“This enjoyable, thoughtful and intelligently constructed documentary is a fine introduction to not just the great Sonny Rollins but also makes the convincing argument for the emotional power of jazz.”
Screened in tribute to Sonny Rollins (1930 - 2026)
In 2010 Sonny Rollins celebrated his 80th birthday with a concert at New York’s Beacon Theatre where he was joined on stage by some of the world's greatest musicians, including Ornette Coleman, Roy Haynes and Jim Hall. This fascinating documentary takes this celebration of the man and his music to look back at the highs and lows of his extraordinary career - from playing at the cradle of be bop with the likes of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk; his struggles with heroin addiction and his self-imposed early retirement in 1959; to his extraordinary comeback and the playing of some of the finest modern jazz ever recorded. Sonny Rollins Beyond the Notes is a fascinating documentary of perhaps the very last of the modern jazz pioneers.