“I wanted it to be bare,” says Zaccai Curtis of his new album. “I didn’t want to have a ton of overdubs.”
(Photo: Cedric Pilard)Sep 1, 2026 1:41 PM
Not so long ago, Zaccai Curtis would take long drives through southern New England. COVID had raised the rigor of his teaching schedule, and often he’d be on the road for 10-…
Sonny Rollins: a very conscientious blindfoldee.
(Photo: DownBeat Archive)Sep 1, 2026 12:29 PM
Editor’s Note: In tribute to the late Sonny Rollins, who passed away on May 25 at age 95, we present his first DownBeat Blindfold Test with Leonard Feather, creator of the column, from our Dec. 12, 1957, issue.
The significance lies in Sonny’s having been able, during the past year or two, to practice what he preaches. More than any other tenor player of the younger generation, he has succeeded in developing a sound and style that can be called original rather than derivative.
Sonny has been important in another area of jazz development.…
