This week on Visions, I celebrate the late Sonny Rollins who passed just last week at the age of 95. I play several selections by him as a bandleader and a couple selections with him as a sideman. Mostly, I play his compositions that were recorded by other people to show the breadth of Sonny’s musical legacy.

I play “Sonnymoon for Two”, “Three Little Words”, and “Blessing in Disguise” by Sonny Rollins. I play his compositions “Oleo”, “Doxy”, “St. Thomas”, and “Airegin” performed by Miles Davis, Branford Marsalis, Ron Carter and Jim Hall, and Toots Thielemans, respectively. I also feature new music from Nite Bjuti and Tyshawn Sorey, plus selections from Jessica Jones, Tomeka Reid, and Max Roach.

Happy listening, and rest in power to the great Sonny Rollins.

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for June 1, 2026

• “Sonnymoon for Two (Live At The Village Vanguard, 1957 / Evening Take)” – Sonny Rollins
• “a(ways) For CC and CeCe [feat. Jason Roebke, Mary Halvorson & Tomas Fujiwara]” – Tomeka Reid
• “Brilliant Corners” – Thelonious Monk
• “Oleo (feat. Sonny Rollins, Horace Silver, Kenny Clarke & Percy Heath)” – Miles Davis
• “St. Thomas” – Jim Hall & Ron Carter Duo
• “Piezoelectricity Girl (Live)” – Nite Bjuti
• “Doxy” – Branford Marsalis
• “Airegin” – Toots Thielemans
• “Blessing In Disguise” – Sonny Rollins
• “Absolutions” – Max Roach
• “Equipoise, Pt. 1” – Tyshawn Sorey
• Sumphin'” – Sonny Rollins, Dizzy Gillespie & Sonny Stitt
• “Three Little Words” – Sonny Rollins

This week on Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music we take some time to hear some joyous musical moments from Sonny Rollins who passed this week at age 95… Also new music coming from former Detroiters Infinity Song, new Paul McCartney, Dames Brown and a couple Yacht Rock classics to get you ready for our June 7 Decks On Deck event!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for May 30, 2026

HOUR ONE:

• “IN A MINUTE” – TOMORA
• “Growing Pains” – Blessing Jolie
• “Javelin” – Kevin Morby (in Detroit 6/4)
• “Top Shotta” – Brother Wallace
• “You’re Poison” – Nick Piunti w/Ayla Ottenbreit
• “Isn’t She Lovely” – Sonny Rollins
• “Neighbours” – Rolling Stones (ft. Sonny Rollins)
• “Masks Off” – Jesse Welles
• “Same Boat” – Katie Pruitt
• “Dirty Nikes” – Ruth B
• “Miami 2017” – Matt Nathanson
• “Kid Fears” – Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile, Julien Baker

HOUR TWO:

• “Time Out of Mind” – Steely Dan (Yacht Rock Cruise, 6/7!)
• “You Can’t Change That” – Ray Parker Jr. (Yacht Rock Cruise, 6/7!)
• “Just For Pleasure” – Young Gun & Silver Fox (Yacht Rock Cruise, 6/7!)
• “She Knows Too Much” – Thundercat (Yacht Rock Cruise, 6/7!)
• “Who Do You (Think You Are)” – Dames Brown
• “American Love Song” – Momo Boyd
• “Hurricane” – Infinity Song
• “Lost Horizon” – Paul McCartney
• “It’s Only Love” – ROZZI
• “Slave” – Rolling Stones (ft. Sonny Rollins)
• “There’s No Business Like Show Business” – Sonny Rollins

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org