straight-ahead (1956)

Sonny Rollins, tenor sax; Clifford Brown, trumpet; Richie Powell, piano; George Morrow, bass; Max Roach, drums.

This performance is typical of the later style bebop of the 1950s, when solos were of primary concern to the musicians. This mature bebop style continues today. The soloists in this piece begin each chorus with a simple melodic idea, which they then develop for the remainder of the chorus. Because the focus is on the solos it is difficult to describe ensemble activity. The beginning of each solo chorus is pointed out below and represents a new starting point for melodic invention. (Trumpeter Clifford Brown was a good improviser who influenced not just the music. Heroin was a big problem in the jazz community at this time and Browns clean lifestyle inspired other players to see that it was not necessary to take heroin to be a great jazz musician.) 
