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Category:    Home > Reviews > Jazz > Instrumental > Sonny Rollins - Plus 4 (1956/Mobile Fidelity Super Audio CD)

Sonny Rollins - Plus 4 (1956/Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs Super Audio Compact Disc/SACD/SA-CD Hybrid)



PCM CD: B- DSD Stereo: A- DSD Multi-Channel: N/A Extras: C Music: A



Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs was an important part of the CD technology, bringing forth some of the most important recordings and presenting them using the best in technology at the time. The result were better reproductions, so once again Mobile Fidelity is back, this time with the Super Audio CD format. Since SA-CD is designed for a further enhancement over the CD, it only seems right that a company like Mobile Fidelity would be interested.


As part of their collection, they have done the world of Jazz a huge favor by bringing out the classic album Sonny Rollins - Plus 4, a landmark performance from 1956. This recording put Rollins together with Clifford Brown on trumpet, Max Roach on Drums, Richie Powell on piano, and bassist George Morrow for a furious Jazz encounter, which would be a turning point in Rollins career. Rollins was originally a member of the Quintet of these same members and asked them to join him as he embarked on becoming more a solo artist. Rollins of course has been said over and over to be one of the most influential tenor saxophonists and was certainly one of the most stunning performers during the 1950s. Sonny Rollins - Plus 4 shows what that talented individual was up for. The 1950s in America saw some of the biggest advancements in music, both in terms of Jazz and of course Rock.


This SACD is part of Mobile Fidelity's Ultradisc UHR Gain 2 (read the review for their Ravel SACD elsewhere on this site), which utilizes the latest in technology for accurate reproduction of the music. This is also a Hybrid SACD making it compatible with both regular CD players and SACD players. The CD layer is decent, but more compressed as compared to its DSD (Direct Stream Digital) counterpart. Both tracks are monophonic, but can be played back in 'stereo' with a mono signal coming from both channels.


What is particular refreshing about this being monophonic is that there is no movement or playing around with the sound. All the sound is localized and concentrated, which makes it powerful. Each instrument is given a certain amount of force coming through the mix without interference. In a world that has become overwhelmed with everything being 'surround', mono still has some benefits. If a recording had always been mono, then it makes sense to keep it that way. Besides Jazz has enough movement on its on that it does not need some tricky work by a sound mixer to bring it to life, it's already alive and kicking!


Track Listing...


Valse Hot

Kiss and Run

Count Your Blessings

I Feel A Song Coming On

Pent-Up House


The selections are all quite sporadic with no pattern in their arrangements. If anything this is a lesson in Post-Bop/Jazz in terms of its improvised style, despite being a studio produced album. Everything here seems random, but the difference between a master and an amateur is this... a master can make anything sound like something, whereas an amateur makes something sound like anything. Rollins is without a doubt a master and this particular recording proves just that. The influence of Rollins is immeasurable and traces of his signature sound can be heard through many of the artists that followed. Even during the French New Wave, which would hit a few years later, directors such as Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard would include similar sounding tracks to their films.


Thanks to Mobile Fidelity for resurfacing as the strong company that they always were. They have taken SACD to a higher level, with Sonny Rollins - Plus 4 certainly being a highlight within their catalog. Also included in the package is an insert with information on Rollins, this recording, and some other tidbits. This disc certainly wets ones taste and can only look forward to future endeavors from this company on the format they were destined to thrive on.



- Nate Goss


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