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The Notebooks of Sonny Rollins
An illuminating selection of writings on a wide variety of topics—everything from technique, music theory, and daily routine to spirituality and systemic racism—from the personal journals of Sonny Rollins, master of the tenor saxophone and “jazz’s greatest living improviser” ( The New York Times ).
Sonny Rollins is one of the towering masters of American music, a virtuoso of the saxophone and an unequaled improviser whose live performances are legendary and who reshaped modern jazz time and time again over the course of a career lasting more than sixty years. Throughout the greater part of it, Rollins also maintained a notebook in which he sketched in words and images as he pondered art and life and his own search for meaning. The Notebooks of Sonny Rollins provides an unequaled glimpse into the mind and workshop of a musical titan, along with a wealth of insight and inspiration to readers.
In the fall of 1959, Rollins famously took a break from performing and recording. He turned to practicing for long hours, often late at night, on the Williamsburg Bridge, and it was then for the first time that he began to turn regularly to his notebooks, which at the time and in the years to come proved for him an indispensable instrument of change in their own right. Here Rollins can tend towards the aphoristic, as in “Face the startling and intriguing reality that there is within me a force working hard for my own destruction, even as I try to improve." Elsewhere, music is front and center, as he mingles observations on embouchure, fingering, and technique with reflections on harmony and dissonance.
Lists of daily chores, rehearsal routines, reflections on particular tours and recordings (including detailed notes on how Rollins wanted live albums to be edited), and a steady stream of notes on diet and health also find their way into the notebooks, as do ruminations on systemic racism and the way nightclub culture degrades jazz musicians. Rollins emphatically resists claims that jazz should be considered solely as an African American art form, protesting the diminishment that is caused to jazz musicians by labeling their work “racial music.” “The point to be absorbed here," he writes, "is that any definition which seeks to separate Johann Sebastian Bach from Miles Davis is defeating its own purpose of clarification. The musings of Miles is then the bouncing of Bach both played against each other.”
Carefully selected and including an informative introduction by critic and scholar Sam Reese, The Notebooks of Sonny Rollins makes a vital and fascinating document of American culture publicly available for the first time.
Sonny Rollins is one of the towering masters of American music, a virtuoso of the saxophone and an unequaled improviser whose live performances are legendary and who reshaped modern jazz time and time again over the course of a career lasting more than sixty years. Throughout the greater part of it, Rollins also maintained a notebook in which he sketched in words and images as he pondered art and life and his own search for meaning. The Notebooks of Sonny Rollins provides an unequaled glimpse into the mind and workshop of a musical titan, along with a wealth of insight and inspiration to readers.
In the fall of 1959, Rollins famously took a break from performing and recording. He turned to practicing for long hours, often late at night, on the Williamsburg Bridge, and it was then for the first time that he began to turn regularly to his notebooks, which at the time and in the years to come proved for him an indispensable instrument of change in their own right. Here Rollins can tend towards the aphoristic, as in “Face the startling and intriguing reality that there is within me a force working hard for my own destruction, even as I try to improve." Elsewhere, music is front and center, as he mingles observations on embouchure, fingering, and technique with reflections on harmony and dissonance.
Lists of daily chores, rehearsal routines, reflections on particular tours and recordings (including detailed notes on how Rollins wanted live albums to be edited), and a steady stream of notes on diet and health also find their way into the notebooks, as do ruminations on systemic racism and the way nightclub culture degrades jazz musicians. Rollins emphatically resists claims that jazz should be considered solely as an African American art form, protesting the diminishment that is caused to jazz musicians by labeling their work “racial music.” “The point to be absorbed here," he writes, "is that any definition which seeks to separate Johann Sebastian Bach from Miles Davis is defeating its own purpose of clarification. The musings of Miles is then the bouncing of Bach both played against each other.”
Carefully selected and including an informative introduction by critic and scholar Sam Reese, The Notebooks of Sonny Rollins makes a vital and fascinating document of American culture publicly available for the first time.
176 pages, Paperback
Published April 16, 2024
25 people are currently reading
352 people want to read
About the author
Sonny Rollins
34 books7 followersAmerican jazz saxophonist and composer Theodore Walter Rollins, known as Sonny, originated the practice of playing bop in three-quarter time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_R...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_R...
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 22, 2024
‘Buy new ECM 50. Call Charles Mingus. Pray to God. Show Lucille again how I fucked up my own nose—A way of hurting myself because of my guilt feeling re: my musical inefficiencies.’
Too brief/little (a curatorial/editorial issue — since Sonny Rollins' notebooks actually amount to about six boxes (donated (in 2017) and stored in the archives of the New York library)) but for all that it offers, still nothing less than wonderful. Love his pencil-drawing of a caracal cat (and his other sketches as well).
‘Deep breathing must be considered in the light of its many therapeutic values.
By not allowing your lungs to go through this process one is first and foremost doing something drastically different to good breathing.’
‘In motion simultaneously are: 1. fingering with emphasis; 2. same size embouchure; 3. breathing; 4. etc. etc. Rather than confine, this enables the mind to be free to think, having completed the “menial” tasks, so to speak.’
‘Don’t worry about the race, worry about the pace. Holding tone to climax point—having control of the breath must be realised. What I am is jazz phrasing. This thing which jazz is all about, which they are all still trying to do. I am also jazz timing. Always use tone imagination. A mental hearing of sound desired. Uniformity of character and volume on every note. Do not forget, and do remember, to end notes with the CAA, CAAA, CAAAA not with the tongue joined up to the reed—as for so long mistakenly done!!!’
‘Sativa must be curtailed now, notice head-stomach disarrangement—The grass and trees and bushes were so green and clear. It’s supposed to go to 45 tonite—I had today two mangoes, half a broiled chicken, two small cantaloupe, plus my juice which I drink throughout the day. Grape, pineapple, papaya etc. I want to write much more now. I want everyone to know just what I go through.’
‘Ask Mingus if there is anything he wants me to play for him at Newport.’
‘All of the business part is devoid of moral underpinning. It enables me to function but lessens my moral fibre—my commitment, purpose—in other words, the only commitment I have now is to getting food for my next meal. Of course when I perform I endeavour to do what I seem to have to do and try to get into a trance-like state as seems to be what allows me to do this thing for which I am being paid and for which the bread for tomorrow’s meal comes.’
‘Since I don’t control any aspect of music but my own self-expression I would like to play some in order to realise my own potential. Through salvation we can hopefully reach our own spiritual salvation. In other words I don’t care about the ego thing—as long as I can feel musically fulfilled. Do you hear what I’m saying?’
‘Tell Lucille there is a big problem of fleas on cats in upstate N.Y.. A hungry cat is a healthy cat.’
January 9, 2026
I really enjoyed the forward and I honestly wish rather than a collection of Sonny’s notes it was more an analysis of his thoughts and politics. Also definitely would’ve enjoyed more if I understood anything about music theory and notes
May 28, 2024
sonny rollins has been a hero of mine even after i "killed my heroes" back in the late 1990's, so of course i had high expectations for this book.
i wish i could say i was knocked out by it, but that didn't happen. i've been writing and thinking about music for a long time and i know how hard it is to articulate with words something meaningful about this artform that exists outside of verbal language.
there are a few entries that moved me, and confirmed thoughts and feelings, but there are a lot of entries that baffle my understanding of harmony. the way rollins describes "cycles" of harmony, are confusing - i eventually made sense of a few of the things he talked about but i can imagine that a general listener without a lifetime of exposure and study of harmony would be deeply perplexed.
there are different sections that categorize his activities: 1) the bridge years, 2) fantastic saxophone, 3) what i am, 4) legacy
these categories allow him to express 1) the two years he removed himself from public performance and practiced intensely on the brooklyn bridge. 2) technical challenges with the saxophone (mainly fingerings) and breathing. 3) the spiritual side of his approach to music and life. 4) how he sees his work interfacing with the music world and beyond.
it's possible that so many fellow musicians have raved about this book so as to create ridiculous expectations. this may be that, so my plan is to put the book away for a year or more and come back to it.
but seriously: much love to sonny rollins forever for all he has given us.
i wish i could say i was knocked out by it, but that didn't happen. i've been writing and thinking about music for a long time and i know how hard it is to articulate with words something meaningful about this artform that exists outside of verbal language.
there are a few entries that moved me, and confirmed thoughts and feelings, but there are a lot of entries that baffle my understanding of harmony. the way rollins describes "cycles" of harmony, are confusing - i eventually made sense of a few of the things he talked about but i can imagine that a general listener without a lifetime of exposure and study of harmony would be deeply perplexed.
there are different sections that categorize his activities: 1) the bridge years, 2) fantastic saxophone, 3) what i am, 4) legacy
these categories allow him to express 1) the two years he removed himself from public performance and practiced intensely on the brooklyn bridge. 2) technical challenges with the saxophone (mainly fingerings) and breathing. 3) the spiritual side of his approach to music and life. 4) how he sees his work interfacing with the music world and beyond.
it's possible that so many fellow musicians have raved about this book so as to create ridiculous expectations. this may be that, so my plan is to put the book away for a year or more and come back to it.
but seriously: much love to sonny rollins forever for all he has given us.
July 28, 2024
Cryptic eccentric writings from a creative genius. Invaluable for those wanting insight into how Rollins's musical mind works.
Of particular note are his thoughts on different breathing techniques, fingerings, order of attack on notes, general concepts, life, his own approach to the music, and his philosophical meanderings on the craft. It gives you insight from the start of Rollins's prime in the 1950's to the Present on what made one of the greatest musicians of all time tick.
Of particular note are his thoughts on different breathing techniques, fingerings, order of attack on notes, general concepts, life, his own approach to the music, and his philosophical meanderings on the craft. It gives you insight from the start of Rollins's prime in the 1950's to the Present on what made one of the greatest musicians of all time tick.
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February 15, 2025Svår att ratea, fick mig att börja föra övningsanteckningar också
January 15, 2026
4.5
“They were not meaningless noise squeaks but rather seemed to be higher notes that I have not figured out yet.”
“As I look in mirror—too much fat ass.”
“After tonite’s gig a great many decisions will have been reached and I trust insight into the whole horn dilemma finished. (I think I had a great nite as I did not return to this paper.)"
“Christianity has traditionally seen nature as an impersonal stage for the drama of human redemption.”
“Chromatic scale must be played accenting every other note.”
“While smoking cigarettes I found the following things to be true:
a) I felt a general depression of spirit
b) a general tiredness of body
c) a dark brown stain on my thumb and forefinger (on nail and fingertips)
d) sharp pains similar to indigestive pains in chest area*
e) a shortness of breath through the inability to breathe deeply
f) a restlessness without purpose, a nervous exhilaration with a strong feeling of defeat seeming inevitable”
“Sonny—Maybe think about retirement when listening to my playing (technically) at this point.”
“And I would then get responses by the birds who are really quite good musicians and willing and anxious to join your orchestra as well!!!”
.“Not only is there unlimited space (as in the universe) to explore in jazz, but it also embodies and can capture within its framework all of the other musics of the world.”
“Be sure not to breathe in through the mouth and (also what is incorrect) up through the horn, but always through the nose—audibly. This automatically makes you tighten your grip on the mouthpiece and thus sustain embouchure. Also, play a phrase out of breath before taking in more wind through the nose.”
"Take care of yourself."
"If I smoke then I must concentrate as a penalty."
“The sooner I face the startling and intriguing reality that there is within me a force working hard for my own destruction, even as I try to improve . . .”
“Even if it takes a week before you are sure of hitting the next note correctly, wait the week. So who’s in a hurry—especially to make a Boo-Boo???!!!”
“Definition of Advantages: Things which most people who have them don’t take advantage of.”
“On “Ruby[, My Dear],” a different movement can accompany each of the tones/notes of the initial melody, as an immediate example coming to mind.”
“Your beautiful collaboration with Thelonious is indeed worthy of the highest commandment from this individual it receives that. After hearing the record today, it was the necessary, proper, and right thing to so inform you. Continued success in and throughout life."
““Closing of the eyes is a form of shutting out the objective faculties (seeing) which helps to increase the other faculties such as those necessary to produce our music...It happened that the lights being brite caused after-images and sensations which helped by a small auditorium and backstage gave effectual visualization.”
“Always use tone imagination. A mental hearing of sound desired.”
“Even as we learn scales and “run” sound patterns on scales, we must prepare for the time when we forget these same scales and patterns—turning them instead into thoughts expressed, rather than as musical equations recalled, so that when we actually go out to play and start improvising we may stop unconsciously remembering and thinking and studying and recalling and allow the music which is as we have pointed out already in the air just waiting for us to relax and let it come out of us and our horns.”
“Ask Mingus if there is anything he wants me to play for him at Newport."
“Things have been quite strange here for me even though Lucille had psychologically prepared me for this inevitability. We had been married for almost 50 years after all.”
“Obviously this is a system existing as it were on borrowed time. In other words economically we can only hope that other nations never achieve our standard of living. If they did the world would become a desert! Economically America is the bane not the hope of the world.”
“Someone said “the easiest way is not always the best way.” Although no doubt this quotation was well intentioned it is in fact only half correct. In truth and in all practical application . . . the easiest way is the best way.”
“How would you like to play the Moog in the group? You can just start out adjusting the patches for the horn and then add a note here and there, a sound here and there, etc., ???”
May 17, 2024
Pretty fascinating--a collection of the mundane and the celestial. The pages of tongue and mouth embouchure/exercises are so great, such a granular testament to the focus. The fixations on diet and weight and teeth really humanizes the music, which is so amazing because I listen to Sonny Rollins all the time. Some gleanings:
“Someone said ‘the easiest way is not always the best way.’ Although no doubt this quotation was well intentioned it is in fact only half correct. In truth and in all practical application . . . the easiest way is the best way.”
“Always remember that time is relative to the amount of concentrated thinking—in any endeavor.”
“Definition of Advantages:
Things which most people who have them don’t take advantage of.”
“To send forth light into the depths of the human heart—the Artist’s Task.
“And a reasonable one. For within each human heart, or the heart of every human being, there waits patiently an abiding spirit, which finds expression and recognition at the hearing of a true musical rendering . . . by the artist.”
“Experiences while open-air practicing have been many and numerous. One case comes to mind. It seemed that I suddenly found myself really ‘vibrating’ musically, sounds and tones and rhythms, and I was falling right into ideas and perfectly executed sequences and into divine modulations. And I would then get responses by the birds who are really quite good musicians and anxious to join your orchestra as well!!!
“And so I knew then that—”
“As I look in mirror—too much fat ass. I must fast and/or regulate today but it just seems to be such a good time for fasting. As stomach is sick. This is what you can call ‘a message to Garcia.’
“Definitely too much fat around behind. Cool it.”
“Forgive everyone everything.
“What other people think of you is none of your business.
"No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.”
“Someone said ‘the easiest way is not always the best way.’ Although no doubt this quotation was well intentioned it is in fact only half correct. In truth and in all practical application . . . the easiest way is the best way.”
“Always remember that time is relative to the amount of concentrated thinking—in any endeavor.”
“Definition of Advantages:
Things which most people who have them don’t take advantage of.”
“To send forth light into the depths of the human heart—the Artist’s Task.
“And a reasonable one. For within each human heart, or the heart of every human being, there waits patiently an abiding spirit, which finds expression and recognition at the hearing of a true musical rendering . . . by the artist.”
“Experiences while open-air practicing have been many and numerous. One case comes to mind. It seemed that I suddenly found myself really ‘vibrating’ musically, sounds and tones and rhythms, and I was falling right into ideas and perfectly executed sequences and into divine modulations. And I would then get responses by the birds who are really quite good musicians and anxious to join your orchestra as well!!!
“And so I knew then that—”
“As I look in mirror—too much fat ass. I must fast and/or regulate today but it just seems to be such a good time for fasting. As stomach is sick. This is what you can call ‘a message to Garcia.’
“Definitely too much fat around behind. Cool it.”
“Forgive everyone everything.
“What other people think of you is none of your business.
"No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.”
January 12, 2025
It’s a little ridiculous “rating” someone’s notebooks. Obviously, they weren’t written with the intention of us reading them. Nonetheless, I feel disappointed that I didn’t gain more insight about Rollins’ music and creative process. Instead, it was a not particularly interesting peek into the eccentricities of him as an individual.
His (apparently unsuccessful) striving towards a sort of asceticism for the purposes of his musical craft inspired pity more often than admiration. And his writing style is often strangely antiquated and formal (especially for a journal):
“Strict observance must now be shown to eating of non-liquid foods plan. I believe that the energy expended through the digestive function is detrimental to my health. I must consequently adhere strictly to the liquid diet for which I have already made readiness” (15).
I enjoyed most his struggling with trying to understand what exactly is this music called jazz to which he devoted a lifetime. “To create–on the spot–intelligently–intuitively–and with feeling and emotion: this then is man [sic] in his finest hour–portraying nature” (92). Several passages are workouts of trying to capture the specialness of improvisation:
“Jazz is life as shown thru music.
Jazz is life in musical form.
Jazz is the musical expression of life.
As we know life changes every second. Each snowflake that falls is different. Every sunrise is different. Every sunset is different. The clouds in the sky are never the same–always changing. Jazz mimics real life. Real jazz music is changing from note to note. WHen I play my horn I can never play the same note in the same way twice. Just like life. Every moment is a new beginning. Even if I’m playing the same song it’s different each time I play it” (146).
His (apparently unsuccessful) striving towards a sort of asceticism for the purposes of his musical craft inspired pity more often than admiration. And his writing style is often strangely antiquated and formal (especially for a journal):
“Strict observance must now be shown to eating of non-liquid foods plan. I believe that the energy expended through the digestive function is detrimental to my health. I must consequently adhere strictly to the liquid diet for which I have already made readiness” (15).
I enjoyed most his struggling with trying to understand what exactly is this music called jazz to which he devoted a lifetime. “To create–on the spot–intelligently–intuitively–and with feeling and emotion: this then is man [sic] in his finest hour–portraying nature” (92). Several passages are workouts of trying to capture the specialness of improvisation:
“Jazz is life as shown thru music.
Jazz is life in musical form.
Jazz is the musical expression of life.
As we know life changes every second. Each snowflake that falls is different. Every sunrise is different. Every sunset is different. The clouds in the sky are never the same–always changing. Jazz mimics real life. Real jazz music is changing from note to note. WHen I play my horn I can never play the same note in the same way twice. Just like life. Every moment is a new beginning. Even if I’m playing the same song it’s different each time I play it” (146).
May 16, 2024
I was intrigued by this for a lot of reasons. After reading the majestic biography of Rollins by Aidan Levy, I became of aware of the fact that Rollins kept notebooks of his thoughts, music theory, and so on for years. Being a music junkie, this had more than a little appeal. The three star review is not reflection on Rollins. It was interesting to get inside his thought process, but I'm just not well-versed in music theory and, consequently, this was extremely dry at times. It's pretty incredible that he was this hyper-focused on his art before, after, and during his legendary "bridge" period. Readers who are more musically, especially with the technical side of music, will probably enjoy this more than me. Still, a very cool artifact and I'm glad I took the time to investigate.
December 1, 2025
Saxophone Colossus is the title of one of Sonny Rollins' recordings. In The Notebooks we gain a deeper sense of the colossus. Rollins write about the ordinary-everyday. He ruminates on sound and the language of music and offers exercises for practice in the constant development of technique. He also writes about personal concerns, such as this quote from the section 1979-2010: "This government doesn't give a damn about freedom for the people. It has nothing to do with freedom. It's about power, it's about money, it's about racism and elitism and greed." (p.138) An intimate glimpse into Rollins' life that is to be read in moments and spurts.
November 2, 2024
Some good material, Sonny fans will want to read it, but...:
1) It's a fairly slight book, xxi of intro, 150 pages of text and 1 page of notes with a lot of blank space. Surely six boxes of notebooks could have yielded a meatier work.
2) There's a lot of technical saxophone material that is likely to go over the heads of many non-saxophonists.
I don't regret the purchase, but the paperback is somewhat overpriced IMO.
1) It's a fairly slight book, xxi of intro, 150 pages of text and 1 page of notes with a lot of blank space. Surely six boxes of notebooks could have yielded a meatier work.
2) There's a lot of technical saxophone material that is likely to go over the heads of many non-saxophonists.
I don't regret the purchase, but the paperback is somewhat overpriced IMO.
January 3, 2025
feels bad to give this three stars but understand i'm judging the editing, publication and presentation of what is clearly a very abridged & personal notebook that includes asides on how to train your bowels if you wanna really honk on the horn. must everything be a NYRB release? some interesting and exciting and underline-able parts about how all music is jazz music but you knew that just by listening.
December 7, 2025
Read little by little like poetry and have been listening to his music when I need a break from words. Encouraged me to be a bit more random in my journals--personal, work, painting, and sewing.
"Shizen o mamori mashō
Save the encironment"
"Shizen o mamori mashō
Save the encironment"
July 19, 2024
I don’t know much about jazz and I don’t know anything about Sonny Rollins but I love reading people’s thoughts and philosophies. This was fun and interesting to read!
October 25, 2025
Ganska omöjlig att betygsätta.
Sonny Rollins: 5.
Att boken ens existerar och jag får läsa SR:s tankar om musik, sin bristande självkänsla och allt annat: 5.
Min egen läsupplevelse: 3.
Sonny Rollins: 5.
Att boken ens existerar och jag får läsa SR:s tankar om musik, sin bristande självkänsla och allt annat: 5.
Min egen läsupplevelse: 3.
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November 22, 2025Do NOT eat 3 packs of bitter lemon candies before playing saxophone.
January 1, 2026
Too short (not the rapper).
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January 14, 20265/10
March 19, 2025
From 1959 to 2010 jazz musician Sonny Rollins kept notebooks, more than 60 journals edited into this single slim volume. Interesting to read his evolving thoughts on culture, civil rights, and the divine power of the saxophone. Unfortunately there is also a great deal of filler, tedious and often unreadable notes on fingering techniques and his practice schedule. There's gold here, but it takes some digging to get to it. Of interest primarily to people who are already fans.
December 18, 2024
About what I expected after reading see some advanced reviews. They are notebooks, supposed to be vague and esoteric. Nothing great, not horrible. Read if you're a fan. If not, pass.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews