Sonny Rollins Honored With Polar Award

Having received the new album, Sonny Please, Sonny Rollins latest recording in the mail today, I was even more delighted to receive by email the latest Newk's Time - The Sonny Rollins Newsletter and find out that he and composer Steve Reich were honored with Polar Awards, which were announced Thursday at the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in Stockholm. The Polar Awards are the equivalent of Nobel prizes for Music. The two Americans will receive the one million kronor prize from Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf in Stockholm on May 21.

The academy said it tapped Rollins, 76, for raising "the accompanied solo to the highest artistic level -- all characterized by a distinctive and powerful sound, irresistible swing and an individual sense of humor."

On February 1st, a reception and press event will be given by the Consul General of Sweden in New York to honor the winners of the Polar Music Prize Award for 2007.

The website for the Polar Music Awards from which I downloaded the picture of Sonny and which has a full list of winners of this award.

Sonny Rollins website has more information and news on the Saxophone Colossus.

Congratulations Sonny. You are so deserving of this honor. You continue to astonish with your music.