Gelder’s original engineering. The reissue has superior gatefold packaging, a protective album sleeve and includes the 1966 liner notes from Nat Hentoff.
Highly recommended!
—Robbie Gerson
Sonny Rollins – Original Music From The Score “Alfie”
TrackList:
Side 1:
Alfie’s Theme;
He’s Younger Than You Are
Side 2:
Street Runner With Child;
Transition Theme For Minor Blues Or Little Malcolm Loves His Dad;
On Impulse;
Alfie’s Theme Differently.
