MY NORTHERN SKIES

Hello, welcome to the My Northern Skies website, home of my two weekly radio shows, which alternate here each week, The Jazz File every Tuesday (8pm) and Flick the Dust Off every Friday (10am).

Featured Album | 396

Sonny Rollins | The Best Of Sonny Rollins | Blue Note B1-93203 | 1989

It was back in 1991, after seeing the Alan Plater play Misterioso on the telly, as part of the BBC’s Play on One series, that I felt a need to discover more about the music of Sonny Rollins. Thelonious Monk’s composition of the same name was used throughout the drama, which became an ear worm that I just couldn’t budge until I had the recording in my mit. After searching the jazz shelves at my local record shop, I came across the track in question of this fine Sonny Rollins compilation, featuring some of the musician’s finest recordings, including “Misterioso”, which first appeared on the earlier Sonny Rollins Volume 2 LP first released in 1957, both released on the Blue Note label. So began my venture into collecting Sonny Rollins albums, which has been an utterly fruitful pursuit, starting with the albums that this collection of recordings were lifted, Sonny Rollins Vol. I, (BLP 1542), Sonny Rollins Vol. II (BLP 1558), Newk’s Time (BST 84001) and A Night At The Village Vanguard (BLP 1581). I bought this album towards the end of 1991, around the time we lost Miles Davis, who Rollins once worked with during their Prestige period, and sadly 35 years later, we have to bid farewell to Sonny Rollins, who died at the age of 95 on 25 May, 2026. The Best of Sonny Rollins: The Blue Note Years is as good a place as any to start for any newbies.

Playlist:

Why Don’t I – Sonny Rollins (The Best of Sonny Rollins)

Thandiwa – Grachan Moncur III (Some Other Stuff)

Four – Anthony Braxton (19 Standards)

Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen – Grant Green (Feelin’ the Spirit)

Sonnymoon for Two – Sonny Rollins (The Best of Sonny Rollins)

Minor Move – Tina Brooks (Minor Move)

Misterioso – Sonny Rollins (The Best of Sonny Rollins)