Tenor Madness
1956
Prestige
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.”
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