NEW YORK — Jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins, known as the “Saxophone Colossus” and one of the defining figures of postwar jazz, died Monday at age 95, according to a statement posted on his official social media account.
The statement said Rollins died at his home in Woodstock, New York.
Rollins built a career spanning nearly seven decades and became one of jazz’s most influential tenor saxophonists, alongside figures such as Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins and John Coltrane. He recorded and performed widely in the hard bop era and later expanded his work into other musical styles and spiritual themes.
Born in Harlem to parents from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Rollins began performing professionally in his youth and later worked with major jazz musicians, including Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker. He played on Monk’s 1957 album “Brilliant Corners.”
Rollins released several landmark recordings, including the 1956 album “Saxophone Colossus,” which included the composition “St. Thomas,” and the 1957 album “Way Out West,” which featured his “strolling” improvisation technique.
He took a widely known sabbatical in the early 1960s, practicing on the Williamsburg Bridge in New York City for extended periods. The experience informed his 1962 album “The Bridge.”
Rollins also recorded “Freedom Suite” in 1958, a 20-minute composition addressing racial inequality in the United States. He wrote liner notes accompanying the release that discussed discrimination and African American cultural contributions.
In later years, Rollins incorporated yoga, meditation, and spiritual study into his life and music. He spent time in Japan and India during extended breaks from performing and study retreats.
Rollins also lived near the World Trade Center during the September 11, 2001 attacks and evacuated his apartment during the incident. He performed in Boston days later and later released a live recording reflecting on the attacks.
He continued to perform and record into advanced age, although health issues limited his later public appearances.
