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Sax on the Web Forum Archive / Conn Saxophones / Sonny Rollins & Conn

Andrew W
User ID: 9739563 Sep 19th 6:59 AM
I saw a picture the other day where Sonny Rollins is using a Conn what looks like A 10m or maybe a chu. It was a picture from 1956 w/Clifford Brown looked like a live performance. Did Sonny ever use a Conn (on record)and does anyone know if he had played a conn on any of those mid 50's albums??

John T.
User ID: 8506593 Sep 19th 8:51 AM
I remember seeing an early/mid 50's Pic of him blowing on a King Super 20.

paulwl
User ID: 9272753 Sep 19th 9:58 AM
He had a Big B Aristocrat during the late 60s, as well.

Ponchos_Pilot
User ID: 3153024 Sep 20th 6:19 PM
Andrew W: I think I know what picture you are talking about. I'm pretty sure that's a Chu. I've been trying to piece together a timeline of Sonny's horn choices over the years (just for personal amusement, mind you). My best guess is that Sonny used a Chu during his first retirement in Chicago, which is where he first started playing w/Clifford Brown and Max Roach. I'm not sure where the Super 20 falls into the picture--perhaps during his early years with Miles? The Mark VI would start during his "classic period"--probably around 1956 or 1957. I've seen pictures of the Big B (or possibly a early Selmer Bundy?) from the mid to late sixties. Anyhow, that's the best I've been able to construct.

ira rubin
User ID: 0067194 Sep 20th 7:16 PM
He used the Super 20 during late 57 on into 59, there is a video from his euro tour of that time with him clearing using the King. One story goes, (true or not?) that Sonny was using that older Super20 & liked it alot (I like listening to him play it btw), the King representatives took notice & they were going to give him a brand new one that would blow the old one away. Some one he knew was really bugging him to sell him the old Super20, so Sonny sold it to him, expecting the new one to be much better--it wasnt, nor was any of the other new ones that King could come up with for him. He then went back to the MKVI, which he used on the "Bridge Period"

Ponchos_Pilot
User ID: 3153024 Sep 20th 9:50 PM
thanks, ira! so Sonny was probably playing the Super 20 on the Sonny Side Up date. I love that album.

ANDREW W
User ID: 0596854 Sep 21st 10:34 AM
Thanks guys for all the input. It just seemed interesting because I always assumed he used a MK VI for his whole career. I found another picture where it looks like he is using the Buescher as well. Do you guys think he recorded w/ either the Beuscher or Chu. Would be great to know if Worktime was recorded with an American Horn and not a Selmer the sound doesn't srike me as the typical selmer sound. But Sonny's sound was huge I guess no matter what horn he played!!! THe cober of Worktime doensn't look like a Selmer then again those pictures aren't always taken at the same time the album was recorded. Well thanks again for the info!!

Subtone Sam
User ID: 1432154 Sep 21st 1:30 PM
According an interwiev,Sonny愀 first tenor (early 40愀) was a King,most likely a King Zephyr.He also used a Balanced Action (as well as the MKVI) in the 50愀 and 60愀.

T.S.
User ID: 8882983 Sep 26th 1:47 PM
IRA-Thanks for the info on Sonny's Super 20 experience. I have always thought that the 20 would more fit his sound concept than the VI, and just assumed that he found a greater comfort level on the VI...

DanO
User ID: 8722703 Sep 27th 12:40 PM
Sounds like Sonny had an acute case of G.A.S.

Andrew W User ID: 9739563	Sep 19th 6:59 AM I saw a picture the other day where Sonny Rollins is using a Conn what looks like A 10m or maybe a chu. It was a picture from 1956 w/Clifford Brown looked like a live performance. Did Sonny ever use a Conn (on record)and does anyone know if he had played a conn on any of those mid 50's albums??
John T. User ID: 8506593	Sep 19th 8:51 AM I remember seeing an early/mid 50's Pic of him blowing on a King Super 20.
paulwl User ID: 9272753	Sep 19th 9:58 AM He had a Big B Aristocrat during the late 60s, as well.
Ponchos_Pilot User ID: 3153024	Sep 20th 6:19 PM Andrew W: I think I know what picture you are talking about. I'm pretty sure that's a Chu. I've been trying to piece together a timeline of Sonny's horn choices over the years (just for personal amusement, mind you). My best guess is that Sonny used a Chu during his first retirement in Chicago, which is where he first started playing w/Clifford Brown and Max Roach. I'm not sure where the Super 20 falls into the picture--perhaps during his early years with Miles? The Mark VI would start during his "classic period"--probably around 1956 or 1957. I've seen pictures of the Big B (or possibly a early Selmer Bundy?) from the mid to late sixties. Anyhow, that's the best I've been able to construct.
ira rubin User ID: 0067194	Sep 20th 7:16 PM He used the Super 20 during late 57 on into 59, there is a video from his euro tour of that time with him clearing using the King. One story goes, (true or not?) that Sonny was using that older Super20 & liked it alot (I like listening to him play it btw), the King representatives took notice & they were going to give him a brand new one that would blow the old one away. Some one he knew was really bugging him to sell him the old Super20, so Sonny sold it to him, expecting the new one to be much better--it wasnt, nor was any of the other new ones that King could come up with for him. He then went back to the MKVI, which he used on the "Bridge Period"
Ponchos_Pilot User ID: 3153024	Sep 20th 9:50 PM thanks, ira! so Sonny was probably playing the Super 20 on the Sonny Side Up date. I love that album.
ANDREW W User ID: 0596854	Sep 21st 10:34 AM Thanks guys for all the input. It just seemed interesting because I always assumed he used a MK VI for his whole career. I found another picture where it looks like he is using the Buescher as well. Do you guys think he recorded w/ either the Beuscher or Chu. Would be great to know if Worktime was recorded with an American Horn and not a Selmer the sound doesn't srike me as the typical selmer sound. But Sonny's sound was huge I guess no matter what horn he played!!! THe cober of Worktime doensn't look like a Selmer then again those pictures aren't always taken at the same time the album was recorded. Well thanks again for the info!!
Subtone Sam User ID: 1432154	Sep 21st 1:30 PM According an interwiev,Sonny愀 first tenor (early 40愀) was a King,most likely a King Zephyr.He also used a Balanced Action (as well as the MKVI) in the 50愀 and 60愀.
T.S. User ID: 8882983	Sep 26th 1:47 PM IRA-Thanks for the info on Sonny's Super 20 experience. I have always thought that the 20 would more fit his sound concept than the VI, and just assumed that he found a greater comfort level on the VI...
DanO User ID: 8722703	Sep 27th 12:40 PM Sounds like Sonny had an acute case of G.A.S.