Sonny Rollins

Sonny Rollins is an American jazz tenor saxophonist known for robust, inventive improvisation rooted in bebop and hard bop. His sound features a large, flexible tone, strong rhythmic drive, and a focus on thematic and motivic development, and he has incorporated calypso and Caribbean rhythms into his work. Rollins is widely regarded as a major influence on later saxophonists and is often heard in small-group settings where extended soloing is a central element.