Gift of Jazz: A Tribute to Sonny Rollins

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GIFT OF JAZZ Blind Tiger Series presents Join us for a profound evening of music and memory as we honor the unparalleled life and legacy of the late Jazz tenor saxophone player Sonny Rollins. Widely revered as a defining figure in Jazz, Rollins left behind a monumental catalog that forever altered the landscape of this great American music. To celebrate this titan's enduring spirit, we are thrilled to feature the Peter Sommer Quartet to present this program. As an esteemed saxophonist and dedicated jazz educator, Peter Sommer brings a deep, lifelong connection to Rollins’ music. He and his quartet will lead a powerful exploration of Sonny’s iconic compositions, bringing to life that big, swinging groove he was known for. In the enriching tradition of the Blind Tiger series, Peter will draw on his extensive expertise to share insightful historical context and personal reflections on Sonny's life and monumental influence, offering a much deeper listening experience. SONNY ROLLINS (1930-2026) Often called “the greatest improviser in the history of Jazz,” Sonny Rollins (Harlem, NY) forged a completely unique jazz identity by combining a massive, muscular tenor tone with an unmatched sense of rhythmic wit and structural genius. His long solos were built from "thematic improvisation," transforming tiny melodic fragments into grand solos that shifted from a robust fullness to a biting, raspy bark. Playing with an elastic sense of time, Rollins frequently stripped his rhythm sections down to a "pianoless trio" to grant himself total harmonic freedom, allowing him to seamlessly inject joyous Caribbean calypso rhythms or humorous pop-tune quotes into his commanding, deeply vocal performances. PETER SOMMER Saxophonist Peter Sommer has contributed his energetic and graceful playing and creative spirit to a wide variety of musical projects ranging from mainstream bebop to classic and contemporary concert music to avant-garde improvisations at venues across the nation and around the world. Peter has released six albums as a leader. His latest release, Soulful Songs and Spirits (2022), features his working septet of Front Range jazz masters playing original arrangements and compositions inspired by legends of the art form. As a concert saxophonist Sommer performs recitals of newly commissioned pieces and masterworks both regionally and abroad. Peter Sommer is Professor of Saxophone and Jazz Studies at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins and is a D’Addario Woodwinds Artist, performing exclusively on Select Jazz and Reserve Reeds on all of his instruments.