Road Shows, Vol. 2

Personnel: Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone); Jim Hall, Russell Malone (guitar); Ornette Coleman (alto saxophone); Roy Hargrove (trumpet); Christian McBride (acoustic bass); Bob Cranshaw (electric bass); Kobie Watkins, Roy Haynes (drums); Sammy Figueroa (percussion).
Liner Note Author: Francis Davis.
Recording information: Beacon Theatre, New York, NY (09/10/2010); okyo International Forum Hall, Forum A, Tokyo, Japan (09/10/2010); Sapporo Shimin Hall, Sapporo, Japan (09/10/2010); Beacon Theatre, New York, NY (10/01/2010); okyo International Forum Hall, Forum A, Tokyo, Japan (10/01/2010); Sapporo Shimin Hall, Sapporo, Japan (10/01/2010); Beacon Theatre, New York, NY (10/07/2010); okyo International Forum Hall, Forum A, Tokyo, Japan (10/07/2010); Sapporo Shimin Hall, Sapporo, Japan (10/07/2010).
Photographer: John Abbott .
This new collection of live performances from the legendary tenor saxophonist was mostly culled from a concert at New York's Beacon Theatre on September 10, 2010, on the occasion of his 80th birthday, aside from two tracks from an October 2010 date in Sapporo, Japan. Personnel include Roy Hargrove, Jim Hall, Russell Malone, Bob Cranshaw, Sammy Figueroa, and most especially bassist Christian McBride and drummer Roy Haynes on "Sonnymoon for Two." The pianoless trio is joined after the first solo by none other than Ornette Coleman, in the first meeting on record of the two saxophone giants. The clash between Rollins and Coleman's trademark styles stretches for 22 minutes of confrontational jazz nirvana, and incontestably becomes the album's centerpiece. ~ Mariano Prunes