Fill me in on Sonny Stitt

[Peter Friedman]

Just checked and discovered that I have a very extensive collection of Sonny Stitt CDs as leader, and many many more where he is a sideman. I always enjoy listening to him, but don't often play more than one album of his at a listening session.

I recall seeing Sonny Stitt long long ago playing in Detroit with a number of young local musicians. The drummer was very nervous and didn't want to play anything ultra fast and mentioned that to Sonny. Stitt nodded and then counted off a tune at a very fast speed. I guess he could be a jerk at times.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Just checked and discovered that I have a very extensive collection of Sonny Stitt CDs as leader, and many many more where he is a sideman. I always enjoy listening to him, but don't often play more than one album of his at a listening session.

I recall seeing Sonny Stitt long long ago playing in Detroit with a number of young local musicians. The drummer was very nervous and didn't want to play anything ultra fast and mentioned that to Sonny. Stitt nodded and then counted off a tune at a very fast speed. I guess he could be a jerk at times.

I'm not sure that's necessarily being a jerk. Guys like Sonny didn't have a permanent band, but went everywhere - places most jazz musicians wouldn't go - and gave lessons to the local backing groups. I think stuff like that is part of a jazz musician's education.

MG

[BillF]

Although Sonny features on many of my records from the 40s and 50s, I have only two of his leader dates: Sonny Stitt and the Top Brass (Atlantic) and Only the Blues (Verve). (The second is particularly good.) I saw him play twice: the first time in London in 1971 with the Giants of Jazz tour that also featured Diz, Monk, Blakey, Kai Winding and Al McKibbon, the second co-leading a quintet with tenorist Red Holland in a London club not long before his death in 1982.

[sidewinder]

Red Holland

Red Holland? - Red Holloway perhaps?

Never saw Sonny live but I recall that he toured over here quite a bit - especially in the 60s and 70s.

[BillF]

Red Holland

Red Holland? - Red Holloway perhaps?

Never saw Sonny live but I recall that he toured over here quite a bit - especially in the 60s and 70s.

Yes, Red Holloway. The winning team in action again - me for memories - you for accuracy

[sidewinder]

Red Holland

Red Holland? - Red Holloway perhaps?

Never saw Sonny live but I recall that he toured over here quite a bit - especially in the 60s and 70s.

Yes, Red Holloway. The winning team in action again - me for memories - you for accuracy

Yeah, just happen to remember the reports in the UK jazz press of the time. They did gigs at places like the Bull's Head in Barnes, I recall.

Too bad I didn't check them out, as the opportunity was probably there.

[BillF]

Red Holland

Red Holland? - Red Holloway perhaps?

Never saw Sonny live but I recall that he toured over here quite a bit - especially in the 60s and 70s.

Yes, Red Holloway. The winning team in action again - me for memories - you for accuracy

Yeah, just happen to remember the reports in the UK jazz press of the time. They did gigs at places like the Bull's Head in Barnes, I recall.

Too bad I didn't check them out, as the opportunity was probably there.

I saw them at 100 Oxford Street (once called Mack's IIRC). The gig was produced by the redoutable Ernie Garside who I knew from Manchester days, but who refused to let me in at student rate. (I was doing part-time postgraduate study at a relatively advanced age.) You can't win 'em all

[sidewinder]

Ah, the old Student's Union card. Worth it's weight in gold just for gig discounts alone.

[Rabshakeh]

In view of the current Stitt v. Dex thread, I am bumping this venerable but excellent thread (noting that I am not the first to have done so).

It's noticeable that, despite the number of "deep cuts" (in current marketing speak) being recommended above, the Sonny Stitt at the D.J. Lounge that was recently mentioned in that thread doesn't make an appearance. With Stitt, it is easy to stick to the heights of the Ammons battles, the Cobblestones / Muses and the Dizzy-endorsed cutting contests, without venturing out to explore the foothills. One feature of having recorded 120 leader dates is that there are plenty of obscure gems still out there to discover.

[mikeweil]

On 14.6.2008 at 2:39 AM, kh1958 said:

Buy any of the Prestiges with Don Patterson and Billy James, with or without other musicians.

These are really very good, any of them. They are all listed in my Don Patterson Discography, including info on the type of sax Stitt played, for those who dislike the Varitone.

https://jazzdiscography.com/Artists/don-patterson/index.php

Edited August 11, 2021 by mikeweil

[Kevin Bresnahan]

On 6/4/2007 at 0:11 PM, Swinging Swede said:

Fortunately all three have now come out on CD, if you want to have them complete. Inter-Action with Zoot Sims and My Main Man with Bennie Green were both on Japanese CDs not that many years ago, and Burnin' has just been released by the Andorrans on a Barry Harris twofer called Breakin' It Up. The rationale for that album coupling is that they had the same trio recorded on two consecutive days, with Stitt added the second day. Since the CD isn't under Stitt's name this reissue may have slipped under the radar of some Stitt collectors.

I'll have to try and find a copy of "My Main Man". I've never seen that one in the wild and Bennie Green's LPs are usually very enjoyable.

Surprisingly, I've also never heard that Jazz Messengers date with Stitt, "In Walked Sonny".

I don't remember seeing it mentioned here, but I tripped over Stitt's "I Remember Bird" (Catalyst) in a used bin many years ago and I really liked it.

[Niko]

1 hour ago, Rabshakeh said:

In view of the current Stitt v. Dex thread, I am bumping this venerable but excellent thread (noting that I am not the first to have done so).

It's noticeable that, despite the number of "deep cuts" (in current marketing speak) being recommended above, the Sonny Stitt at the D.J. Lounge that was recently mentioned in that thread doesn't make an appearance. With Stitt, it is easy to stick to the heights of the Ammons battles, the Cobblestones / Muses and the Dizzy-endorsed cutting contests, without venturing out to explore the foothills. One feature of having recorded 120 leader dates is that there are plenty of obscure gems still out there to discover.

the Magnificient Goldberg actually does mention it on the first page... besides that, yes, it's one in over 120 - been playing Patterson/Stitt albums this morning, I already own 12 or so but there are still gaps... in a way, this omission is also a sign of when this was written 14 years ago - the first cd reissue that was easy to get over here had just come out (this one) and many people were less into vinyl than they are now...

[Rabshakeh]

11 minutes ago, Niko said:

the Magnificient Goldberg actually does mention it on the first page... 

Oops! I missed it.

[Teasing the Korean]

His Verve album The Sensuous Side of Sonny Stitt, with string arrangements by Ralph Burns is a favorite.

Sonny also managed to do at least three Latin albums for three different labels:

• The Matadors Meet the Bull (Roulette)
• Stitt Goes Latin
• Primitivo Soul (Prestige)

These three albums offer perfect summertime listening for Mr. and Ms. TTK while they enjoy rum cocktails in the Bora Bora room.  

[Pim]

My favorite Stitt album besides ‘Tune Up’ and ‘Constellation’ is the session with Bud Powell and JJ Johnson. Also: Personal Appereance on Verve.

[Dan Gould]

I don't ever see The Good Life, with Hank Jones, mentioned, but I have always been partial to that one.

https://www.discogs.com/Sonny-Stitt-With-Hank-Jones-Trio-Good-Life/master/842189

 

[Larry Kart]

4 hours ago, mikeweil said:

These are really very good, any of them. They are all listed in my Don Patterson Discography, including info on the type of sax Stitt played, for those who dislike the Varitone.

https://jazzdiscography.com/Artists/don-patterson/index.php

The best or one of the best Stitt albums is the originally title-less one , originally on Argo, from the late '50s, with the same color photo of Stitt on both sides snd  no liner notes and no personnel listed. The rhythm section, often said to be Barry Harris et al. is in fact the Ramsey Lewis Trio, who do a fine job. I believe it's on CD (MCA-Chess) as of 1990. Tracks include "Cool Blues, "this is Always."

[Brad]

Burning’, also on Argo, which does have Barry Harris, is a good one. 

[sonnymax]

[Peter Friedman]

Great T-Shirt!!!!!