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

Today we celebrate what would have been the 100th birthday of Miles Davis, an artist whose influence continues to ripple across nearly every corner of modern music. Throughout the show, we weave in selections from the jazz giant, celebrating a catalog that helped redefine jazz and continues to shape generations of musicians. 

Elsewhere, today’s playlist moves through new music from Gabriels, Max Sinal, and The Rolling Stones, alongside tracks from Tyler, The Creator, Sonny Rollins, Ted Lucas, Bob Marley, and KAYTRANADA.  

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

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for May 26, 2026 

• “In Loving Memory” – Gabriels 

• “I Only Have Eyes for You” – The Flamingos 

• “Zealots” – Fugees 

• “HEAVEN TO ME” – Tyler, The Creator 

• “Let Your Hair Down (feat. Hutch the Great)” – Max Sinal 

• “Jesus Going to Clean House” – Lee Tracy & Isaac Manning 

• “In the Middle of the Night” – Ronald Langestraat 

• “Page 3 (Dām – Funk Re – Freak Mix)” – Steven Julien & Kyle Hall 

• “In a Moment Divine” – Freak Heat Waves & Cindy Lee 

• “Someone Like You” – Matthew Herbert & Momoko Gill 

• “Siesta Freestyle (Frisco version)” – Lewis OfMan & Alicia te quiero 

• “All Blues” – Miles Davis 

• “Valsa” – Fabiano do Nascimento & Vittor Santos e Orquestra 

• “Waiting On a Friend” – The Rolling Stones 

• “Asiatic Raes” – Sonny Rollins 

• “Freddie Freeloader” – Miles Davis 

• “Flamenco Sketches” – Frank Minion 

• “Saana” – Ebo Taylor 

• “Passed You By” – Chicano Batman 

• “Slow Motion Ocean (Of Love)” – Ted Lucas 

• “Get It Up for Love” – Ned Doheny 

• “Fruits of My Labor” – Lucinda Williams 

• “A Change Is Gonna Come” – Sam Cooke 

• “San Franciscan Nights” – Gabor Szabo & The California Dreamers 

• “Love and Happiness” – Monty Alexander 

• “Sun Is Shining” – Bob Marley & The Wailers 

• “Shy Dub” – Hollie Cook 

• “Intimidated (feat. H.E.R.)” – KAYTRANADA 

• “Pretty Big House” – Jarami 

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.