JAZZ : NEW RELEASES : ** SONNY ROLLINS “Here’s to the People” <i> Milestone</i>

It’s hard to imagine Rollins making a truly bad album, but this one is certainly less than you would expect from such a gifted saxophonist. His tone sounding pinched and thin, Rollins rushes through such numbers as “Why Was I Born” and “Doc Phil,” not quite getting in sync with his rhythm section, sustained only by his prodigious melodic ingenuity.

Rollins’ soloing on other tracks--”I Wish I Knew” and “Long Ago and Far Away,” for example--works best when he allows dashes of light and air inside to illuminate his labyrinthine lines. More often, he seems to be restlessly pushing against the limits of his instrument, unhappily confined by its physical restrictions.

Trumpeter Roy Hargrove, appearing on two tracks, displays a persuasive imitation of Clifford Brown, and Rollins regulars Mark Soskin and Bob Cranshaw play with an intimate understanding of the tenor saxophonist’s rhythmic idiosyncrasies.

In Brief

*** Max Roach, “To The Max!” Mesa/Blue Moon. Fans of world-class jazz drumming could hardly ask for a better offering than this two-CD set. The selections include “Ghost Dance,” Roach’s somewhat erratic three-part composition for chorus and small group, as well as more appealing pieces by his quartet and double quartet. Best of all are two remarkable extended solo performances by an artist whose imagination is ageless.

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four (excellent). A rating of five stars is reserved for classic reissues or retrospectives.