*** Sonny Rollins

GLOBAL WARMING

(Milestone)

Even on a merely solid outing like this one, Sonny Rollins leaves no doubt he's the reigning king of jazz saxophone. The tunes are little more than audience-friendly riffs; the backing bands do meet Rollins's usual standard of superior craftsmanship and ability to swing hard, but it's all mere backdrop for the tenor titan's magnificent soliloquies. On "Island Lady," Rollins's wayfaring lines tumble down a craggy incline, waver and float in a spacious valley, then clamor out on sun-drenched riffs and exuberant honks. His solo on "Global Warming" (many of the tunes have environmentalist titles) is so melodic it can only be described as instant composing. But the crowning glory of the album is "Mother Nature's Blues," a marvelous display of offhand virtuosity and swinging stream of consciousness that's colored by an inexplicably eerie tone. Pianist Stephen Scott's pithy, blues-drenched solos and Clifton Anderson's warm, postbop trombone provide the highlights when Rollins isn't blowing.

-- Ed Hazell