Sonny Stitt

[Cornelius]

"When John Coltrane finally left Miles Davis to form his own group, Stitt filled in on tour in 1960. I have a recording of him on the 'Complete 1960 Stockholm Concert'." [Che]

I haven't heard those tracks in a while, but my memory is that while Stitt had a few good moments, he didn't fit with the band and especially with Davis.

[Guest che]

"When John Coltrane finally left Miles Davis to form his own group, Stitt filled in on tour in 1960. I have a recording of him on the 'Complete 1960 Stockholm Concert'." [Che]

I haven't heard those tracks in a while, but my memory is that while Stitt had a few good moments, he didn't fit with the band and especially with Davis.

Cornelius.

Yes he did have some moments and he helped the group 'swing', but Davis did not like him that much, his drug problems did not help matters and after Coltrane, well I guess he had a tough act to follow.

On the 'Stockholm' CD's that I have Coltrane plays on the first six tracks, there is also an interview with Coltrane carried out at the time.

Che.

[JSngry]

I suspect that the drug that harmed Stitt's music the most was alcohol.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I suspect that the drug that harmed Stitt's music the most was alcohol.

Definitely from what I've been told of first-hand experiences with Sonny. The guy was way too into the sauce. It made him a pretty unreliable guy.

[Guest che]

Early in his carreer Stitt, in common with many jazz musicians at the time, started to take heroin. From 1946-49 he 'dropped out' of the jazz scene, in an attempt to try and sort himself out.

He re-emerged from this to lead a group with Gene Ammons, but he continued to have a close relationship with heroin and later drink. From the 1950's onward both Ammons and Stitt recorded large amounts of music, in order to pay for their drug habits.

Che.