SONNY ROLLINS PLAYS THE BRIDGE

Jazz legend Sonny Rollins finds a place to play his saxophone in the open air.

He can’t play in his apartment because of the neighbors. So he walks down the street, listening to “that / small voice / inside / which says / you need to do this/ even if / everyone / wonders / WHY?” He climbs to the walkway at the top of the Bridge (always capitalized, along with the River it “strides”) and, all alone, with just the sounds of the train and the tugboats and the sea gulls as accompaniment, he blows and blows his horn. The harmony represented on the page between the “giant jazzman” and the “giant Bridge” is also reflected in the harmony between the poetic text and the artistic images: Both show an African American man who finds peace on his own terms, in his own space, doing what he is meant to do. Endnotes describe Sonny Rollins’ career, including his unusual hiatus from the jazz scene, the history of the Williamsburg Bridge where he practiced, and the living legend’s words, which are a testament to his character. As usual, Ransome’s illustrations convey character, mood, and setting to great effect, matching the spare, effective text with energy and vibrancy that tempt readers to seek out Rollins’ sound. This meditation on music, art, and integrity offers inspiration and food for thought.

This loving tribute is a generous introduction to a figure worth knowing.