Sonny Rollins was born in Harlem in 1930. Growing up in Harlem, had the fortune of living in the epacenter of black American culture at the time. He was influenced by many musician early on and has said that even as a child he loved to practice the saxophone.

Sonny Rollins has taken several sabbaticals from performing each lasting a couple of years. During one he spent some time in a monastery in India. It’s good to be about to take some time off, wouldn’t you agree?

He says that one of the most important things about performing is not forcing the music.

Here he is in 1968 performing in Denmark.