Open Sky: Sonny Rollins and His World of Improvisation

Rating:
Summary: In His Words
Review: Sonny Rollins...Saxophone Colossus... Newk, if you're a fan of his you will love this book. Written by Eric Nisenson, the book focuses on all aspects of Newk's life. A great factor of this book is that, instead of being a biography with facts that the author has read over time and writes down with his own thoughts, it is more or less a combination of straight facts incorporated with numerous excerpts of Sonny's interview... plus excerpts of other various interviews with musicians. I also really enjoyed the way Nisenson cited his own books,('Round About Midntight, and Acension:John Coltrane and his Quest). Overall this is a good read for someone trying to find out the most they can about the Great Saxophone Colossus Sonny Rollins!

Rating:
Summary: A good introduction to the genius of Sonny Rollins
Review: "Open Sky" provides the reader with a music fan's perspective on the brilliance of sax great, Sonny Rollins. Nisenson writes with an obvious love of jazz and his book is peppered with Rollins's own words -- originally expressed in a series of telephone interviews with the author. As others have mentioned here, "Open Sky" is not a comprehensive survey or an extensive biography. Nisenson focuses instead on the highlights of Rollins's long recording career -- providing insight into the evolution of his improvisational art. The book does not include a discography (or an index) but this does not seriously detract from enjoying a good read. As with good improv, sometimes it's best to be left wanting more!

Rating:
Summary: A good introduction to the genius of Sonny Rollins
Review: "Open Sky" provides the reader with a music fan's perspective on the brilliance of sax great, Sonny Rollins. Nisenson writes with an obvious love of jazz and his book is peppered with Rollins's own words -- originally expressed in a series of telephone interviews with the author. As others have mentioned here, "Open Sky" is not a comprehensive survey or an extensive biography. Nisenson focuses instead on the highlights of Rollins's long recording career -- providing insight into the evolution of his improvisational art. The book does not include a discography (or an index) but this does not seriously detract from enjoying a good read. As with good improv, sometimes it's best to be left wanting more!

Rating:
Summary: A good introduction to the genius of Sonny Rollins
Review: "Open Sky" provides the reader with a music fan's perspective on the brilliance of sax great, Sonny Rollins. Nisenson writes with an obvious love of jazz and his book is peppered with Rollins's own words -- originally expressed in a series of telephone interviews with the author. As others have mentioned here, "Open Sky" is not a comprehensive survey or an extensive biography. Nisenson focuses instead on the highlights of Rollins's long recording career -- providing insight into the evolution of his improvisational art. The book does not include a discography (or an index) but this does not seriously detract from enjoying a good read. As with good improv, sometimes it's best to be left wanting more!

Rating:
Summary: A Brilliant Novel That Should Be Added to Every Bookshelf
Review: As he does with the melodies of standards, Sonny Rollins altered the phrase "The sky's the limit" to "Music is an open sky" to fit his musical style. In Eric Nisenson's rewarding analysis of Rollins' career, it's evident that the saxophonist's musical motto served as both an inspiration for him to become one of the greatest improvisers in jazz history. While not a definitive boigraphy (nor intended to be), the book captures Rollins' rise to the upper echelon of jazz. It's widely accepted, even by Rollins, that the surging ecstasy of his live performances seldom manifested in the studio. Probing and honest, w/o trying to be psychoanalytical, Open Sky is an ideal point of entry to Rollins' improvisational world.

Rating:
Summary: A Brilliant Novel That Should Be Added to Every Bookshelf
Review: As he does with the melodies of standards, Sonny Rollins altered the phrase "The sky's the limit" to "Music is an open sky" to fit his musical style. In Eric Nisenson's rewarding analysis of Rollins' career, it's evident that the saxophonist's musical motto served as both an inspiration for him to become one of the greatest improvisers in jazz history. While not a definitive boigraphy (nor intended to be), the book captures Rollins' rise to the upper echelon of jazz. It's widely accepted, even by Rollins, that the surging ecstasy of his live performances seldom manifested in the studio. Probing and honest, w/o trying to be psychoanalytical, Open Sky is an ideal point of entry to Rollins' improvisational world.

Rating:
Summary: I was very disappointed with this book.
Review: Eric Nisenson claims that this is not a definitive biography of Sonny Rollins. I would have to agree. Not only does this book tell us hardly anything about Sonny's personal life (his inpirations, his heartbreaks, his relationships with other jazz musicians), it has neither a discography nor an index. It's list of sources is only a page and a half, half of which seem to be previous books by Nisenson. After an inspired first chapter, Nisenson just seems to list through Sonny's albums and notable achievements, using generous quotes from Sonny describing events that were just described by the author himself. There were some good discriptions of some of the albums and some of Sonny's better solos, but most of it reads like a textbook. I would suggest that someone wait for either Sonny's autobiography (for which he's obviously saved a lot of info) or a "definitive" biography.

Rating:
Summary: I was very disappointed with this book.
Review: Eric Nisenson claims that this is not a definitive biography of Sonny Rollins. I would have to agree. Not only does this book tell us hardly anything about Sonny's personal life (his inpirations, his heartbreaks, his relationships with other jazz musicians), it has neither a discography nor an index. It's list of sources is only a page and a half, half of which seem to be previous books by Nisenson. After an inspired first chapter, Nisenson just seems to list through Sonny's albums and notable achievements, using generous quotes from Sonny describing events that were just described by the author himself. There were some good discriptions of some of the albums and some of Sonny's better solos, but most of it reads like a textbook. I would suggest that someone wait for either Sonny's autobiography (for which he's obviously saved a lot of info) or a "definitive" biography.

Rating:
Summary: Some Reviewers Missing the Point
Review: First, let me disclose that I haven't yet read this book. But, I'm in the midst of reading "Ascenion," Nisenson's book about Coltrane and his music. It sounds to me like Nisenson is taking a similar approach here in his Rollin's book. The complaint that this book is not a comprehensive book about Rollin's life, but rather, more about his music and process, seems to me like complaining that a lecture on Picasso spoke too much of his art and artistry and not enough about his life. Yes, if you want a biography of Rollin's personal life, then this may be thin from that perspective. But, if this book is anything like "Ascension," it will provide the reader and lover of Rollin's music with valuable insight into his music, which is, after all, the most important thing. Isn't it?

Rating:
Summary: Some Reviewers Missing the Point
Review: First, let me disclose that I haven't yet read this book. But, I'm in the midst of reading "Ascenion," Nisenson's book about Coltrane and his music. It sounds to me like Nisenson is taking a similar approach here in his Rollin's book. The complaint that this book is not a comprehensive book about Rollin's life, but rather, more about his music and process, seems to me like complaining that a lecture on Picasso spoke too much of his art and artistry and not enough about his life. Yes, if you want a biography of Rollin's personal life, then this may be thin from that perspective. But, if this book is anything like "Ascension," it will provide the reader and lover of Rollin's music with valuable insight into his music, which is, after all, the most important thing. Isn't it?