It is enlightening to review an album that was released 50 years ago and understand why it is that a musician can still be a buzzword when referring to jazz music. You drop the name Sonny Rollins in certain circles, and thoughts instantly sweep to fast paced theme swapping, forceful sax playing, freedom and the lack thereof. Freedom Suite was written in response to his anger and confusion of the fact that he was a famous musician with his picture in papers and magazines, yet he still couldn’t rent an apartment in New York City because he was a Negro.

The song “Freedom Suite” is angry. This is most poignant with the juxtaposition of the first six songs, which are all sparser, cool, and more gentle in their pacing. The saxophone work of Rollins on “Freedom Suite” is disjointed and the tone is harsh and loud. And, if you want drums to evoke emotions of anger or angst, who better to enlist as your drummer than Max Roach, whose ever identifiable staccato style pierces the matter at hand and pushes the composition forward. The song, amidst the unmistakable angry emotions, and after a brief pause, takes a slower turn. The ambiguity of this transition and its intended emotion is precisely the point of the transition. Is the battle over? Was there a fight and someone injured? Is the mood somber, or is it a mood of rest and retreat? The drums continue a sort of anxious, constant slapping of the skins, while the bass and sax saunter through the next minutes in deep contemplation. After a brief break once again, the music returns to a more anxious style with a twist as the last minute is played with a very upbeat style. Is this a triumph? Certainly not of the war, but perhaps of a battle.

The final song should have been left out, or else placed earlier in the mix. The title, “Someday I’ll Find You” evokes a feeling of continued search or perseverance for a greater ideal. However, after “Freedom Suite”, the song seems like a silly filler. Even though the dialog between the sax and drums is quite interesting and fun, it seems like an afterthought in comparison to “Freedom Suite”. The songs leading up to “Freedom Suite” are sparse, simple and very relaxed, which give “Freedom Suite” the power that it is seeking.

Freedom Suite proves why Sonny Rollins carved himself a place in music history. While not completely stunning in every way, this album proves that certain kinds of skill and style are timeless.