If Saxophone Colossus was Sonny Rollins’ breakout masterpiece, Volume 2—released the following year on Blue Note—was the exclamation point. Recorded in April 1957, this session is bold, sharp, and wildly inspired. But the real kicker? Rollins is joined by an all-star crew including both Thelonious Monk and Horace Silver—yes, two pianists, alternating tracks—and the result is a quirky, kinetic, and sometimes unpredictable ride through the world of late-‘50s hard bop.
This isn’t your typical Blue Note date. While it swings hard and sticks to the core of bop, it’s also full of quirky phrasing, left turns, and tension. Monk’s presence (especially on “Reflections” and “Misterioso”) adds cerebral charm, while Blakey and Chambers drive the rhythm like a high-powered locomotive. Rollins, ever the improvisational acrobat, is in top form here—playful, aggressive, abstract, and earthy all at once. His tone is muscular, but his phrasing is conversational. You can practically hear him thinking aloud through his horn.
Volume 2 might not be as frequently cited as Saxophone Colossus or Way Out West, but among jazz heads, it’s revered for its unusual chemistry and Rollins’ ever-inventive phrasing. It also represents a rare instance of Thelonious Monk appearing as a sideman on Blue Note in the late ’50s—a historical nugget in itself.
Musicians:
Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone
Jay Jay Johnson – trombone
Horace Silver – piano (tracks 1, 2, 5, 6)
Thelonious Monk – piano (tracks 3 & 4)
Paul Chambers – bass
Art Blakey – drums
