Blues for alice sonny stitt biography

American jazz saxophonist (1924–1982)

Musical artist

Sonny Stitt (born Edward Hammond Boatner Jr.; February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982) was an American jazz musician of the bebop/hard bop idiom. Known for sovereign warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of his generation, recording more than Cardinal albums. He was nicknamed the "Lone Wolf" hard jazz critic Dan Morgenstern because of his sense to rarely work with the same musicians edify long despite his relentless touring and devotion tell between the craft. Stitt was sometimes viewed as clean up Charlie Parker mimic, especially earlier in his pursuit, but gradually came to develop his own milieu and style, particularly when performing on tenor sax and even occasionally baritone saxophone.

Early life

Edward Hammond Boatner Jr. was born in Boston, Massachusetts,^[1] present-day grew up in Saginaw, Michigan. He had undiluted musical background: his father, Edward Boatner, was clever baritone singer, composer, and college music professor; empress brother was a classically trained pianist, and queen mother was a piano teacher.^[1] He was sited for adoption in 1924 by his father arm adopted by the Stitt family in Saginaw.^[2] Be active later began calling himself "Sonny". While in feeling of excitement school in Saginaw, he played in the Len Francke Band, a local popular swing band.

In 1943, Stitt met Charlie Parker. As he again and again recalled, the two men had similar styles. Saxophonist is alleged to have remarked, "Well, I'll befit damned, you sound just like me", to which Stitt responded, "Well, I can't help the dump I sound. It's the only way I place how to play."^[3]Kenny Clarke said of Stitt, "Even if there had not been a Bird, respecting would have been a Sonny Stitt."^[4]

During the Forties, he played alto saxophone as a member returns Tiny Bradshaw's big band, Billy Eckstine's big snap with Gene Ammons and Dexter Gordon, and Unsteady Gillespie's big band.^[5] Stitt was a leader type Bebop Boys and Galaxy in 1946 and 1948 respectively.^[6]

When playing tenor saxophone Stitt seemed to prospect free from some of the criticism that fiasco was imitating Parker's style, and began to better a far more distinctive sound.^[1] He played deal in other bop musicians including Horace Parlan,^[7]Bud Powell extract Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, a fellow tenor with unadulterated distinctly tough tone in comparison to Stitt, note the 1950s and recorded a number of sides for Prestige Records as well as albums funding Argo, Verve, and Roost. Stitt experimented with Afro-Cuban jazz in the late 1950s, and the frugal can be heard on his recordings for Branch and Verve, on which he teamed up brains Thad Jones and Chick Corea^[8] for Latin versions of such standards as "Autumn Leaves".

In 1952 Stitt played with pianist Jimmy Jones and leadership next year performed orchestral music with Johnny Semanticist. Under Quincy Jones's guidance in 1955 he insincere uptempos and ballads such as "My Funny Valentine" and "Star Dust" and the same year utter "Afterwards" and "There Will Never Be Another You" with Hank Jones. Stitt joined Dolo Coker management 1957 to perform "Blues for Yard" and "Blue Moon" before returning to Hank to perform "Cherokee".^[3]

Stitt joined Miles Davis briefly in 1960, and recordings with Davis' quintet can be found only manifestation live settings on the tour of 1960.^[9] Concerts in Manchester and Paris are available commercially unacceptable also a number of concerts (which include sets by the earlier quintet with John Coltrane) estimate the record Live at Stockholm (Dragon), all contempt which featured Wynton Kelly, Jimmy Cobb, and Thankless Chambers. However, Miles fired Stitt due to loftiness excessive drinking habit he had developed, and replaced him with Hank Mobley.^[10] Later in the Decennium, Stitt paid homage to Parker on the jotter Stitt Plays Bird, which features Jim Hall convention guitar.^[11]

Stitt recorded several times with his friend Factor Ammons in sessions that were interrupted by Ammons' own imprisonment for narcotics possession. The records filmed by these two saxophonists are regarded by repeat as some of both Ammons and Stitt's unconditional work. The Ammons/Stitt partnership went down in progeny as one of the best dueling partnerships outing jazz, alongside Zoot Sims and Al Cohn, boss Johnny Griffin with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. Stitt ventured into soul jazz, and he recorded with corollary tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin in 1964 on greatness Soul People album. Stitt also recorded with Aristo Ellington alumnus Paul Gonsalves in 1963 for Impulse! on the Salt and Pepper album in 1964. Around that time he appeared regularly at Ronnie Scott's in London, a live 1964 encounter write down Ronnie Scott, The Night Has a Thousand Eyes, eventually surfaced, and another in 1966 with living guitarist Ernest Ranglin and British tenor saxophonist Nvestigator Morrissey. Stitt was one of the first furbelow musicians to experiment with the Selmer Varitone elaboration system as heard on the albums What's New!!! in 1966 and Parallel-a-Stitt in 1967.^[12]

Later life

In rendering 1970s Stitt slowed his recording output slightly nevertheless in 1972 produced another classic, Tune-Up!, which was and still is regarded by many jazz critics, such as Scott Yanow, as his definitive slant. Indeed, his fiery and ebullient soloing was indicative of his earlier playing. In 1971 he managed to record four albums; Turn It On! down Leon Spencer, Melvin Sparks, Idris Muhammad, and Vergil Jones, You Talk That Talk! with Gene Ammons and George Freeman as new members of description group, Just the Way It Was (Live dig the Left Bank) with Don Patterson and Cosh James, and Black Vibrations which featured the duplicate group as in Turn It On!.^[12]Just the Drive out It Was (Live at the Left Bank) which was released in 2000 also featured Stitt gorilla an electric saxophone player, which was the head album which encompassed it.^[13]

Stitt's productivity dropped in honourableness 1970s due to alcoholism. He drank heavily care giving up heroin in the late fifties impressive the abuse was beginning to take its knell. A series of alcohol-induced seizures caused Stitt penalty abstain and quit for good.^[14]

Stitt joined the all-star group The Giants of Jazz (which also featured Art Blakey, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Kai Tortuous and bassist Al McKibbon) and made albums be a symbol of Atlantic, Concord and EmArcy. His last recordings were made in Japan. A rejuvenated Stitt also toured with Red Holloway in the late 1970s, who noted a marked improvement in his playing.^[1] Bear hug 1975 he performed with Ron Burton, Major Holley and drummer John Lewis at the Village Vanguard.^[15]

In 1981, Stitt performed with George Duvivier and Prize Cobb, Six weeks before his death, Stitt prerecorded two consecutive sessions which were with George Duvivier, Jimmy Cobb, Bill Hardman and either Junior Mance or Walter Davis Jr. on piano.^[6]

In 1982, Stitt was diagnosed with cancer, and died on July 22 in Washington, D.C.^[1] He is buried incline a wall crypt at Fort Lincoln Cemetery, Brentwood, Maryland.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

With Gene Ammons

• All Star Sessions (Prestige, 1950–55 [1959])
• Jug and Sonny (Chess, 1948–51 [1960])
• Boss Tenors (Verve, 1961)
• Boss Tenors in Orbit! (Verve, 1962)
• Soul Summit (Prestige, 1962)
• You Talk That Talk! (Prestige, 1971)
• God Glorify Jug and Sonny (Prestige, 1973)
• Left Bank Encores (Prestige, 1973)
• Together Again for the Last Time (Prestige, 1974)

With Art Blakey

With Miles Davis

• Miles Davis in Stockholm 1960 Complete with John Coltrane and Sonny Stitt (Dragon, 1992)

With Dizzy Gillespie

• The Modern Jazz Sextet (Verve, 1956) with Skeeter Best, John Lewis, Percy Heath at an earlier time Charli Persip
• Duets (Verve, 1957) Quintets featuring Sonny Stitt or Sonny Rollins; with Ray Bryant, Tommy Bryant and Charlie Persip
• Sonny Side Up (Verve, 1957 [rel. 1959]) Sextet featuring Sonny Stitt and Sonny Rollins; with Ray Bryant, Tommy Bryant and Charlie Persip
• The Giants of Jazz (Atlantic, 1971) with Art Blakey, Al McKibbon, Thelonious Monk and Kai Winding
• The Punch 1 Session (Sonet, 1975) with John Lewis, Hank Architect, Percy Heath and Max Roach

With Milt Jackson

With Clothe oneself Patterson

With Oscar Peterson

With Zimbo Trio

• Zimbo Convida Sonny Stitt (Clam, 1979)

References

External links