Flanagan moved to New York in 1956. He was unsure of how long he would stay, having been persuaded to go by Burrell; the pair initially stayed with Burrell's aunt in Harlem. Flanagan soon found work in clubs and studios, including recording "Detroit – New York Junction" with Thad Jones in March. Later the same month he returned to recording, this time with Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins, for tracks released on "Collectors' Items". Rollins was leader for another session three months later: "Saxophone Colossus", which was labeled an "undisputed masterpiece" by "The Penguin Guide to Jazz".