Afternoon in Paris [Take 1] - Sonny Stitt, Lewis, John
Afternoon in Paris [Take 2] - Sonny Stitt, Lewis, John
Elora [Take 1] - Sonny Stitt, Johnson, J.J.
Elora [Take 2] - Sonny Stitt, Johnson, J.J.
Teapot [Take 1] - Sonny Stitt, Johnson
Teapot [Take 2] - Sonny Stitt, Johnson
Blue Mode [Take 1] - Sonny Stitt, Johnson
Blue Mode [Take 2] - Sonny Stitt, Johnson
All God's Chillun Got Rhythm - Sonny Stitt, Jurmann
Sonny Side - Sonny Stitt, Stitt, Sonny
Bud's Blues - Sonny Stitt, Stitt, Sonny
Sunset - Sonny Stitt, Stitt, Sonny
Strike Up the Band - Sonny Stitt, Gershwin, George
Strike Up the Band [Alternate Take] - Sonny Stitt, Gershwin, George
I Want to Be Happy - Sonny Stitt, Caesar, Irving
Taking a Chance on Love - Sonny Stitt, Duke
Fine and Dandy [Take 1] - Sonny Stitt, James
Fine and Dandy [Take 2] - Sonny Stitt, James
Avalon - Sonny Stitt, DeSylva
Later - Sonny Stitt, Stitt
Ain't Misbehavin' - Sonny Stitt, Brooks
Mean to Me - Sonny Stitt, Ahlert
Stairway to the Stars - Sonny Stitt, Malneck, Matty
Bye Bye - Sonny Stitt, Mundy, Jimmy
Let It Be - Sonny Stitt, Carpenter
Track Listings (25) - Disc #2
Blues Up and Down [Take 1] - Sonny Stitt, Ammons
Blues Up and Down [Take 2] - Sonny Stitt, Ammons
Blues Up and Down [Take 3] - Sonny Stitt, Ammons
You Can Depend on Me [Take 1] - Sonny Stitt, Carpenter
You Can Depend on Me [Take 2] - Sonny Stitt, Carpenter
Touch of the Blues - Sonny Stitt, George
Dumb Woman Blues - Sonny Stitt, Williams, Teddy [2]
Chabootie - Sonny Stitt, Carpenter
Who Threw the Sleeping Pills in Rip Van Winkle's Coffee? - Sonny Stitt, Carpenter
Gravy (aka Walkin') - Sonny Stitt, Carpenter
Easy Glide - Sonny Stitt, Mundy
Count Every Star - Sonny Stitt, Coquatrix, Bruno
Nice Work If You Can Get It - Sonny Stitt, Gershwin, George
There Will Never Be Another You - Sonny Stitt, Gordon, Irving
Blazin' - Sonny Stitt, Stitt
Back in Your Own Back Yard - Sonny Stitt, Dreyer
Sweet Jennie Lou - Sonny Stitt, Carpenter
La Vie en Rose - Sonny Stitt, David
Seven Eleven - Sonny Stitt, Carpenter
To Think You've Chosen Me - Sonny Stitt, Benjamin
After You've Gone - Sonny Stitt, Creamer
Our Very Own - Sonny Stitt, Elliott, Jack
'S Wonderful - Sonny Stitt, Gershwin, George
Stringin' the Jug - Sonny Stitt, Ammons
Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You) - Sonny Stitt, Kalmar
Track Listings (26) - Disc #3
Jeepers Creepers - Sonny Stitt, Mercer
Imagination - Sonny Stitt, Burke, Johnny [Lyri
Cherokee - Sonny Stitt, Noble, Ray
'Round About One A.M. - Sonny Stitt, Ammons
Jug - Sonny Stitt, Ammons
Wow - Sonny Stitt, Gee, Matthew
Blue and Sentimental - Sonny Stitt, Basie
Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away) - Sonny Stitt, Gershwin, George
Can't We Be Friends - Sonny Stitt, James
New Blues Up and Down - Sonny Stitt, Ammons
The Thrill of Your Kiss - Sonny Stitt, Carpenter
If the Moon Turns Green - Sonny Stitt, Coates
P.S. I Love You - Sonny Stitt, Jenkins
This Can't Be Love - Sonny Stitt, Hart, Lorenz
Down with It - Sonny Stitt, Carpenter
For the Fat Man - Sonny Stitt, Carpenter
Splinter - Sonny Stitt, Carpenter
Confession' - Sonny Stitt, Dougherty
Undecided - Sonny Stitt, Robin
(It Will Have to Do) Until the Real Thing Comes Along - Sonny Stitt, Cahn
Because of Rain - Sonny Stitt, Cole
Charmine - Sonny Stitt, Pollack
Cool Mambo - Sonny Stitt, Massey, Cal
Sonny Sounds - Sonny Stitt, Massey
Blue Mambo - Sonny Stitt, Massey
Stitt's It - Sonny Stitt, Massey
Sonny Stitt may be one of the most neglected figures of the bop era, a brilliant alto saxophonist unjustly overlooked for his stylistic resemblance to Charlie Parker. But as this exemplary three-CD set demonstrates, Stitt ... more »was his own man, and his style could still serve as a definition of bop, his lithe, high-speed lines and effortless swing propelling him through complex chord changes and sometimes fractured rhythms. Stitt is heard in numerous settings here, from octet to quartet and from appearances with giants like trombonist J.J. Johnson and pianist Bud Powell to journeyman groups that still pulse with the vitality of jazz's first revolution. Stitt's fluid brilliance is as apparent on ballads and standards as it is on the kinetic bop tunes, and it readily translates to tenor saxophone. There are numerous tracks by the two-tenor band he co-led with Gene Ammons, highlighting the contrast between Stitt's swift, complex phrases and Ammons's gruff passion. --Stuart Broomer« less
Sonny Stitt may be one of the most neglected figures of the bop era, a brilliant alto saxophonist unjustly overlooked for his stylistic resemblance to Charlie Parker. But as this exemplary three-CD set demonstrates, Stitt was his own man, and his style could still serve as a definition of bop, his lithe, high-speed lines and effortless swing propelling him through complex chord changes and sometimes fractured rhythms. Stitt is heard in numerous settings here, from octet to quartet and from appearances with giants like trombonist J.J. Johnson and pianist Bud Powell to journeyman groups that still pulse with the vitality of jazz's first revolution. Stitt's fluid brilliance is as apparent on ballads and standards as it is on the kinetic bop tunes, and it readily translates to tenor saxophone. There are numerous tracks by the two-tenor band he co-led with Gene Ammons, highlighting the contrast between Stitt's swift, complex phrases and Ammons's gruff passion. --Stuart Broomer
CD Reviews
I ALWAYS give Sonny Props
Johnny Thursday | NYC Metro Area | 09/15/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"great sounding reissue of hall-of-fame "re-bop, or what you will" with some great jazzy r&b-ish sessions thrown in to boot. Obviously the Sonny quartets (and the J.J. stuff) are what put this over, but having them interspersed with some larger band sessions featuring Jug actually enhances overall listenability. As for the old vocals on a handful of cuts, I like this style a lot, but these don't always sound that great. Not too much of a problem really, as the music is always on point. You also get two of the all time top Bud Powell sessions. Harvey Pekar supplies the notes, and I guess he's a big enough deal nowadays to print that on the box. Even I must admit he does a really good job, better than most of the folks who write for these types of packages. In short, a box for the true believer. (aside from Bud Powell, J.J. Johnson, and Gene Ammons mentioned above, just some of the notable musicians included in this package are: Art Blakely, Nelson Boyd, Kenny Drew, Bennie Green, Jo Jones, Duke Jordan, Junior Mance, Earl May, Tommy Potter, Max Roach, Curly Russell, and Shadow Wilson.)"
Track Listings (25) - Disc #1