Tenor Madness cover

Tenor Madness

Released

Rollins borrowed the Miles Davis Quintet’s rhythm section of pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones for this 1956 album, and on its 12-minute title track, he invited John Coltrane in, too. This was the only time the two men ever recorded together, and it’s a brilliant encounter precisely because it’s early (Coltrane’s style was still forming; he hadn’t even recorded as a leader yet) and neither man sees it as a competition. They’re having fun, serving the tune, and still making meaningful statements in their own voices. The rest of the album is great, too, especially the ballad “When Your Lover Has Gone.”

Phil Freeman

Recommended by

Suggestions
Mutima cover

Mutima

Cecil McBee
Perpetual Void cover

Perpetual Void

Chris Tordini, Marta Sánchez, Savannah Harris
Omega cover

Omega

Immanuel Wilkins
Canyon Lady cover

Canyon Lady

Joe Henderson
Joe’s Blues cover

Joe’s Blues

Joe Pass, Herb Ellis
Idle Moments cover

Idle Moments

Grant Green
History Gets Ahead of the Story cover

History Gets Ahead of the Story

Jeff Cosgrove, John Medeski, Jeff Lederer
Accent on the Blues cover

Accent on the Blues

Big John Patton
Zawinul cover

Zawinul

Joe Zawinul
Black Fire cover

Black Fire

Andrew Hill