Sonny Stitt: Jazz at The Hi-Hat

[Late]

Chicago, Boston, 1954

This one has to count as some of the very finest Stitt on record. Immaculate swing.

Edited February 23, 2023 by Late
Geography

[Larry Kart]

1 hour ago, Late said:

Chicago, 1954

This one has to count as some of the very finest Stitt on record. Immaculate swing.

The Hi-Hat was in Boston, no?

[Kevin Bresnahan]

37 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

The Hi-Hat was in Boston, no?

Yes - Boston.

If you enjoy these sessions, try to get your hands on the 2 CD reissues: https://www.discogs.com/release/11562979-Sonny-Stitt-Jazz-At-The-Hi-Hat & https://www.discogs.com/release/10061005-Sonny-Stitt-Live-at-the-Hi-Hat-Vol-2-. I think Malcolm Addey cleaned these recordings up very nicely and both volumes have 20 previously unreleased songs.

Edited February 22, 2023 by bresna

[Late]

Whoops—it clearly says Boston on the liners. I was still in my Gene Ammons Chicago mode. 🙃

Fans of the music?

To me, Volume One in particular presents Stitt in one of his most non-auto pilot appearances. It's like he's taking pieces of the bop vocabulary and finding new ways to fit them together.

[JSngry]

I like them a lot, yes. If I was to cull my Stitt records on a totally "objective" basis, these would certainly make the cut.

[Brad]

I have both volumes but it’s been a long time since I listened to them.

Another good, also on Roulette, is Jaws and Stitt at Birdland. 

[Late]

I realize now I've listened to Volume 1 way more than Volume 2, almost to the extent that Vol. 2 feels new. "Baritone Blues" is a favorite track. Still, it's Vol. 1 that seems to have something extra.

[JSngry]

What is woefully missing is any live recoding's of the Ammons/Stitt road band of the early 50s. Doesn't seem that they got captured live. But I hear that they could really tear it up. No doubt!

[Dan Gould]

Somewhat related photo, though undated. Possibly at the Hollywood Bowl, and taken by Marcel Fleiss. Ammons on tenor and Stitt on Bari, in between Gene and Ella.

 

 

[Late]

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

What is woefully missing is any live recoding's of the Ammons/Stitt road band of the early 50s.

Fingers crossed that, some day, sound recordings will be unearthed. The Jazz Detective needs to get on it.

17 minutes ago, Dan Gould said:

Somewhat related photo, though undated. Possibly at the Hollywood Bowl, and taken by Marcel Fleiss. Ammons on tenor and Stitt on Bari, in between Gene and Ella.

 

Love it. Thanks for sharing that image! 👍 I've been on an Ammons/Stitt binge lately.

[Brad]

1 hour ago, Late said:

Fingers crossed that, some day, sound recordings will be unearthed. The Jazz Detective needs to get on it.

Love it. Thanks for sharing that image! 👍 I've been on an Ammons/Stitt binge lately.

Ammons/Stiit or just Sonny too.  If just Sonny have you listened to the DJ Lounge?

[Gheorghe]

On 2/22/2023 at 9:18 PM, bresna said:

Yes - Boston.

If you enjoy these sessions, try to get your hands on the 2 CD reissues: https://www.discogs.com/release/11562979-Sonny-Stitt-Jazz-At-The-Hi-Hat & https://www.discogs.com/release/10061005-Sonny-Stitt-Live-at-the-Hi-Hat-Vol-2-. I think Malcolm Addey cleaned these recordings up very nicely and both volumes have 20 previously unreleased songs.

Is it possible that the bass player and drummer are the same like on some "Bird at the Hi-Hat" from the same time ? 

[BillF]

1 hour ago, Gheorghe said:

Is it possible that the bass player and drummer are the same like on some "Bird at the Hi-Hat" from the same time ? 

Yes, bassist Bernie Griggs was a Boston regular.

[Late]

21 hours ago, Brad said:

If just Sonny, have you listened to the DJ Lounge?

This one?

I haven't heard this one. I need to! According to Discogs, it looks like it was only on compact disc once—2002, in Japan. Was there another reissue perhaps?

Edited February 24, 2023 by Late
caffeine

[Brad]

16 minutes ago, Late said:

This one?

I haven't heard this one. I need to! According to Discogs, it looks like it was only on compact disc once—2002, in Japan. Was there another reissue perhaps?

Yes, this one. As far as I know it was reissued only that once. I used to have the record but can’t find it. 

[Late]

14 minutes ago, Brad said:

Yes, this one. As far as I know it was reissued only that once.

It goes down on "the list." Live Stitt from this period is high yield. Excellent with Chinese takeout. 🥡

[jlhoots]

22 minutes ago, Brad said:

Yes, this one. As far as I know it was reissued only that once. I used to have the record but can’t find it. 

I found mine!!

[JSngry]

41 minutes ago, Late said:

This one?

I haven't heard this one. I need to! 

You will come for Stitt, but you will stay for John Board!!!! At least I did!!!!

[Brad]

4 minutes ago, JSngry said:

You will come for Stitt, but you will stay for John Board!!!! At least I did!!!!

And Eddie Buster too! Those guys were great on this. 

[Late]

Appetite whetted. 

[mjzee]

11 hours ago, Late said:

This one?

I haven't heard this one. I need to! According to Discogs, it looks like it was only on compact disc once—2002, in Japan. Was there another reissue perhaps?

The mp3 download is available from Amazon.

[Brad]

On 2/24/2023 at 6:32 PM, Late said:

Appetite whetted. 

Have you heard this one, a 1981 performance at the Keystone with Richie Cole, John Handy, Cedar Walton, Bobby Hutcherson, Herbie Lewis and Billy Higgins. It’s darn good. 

[JSngry]

9 minutes ago, Brad said:

One of the best Sonny Stitt album covers ever!

[Brad]

57 minutes ago, JSngry said:

One of the best Sonny Stitt album covers ever!

Without a doubt.  Plus I love what Joel Dorn called the recording. 

[Late]

9 hours ago, Brad said:

Have you heard this one, a 1981 performance at the Keystone with Richie Cole, John Handy, Cedar Walton, Bobby Hutcherson, Herbie Lewis and Billy Higgins. It’s darn good. 

No, I haven't heard it. It officially goes down on "the list." 👍