What's New? is an album by jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins, his second for RCA Victor featuring performances by Rollins with Jim Hall, Bob Cranshaw, Ben Riley, Dennis Charles, Frank Charles, Willie Rodriguez and Candido.[2] The cover illustration was by Mike Ludlow.

What's New?
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 1962[1]
RecordedApril 5, 25, 26 & May 14, 1962
GenreJazz
Length43:26
LabelRCA Victor LPM-2572
ProducerGeorge Avakian, Bob Prince
Sonny Rollins chronology
The Bridge
(1962)
What's New?
(1962)
Our Man in Jazz
(1962)

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic      [3]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings    [4]

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow states: "This underrated music is well worth an extensive search."[3]

Track listing

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All compositions by Sonny Rollins except as indicated
  1. "If Ever I Would Leave You" (Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe) – 11:58
  2. "Jungoso" – 10:51
  3. "Bluesongo" – 4:41
  4. "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" (Buddy Bernier, Jerry Brainin) – 9:08
  5. "Brown Skin Girl" (Norman Span) – 6:48
  • Recorded in New York City on April 5 (track 4), 25 (track 1), 26 (track 5) and May 14 (tracks 2 & 3), 1962
The album was released in the UK (SF 7524 and RD 7524) and in Japan (SHP-5120) with an alternative opening track, "Don't Stop the Carnival", also a Rollins original. (In France and Germany both versions were available.)[5]

Personnel

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Re-issue

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In 1978 RCA reissued this album under the title "Pure Gold Jazz" (ANL1-2809) with the same track listing. Otherwise What's New remained the title throughout its release history. In 1993 What's New was first released digitally mastered on CD, despite its short running time without any additional tracks. A year later BMG France reissued the album with both alternative opening tracks.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Billboard". September 8, 1962.
  2. ^ Sonny Rollins discography, accessed October 2, 2009.
  3. ^ a b Yanow, Scott. "What's New? > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
  4. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1234. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
  5. ^ Cf. What's New? at Discogs (list of releases)
  6. ^ French 1994 release of What's New? at Discogs