As all of you know I have been reading the new Sonny Rollins biography. I just started Chapter 25 titled Sonny Meets Hawk. On page 402 (yes I am a slow reader) I read something that really disturbed me.
I have been wanting to share so much of this book here on JFA while reading but decided not to because it would spoil the experience for any others who want to read it.
However, I just wanted to share a small paragraph on page 402 and after reading it you will see why I am so upset over it. Here it is:
At this time, Alfred Lion of Blue Note offered Sonny Simmons a contract, but he turned it down after "I sat down in a chair in his office and he threw four bags of ’Dirty Harry’ on his desk (heroin)" 91
note 91:
Lester Koenig, who produced The Cry, connected Simmons with Alfred Lion at Blue Note. Simmons, interview with the author. “That’s what he was payin’ the brothers, man. He wouldn’t pay ’em no money, ’cause they was all stretched out. It was sad. Broke my heart. I said, ‘No, man.’ I said, ‘I don’t use.’ He couldn’t believe me. He got pissed off. ‘You should take it and I’ll record ya.’ I said, ‘No, man. I don’t use.’ And Francis Wolff heard my voice raised up at Alfred’s, ’cause it pissed me off. I said, ‘Man, I want money. I don’t want no dope.’ ” Simmons “left in a big huff—big cloud of fire and brimstone was over the top of my head. And I never did go back no more.” Lester Koenig convinced Lion and Wolff to pay Simmons an advance in hard currency rather than drugs, but to Simmons, the deal was tainted, and he turned it down.
