Sonny Stitt Folkway

This LP starts off with one of the underrated gems of the 1960s, an exciting match-up of tenors Sonny Stitt and Paul Gonsalves. Other than the brief throwaway "Theme from Lord of the Flies" (producer Bob Thiele's idea), this is very much a jam session, with "Salt and Pepper" being a heated midtempo blues and the two competitive tenors stretching out on "S'posin'" and a lengthy "Perdido." Actually, the most memorable selection from the date is the one on which Stitt switches to alto, "Stardust." His beautiful playing behind Gonsalves' warm melody statement raises the session to the classic level.

Art Pepper - Art Pepper Presents “West Coast Sessions!” Volume 1: Sonny Stitt (2017) {Omnivore Recordings rec 1980}
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© 1980, 2017 Omnivore Recordings
Jazz / Post Bop / West Coast Jazz / Straight-Ahead Jazz / Saxophone

In 1977 Art came back from the dead. Or so it seemed to those who followed him, followed his music. And then in 1979, the Japanese came calling in the guise of a small record label, Yupiteru, later Atlas. They wanted Art to record for them. By then, Art was under exclusive contract to Fantasy/Galaxy records and couldn’t record as a leader. However, and I think I deserve credit for this sneaky idea, he could be a “sideman.” And he could choose the “leaders.” He did six albums for Atlas with six terrific “leaders.” And they are classics, now.

Sonny Stitt - The Complete Roost Sonny Stitt Studio Sessions (1952-65) {9CD Box Set Mosaic MD9-208 rel 2001}
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© 1952-65, 2001 Mosaic Records / Capitol / EMI | MD9-208 | 24-bit remaster
Jazz / Bop / Saxophone

Under the watchful eye of famed producer Michael Cuscuna, this nine-CD set serves as a compilation of Stitt's 1950s and 1960s Roost LPs. This release also features a 28-page booklet consisting of comprehensively annotated liners. Moreover, the record label does its best to convey the artistic element via a series of black-and-white photos of Stitt and his sidemen amid anecdotes by many of the late saxophonist's affiliates. Interestingly enough, seven of the original LPs did not list personnel. In some instances, guesses were made, although most of these tracks are well-documented, thanks to the producer's diligence and painstaking research. Artists such as drummer Roy Haynes, bassist/composer Charles Mingus, and pianist Harold Maber represent but a few of Stitt's accompanists.

Sonny Stitt Quartet with Don Patterson - Low Flame + Feelin's (1962) {Essential Jazz Classics EJC55616 rel 2013}
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© 1962, 2013 Roost / Jazzland / Essential Jazz Classics | EJC55616 | 24bit remaster
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Hard Bop / Saxophone / Organ

This release presents two complete original albums showcasing Sonny Stitt in a quartet setting with organist Don Patterson: Low Flame (Jazzland JLP971; 1962) and Feelin's (Roost LPS2247; 1962). On the two LPs, the group is completed by Paul Weeden on guitar and Billy James on drums. While Stitt and Patterson cut plenty of albums together, the sessions included here mark the entire recorded output by this exact quartet.

Sonny Stitt - Stitt Goes Latin (1963) {2011 Roost Japan Jazz Masterpiece Best & More 999 Series TOCJ-50190}
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© 1963, 2011 Roost / EMI Music Japan | TOCJ-50190 | Jazz Masterpiece Best & More 999 Series
Jazz / Bop / Soul Jazz / Saxophone

Sonny Stitt goes Latin – and the results are tremendous! The set's still got all the soulful feel of the best Stitt sessions for Roost, but it brings in some nice Latin rhythms too – inflecting things with that blend of soul jazz and congas you might find over at Prestige or Blue Note, yet also taking things further, too – given the Roost/Roulette connection to the New York Latin scene! Sonny plays both alto and tenor, and gets jazzy accompaniment from Thad Jones on trumpet – but the rhythm section is the real charmer here – and features a young Chick Corea on piano, Larry Gales on bass, and the trio of Willie Bobo, Patato Valdes, and Chihuaua Martinez on percussion! Most tunes are originals – a great change from the usual Latinized standards you might find on a set like this – and Stitt's got this nicely exotic tone in his reeds which is a further highlight of the record – almost a Yusef Lateef inflection at points.

Sonny Stitt - Only The Blues (1957) {Verve 314 537 753-2 rel 1997}
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© 1957, 1997 Verve / Universal | 314 537 753-2
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop / Saxophone

This 1997 CD releases all of the music recorded by Sonny Stitt (who stuck to alto for the date) on Oct. 11, 1957. The original four songs teamed Stitt with trumpeter Roy Eldridge, pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Stan Levey. Although three of the songs were blues, the most exciting number is ironically the opener, an "I Got Rhythm" run-through on a Stitt original, "The String," that is note for note the same as his "Eternal Triangle." The two horns are quite combative and inspire each other.

Sonny Stitt & Bennie Green - My Main Man (1964) {2004 Universal Japan-Argo MiniLP UCCC-9077}
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© 1964, 2004 Argo / Verve / Universal Japan | UCCC-9077
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop / Soul Jazz / Saxophone / Trombone

Bennie Green was no where near the technician Stitt was. In fact, his trombone vocabulary precedes J. J. Johnson's and the bebop revolution of Bird and Diz. Nevertheless, Sonny and Bennie sounded like soul mates on the two occasions I caught them together at McKee's Show Lounge 63rd and Cottage in Chicago. Their meetings didn't produce the sparks of Stitt and Jug (Gene Ammons) but a spirit of rare camaraderie (Stitt could be an ornery loner).