Sonny Rollins - Vol. 2 [Blue Note Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl]

Sonny Rollins' Vol. 2 brings together one of his strongest Blue Note lineups, with Rollins on tenor saxophone, J.J. Johnson on trombone, Horace Silver on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. Recorded in 1957, the six-track session moves through hard bop with brisk ensemble passages, extended solos, and sharply defined rhythmic shifts. Thelonious Monk joins the group on two compositions that give the album an added change in character.

"Why Don't I" opens with a buoyant Rollins theme and tightly coordinated horn lines, while "Wail March" pushes harder through Blakey's marching accents and a forceful ensemble attack. "Misterioso" brings Thelonious Monk into the session for his repeating, descending figure, followed by "Reflections," where the mood turns more measured and lyrical. "You Stepped Out of a Dream" and "Poor Butterfly" close the set with Rollins reshaping familiar melodies through long, inventive tenor lines and subtle rhythmic turns.

Blue Note's Tone Poet edition presents Vol. 2 in mono, produced by Joe Harley and mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes. The 180g audiophile vinyl was pressed at RTI and packaged in a deluxe tip-on gatefold jacket. This all-analog reissue preserves the album's original six-song program while adding the manufacturing and packaging associated with the Tone Poet Series.

• Format: Vinyl LP
• Standout tracks: "Why Don't I," "Wail March," "Misterioso," "Reflections"
• Pressing details: Tone Poet Series, 180g audiophile vinyl, mono, all-analog mastering by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed at RTI, deluxe tip-on gatefold jacket
• Genre/style: Hard Bop, Jazz, Bebop
• UPC: 602458892857

"Misterioso" and "Reflections" make this session especially notable by placing Rollins and Monk together, while "Why Don't I" and "Wail March" show the band's harder-driving side. The six-song set is a concentrated example of Rollins with a top-tier hard bop lineup.

* The Spotify track list may not exactly represent the tracks and audio of this LP edition.

Track List:

Side A:

1. Why Don't I
2. Wail March
3. Misterioso

Side B:

1. Reflections
2. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
3. Poor Butterfly