This concert was billed as a tribute to the life and music of the great American jazz saxophonist and composer Walter Theodore “Sonny” Rollins who died on 25 May 2026 aged 90 years. No better man in the UK than Dean Masser to take Sonny’s role as saxophonist and band leader for this evening. Neil Yates curates jazz here each Monday and all of the musicians are regulars at Llandudno Jazz Club.
Interwoven with
anecdotes about Sonny by Dean and Neil the band played tunes many composed by
Sonny. The evening kicked off with No Moe a tune initially released on a
7 inch EP titled Sonny Rollins and the Modern Jazz Quartet. This was
followed by Blue 7 an extended blues tune recorded on Sonny’s 1956 album
Saxophone Colossus. Throughout the concert Dean was impeccable on
saxophone and Neil, as ever, excelled on trumpet both horns being equally adept
on ballads such as You Don’t Know What Love is from the Saxophone Colossus album as well as upbeat numbers. I particularly enjoyed the version of
Alfie’s theme and the calypso The
Everywhere. The inclusion of that calypso meant that Sonny’s perhaps most
famous tune St Thomas, also a calypso, did not feature.
The rhythm
section of Richard, Gavin and Gaz were tremendous. All highly sought after musicians
on the UK jazz scene.
A wonderful
concert that deservedly recognised and celebrated the life and music of Sonny Rollins.
Live jazz takes
place each Monday from 8pm at the dog
friendly, award winning pub the Penrhyn
Arms where the food is as good as the modern and traditional jazz that alternates
each week so trad jazz takes place next Monday 22 June. Richard Morris
Set list: No
Moe; Blue Seven; Strode Rode; Alfie’s Theme; Scoops; Doxy; The Everywhere;
Oleo; You Don’t Know What Love; Tenor Madness
Llandudno Jazz
Club, Penrhyn Arms, Pendre Road, Penrhynside, the greatr American Llandudno LL30 3BY
Mondays @ 8pm.£15 cash entry pp, no booking required but recommended if dining.
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