Recorded and released by Sonny Rollins in 1958, his last album for Riverside, "The Freedom Suite" is considered one of his finest, capturing the saxophonist at his peak. Famous for its 20 minute title track, the LP also features acclaimed performances by bassist Oscar Pettiford and drummer Max Roach, who lock into synch with Rollins for some masterful improvisation.

Not released until 1961, this album repackages the final recordings Sonny Rollins made for Prestige in 1956. Four of the songs previously appeared on Tour de Force, while the fifth was recorded at the session for "Rollins Plays for Bird". Rollins is backed by pianist Kenny Drew, bassist George Morrow and drummer Max Roach, with pianist Wade Legge and trumpeter Kenny Dorham performing on one track.

Released in 1957 on Prestige, "Tour De Force" includes the final recordings Sonny Rollins made for the label. The saxophonist is backed by pianist Kenny Drew, bassist George Morrow and drummer Max Roach, with Earl Coleman appearing on vocals on two tracks. The Penguin Guide to Jazz gives the album four stars out of four and describes is as being "almost as good as Colossus, with the ferocious abstractions of 'B Swift' and 'B Quick' contrasting with the methodical, almost surgical destruction of "Sonny Boy".

In July of 1960, in protest against what they considered the failings of the jazz scene and the accelerating commercialization of the annual Newport Jazz Festival, Charles Mingus and Max Roach staged their own "rebel" festival at nearby Cliff Walk Manner, RI. The rebels set up their own tents for sleeping, built their own stage, handled advertising, promotion, ticket taking and MC duties. By all accounts the concert was wholly inspired and a peaceful affair. Meanwhile, what was supposed to be an alternative festival turned out to be the only one in town. Unable to disperse an intoxicated mob of young people seeking access to the sold-out show at Freebody Park, the actual Newport Jazz Festival ended abruptly in a full scale riot. Despite the fact that these sessions were held in the studio, the music reflects the high-spirited freedom of the best jazz played at the original setting with nearly all of it improvised during the recording. Of particular note is the Booker Little track "Cliff Walk," which features both Max Roach and Jo Jones, two of the greatest jazz drummers ever, trading off. The LP includes extraordinary liner notes written by Hentoff himself, giving a context and insight that adds to the experience of hearing these magnificent performances. This recording is remastered by legendary mastering engineer, Bernie Grundman.

"Jazz at Massey Hall" is an exhilarating live recording from one of, if not the finest quintets ever assembled. This legendary recording features performances by five of jazz’s leading players, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus and Max Roach. The performance was listed on Guardian’s “50 Greatest Moments in Jazz”. Inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame, the jam session is widely considered the greatest jazz concert ever.

Rollins Plays for Bird is an album by jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins, recorded in 1956 for the Prestige label, and released in the end of July 1957. It featuring performances by Rollins with Kenny Dorham, Wade Legge, George Morrow and Max Roach on material associated with Charlie Parker.

One of the all-time greatest jazz albums, "Saxophone Colossus" is a true benchmark of jazz improvisation. Rollins’ lyrical lines and rich tone influenced nearly every jazz player who followed (including John Coltrane) and this album illuminates the master at a creative peak.

When Charlie Parker died, people who never had done anything in recognition of his great talent, suddenly rushed to the mourner’s bench and delivered eulogies. This record is by musicians who knew him intimately, appreciated him tremendously during his lifetime and felt his loss far more acutely than any of the self-styled sufferers. This is a simple tribute in the form of a medley composed of seven tunes that were recorded and, for the most part, played often by Parker.

Sonny Rollins' first outing for Blue Note label was recorded at that label's last session of 1956. The album features Rollins playing with Gene Ramey (bass), Max Roach (drums), Donald Byrd (trumpet), and Wynton Kelly (piano). The original LP record, Blue Note release BLP-1542, did not distinguish the volume number in the title. It was simply called "Sonny Rollins".

The position of legendary figure is usually reserved for a deceased musician who has played two decades before. It usually requires this posthumous status and span of time, for the various stories concerning him to grow into a legend but it took a very much alive Thelonious Monk only five years to surround himself with an air of mystery and receive the title “High Priest of Bebop” in the Forties.

"Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 2" is the second installment highlighting Monk’s undeniable genius. This stunning body of work includes the classics “Skippy”, “Let’s Cool One” and “Ask Me Now.” Guest virtuosos include Max Roach, Gene Ramey, Art Blakey, Kenny Dorham, Lou Donaldson, Lucky Thompson and many others. This is an essential document of jazz history.

Brilliant Corners is a studio album by American jazz musician Thelonious Monk. It was his third album for Riverside Records, and the first, for this label, to include his own compositions. The complex title track required over a dozen takes in the studio. The album was recorded in three sessions in late 1956 with two different quintets.

Saxophone Colossus is a studio album by American jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins. It was recorded on June 22, 1956, with producers Bob Weinstock and Rudy Van Gelder at the latter's studio in Hackensack, New Jersey. Rollins led a quartet on the album that included pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Max Roach. Saxophone Colossus was released by Prestige Records to critical success and helped establish Rollins as a prominent jazz artist. In 2017, Saxophone Colossus was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant".

Thomas Walter Turrentine, Jr. was a swing and hard bop trumpeter of the 1940s to 1960s, the older brother of saxophonist Stanley Turrentine. He played in the bands of Benny Carter, Earl Bostic, Charles Mingus, Billy Eckstine, Dizzy Gillespie, and Count Basie. He later recorded with Sonny Clark, Lou Donaldson, and his brother's bands. His working relationship with Max Roach was spawned in part when he joined the Max Roach Quintet in the late 1950s following the death of Clifford Brown.

Sonny Rollins plays with the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet, of which he was a member at the time, on this famed 1956 release. The album was the last full recording including pianist Richie Powell and trumpeter Clifford Brown, who both died in a car accident three months later. Although Rollins is clearly the group leader on this date, the style and playing are logical extensions of the fine work being done by the Brown-Roach group on Emarcy Records at the time.