interviews with Rose Marie, Jenifer Lewis ....

At JazzWax this weekend, links to my interviews with Rose Marie, Jenifer Lewis, Ashley Judd and Bernard King, plus Count Basie, Jon Hendricks, Gerry Mulligan, Sonny Stitt and more... https://t.co/CmZgQOJGUH pic.twitter.com/swOef1gIo5

— Marc Myers (@JazzWax) November 25, 2017

Dizzy Gillespie / Sonny Rollins / Sonny Stitt -"The Eternal Triangle"

Published on Mar 8, 2013
Sonny Side Up is an album by trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, and the tenor saxophonists Sonny Stitt and Sonny Rollins, recorded in December 1957 in New York City. It was released the following year on producer Norman Granz' just launched Verve label.

Pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Tommy Bryant, and drummer Charlie Persip provide the rhythm section.

Today at JazzWax .....

Today at JazzWax, fantastic video of Dizzy Gillespie and Sonny Stitt in 1958 #jazz #dizzy https://t.co/bsk5whzCFR pic.twitter.com/9YwAoAamMh

— Marc Myers (@JazzWax) August 5, 2016

Sonny Stitt

Can we get some love for sonny Stitt? he kills it over these changes https://t.co/p5sWLoJEXP

— AddictedToJazz (@AddictedToJazz) August 5, 2016

Sonny Stitt - A JazzProfiles Snapshot

© -  Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.

"I'm no new Bird, man!...Nobody's Bird. Bird died."

So Sonny Stitt, without a doubt one of the finest jazz saxophonists, told writer Dave Bittan in a 1959 Down Beat feature, responding to a remark about how his music was so much like Charlie Parker's. - Zan Stewart, insert notes to The Complete Roost Sonny Stitt Studios Sessions [Mosaic Records MD9-208]

“One of the most recorded musicians of all time—as a leader, not a sideman—Sonny Stitt sometimes seemed indifferent to the music he was playing. Not that he was likely to disappoint his audience, who, he knew, couldn't detect for the most part when he was on and when he was coasting; after all, he could coast with head-spinning virtuosity. But there was a touch of cynicism. A record session, finally, was just another gig — a fast taste, no royalties. The blues, "I Got Rhythm," a couple of standards. Still, he countered that cynicism with the conviction, shared by numberless jazz musicians about their own work, that the knowing audience, however small, would recognize the diamonds, would distinguish what was great from what was merely professional. … His best work, those diamonds, will live as long as anything in Jazz.” - Gary Giddins, Rhythm-a-ning: Jazz Tradition and Innovation

“Today it takes something out of the ordinary to inspire Stitt to his full powers.” - Ira Gitler, Jazz author and critic [writing in 1966]

Writing in Sonny Stitt: Endgame Brilliance - Tune-Up! - Constellation [32jazz 32009] producer Joel Dorn commented:

“Tune-Up! and Constellation are among the best records Sonny Stitt ever made and, without question, are the two finest examples of his late period work. Aside from their inherent musical brilliance, they go a long way to show just why Stitt was so respected by his peers and revered as one of the giants of modern jazz. Both records were originally released on the now defunct Muse label. Even though Constellation was nominated for a Grammy, and Tune-Up! was as critically acclaimed, both records have been relatively hard to find. Now they're both on one disk.

This is the first "two-far" on 32 Jazz. Our goal is to give you as much attractively-packaged, great music for the dollar as is humanly possible. I hope you enjoy our initial offering 'cause we got nothing but great music coming your way.”

read more: http://jazzprofiles.blogspot.com.br/2015/07/sonny-stitt-jazzprofiles-snapshot.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+JazzProfiles+(Jazz+Profiles)

Videos: Sonny Stitt, London 1964

Reprinted from http://jazzwax.com

When I was a kid in the '70s, Sonny Stitt was my favorite saxophonist. I loved his lyricism, aggression and intensity. Then I tried to collect him and found it impossible. There were simply too many recordings, and back then albums cost real money, which didn't come easy to teens. I'm still collecting Stitt all these years later and still not done. Here are three terrific videos of the saxophonist...

Here's Sonny Stitt on London's Jazz 625 on Oct. 18, 1964. He's joined by bebop legends Howard McGhee (tp), J.J. Johnson (tb), Walter Bishop (p), Tommy Potter (b) and Kenny Clarke (d) playing Buzzy...

Here's the same band playing My Little Suede Shoes...

And here's Stitt on the ballad Lover Man (dig the rundown at the end)...

Used with permission by Marc Myers

Sonny Stitt: Varitone Redux

Reprinted from http://jazzwax.com - By the end of 1964, the saxophone's fate was pretty much sealed. For more than 30 years, the reed instrument along with the trumpet had been played by superstar jazz performers who 

typically led groups or were at least main soloists. But with pop-rock's arrival in the early 1960s, the Beatles' euphoric invasion in '64 and Bob Dylan's electric conversion in mid-'65, the saxophone was fast taking a backseat to the electric guitar.

Panicked, the Selmer Co. began experimenting with an electronic saxophone. The instrument known as the Varitone featured amicrophone inside and pickup device outside so that normal playing technique would not have to be altered. Wires ran from the pickup to an amp, and knobs allowed the musician to control the volume and tone quality. In addition, the musician could add echo, tremolo and a synthesized tone an octave below the note played. Selmer's hope was that by electrifying the sax, jazz players would embrace it, giving the instrument sex-appeal and attracting younger audiences.

But the Varitone's sound wasn't that electric sounding nor was it anything like the electronic hookups that would be attached to trumpets in later years to make them sound like piercing guitars. Instead, the Varitone merely made the saxophone sound as if it had swallowed a kazoo.

One of the first saxophonists to record on Selmer's Varitone was Eddie Harris in March 1966 (Mean Greens for Atlantic). Hot on Harris' heels was Sonny Stitt, whose first electric sax date was What's New!!! Stitt Plays the Varitonein July '66 for Roulette. While Harris embraced the instrument and leveraged well for soul-jazz, Stitt never was fully comfortable playing it given his strong bebop roots.

Stitt used the Varitone on 13 albums between 1966 and 1971 for a range of record labels. In the years after the Varitone's appeal peaked, the instrument quickly came to be viewed by many jazz fans as a source of amusement—a silly, ill-conceived attempt to please the kids. As for Stitt's Varitone recordings, they've been dismissed, forgotten and in some cases scorned.

But not so fast. After giving most of his Varitone albums a fresh listen, I've found that many sound much more interesting than Iremember them. In short, Stitt's tenor Varitone ventures have a richer, fuller tone while his alto Varitone dates typically are less successful, bordering on annoying. What's more, Stitt over time found the instrument's sweet spot and used it to great effect.

Here are Stitt's Varitone albums:

What's New!!!—Roulette/July 1966. Joe Wilder, Eddie Preston (tp) J.J. Johnson (tb) Sonny Stitt (el-as,el-ts) Illinois Jacquet (ts,el-ts-1) George Berg (bar) Billy Taylor (p) / Ellis Larkins (p) Wild Bill Davis (org) / Ernie Hayes (org) Mike Mainieri (vib) Les Spann (g) Jan Arnet (b) / George Duvivier (b) Walter Perkins (d). Never issued on CD.

I Keep Coming Back! Sonny Stitt on the Varitone—Roulette/1966. Clark Terry, Joe Newman (tp,flugelhornn) Urbie Green, Dickie Harris (tb) Sonny Stitt (varitone-sax) Jerry Dodgion (as) Hank Freeman (sax) SEldon Powell (ts) George Berg (bar) Ellis Larkins (p) Mike Mainieri (vib) Les Spann (g) George Duvivier (b) or Milt Hinton (b) Walter Perkins (d). Never issued on CD.

Parallel-a-Stitt: Stitt on the Varitone—Roulette/1967. Sonny Stitt (varitone) Jerome Richardson (alto-fl) George Berg (bar) Don Patterson (org) George Duvivier (b) Walter Jones (d) + others. Never issued on CD.

Made for Each Other—Delmark/July 1968. With organist DonPatterson and drummer Billy James. Solid soulful organ trio date with the sound of the Varitone playing smartly up against the Hammond B-3.You'll find Made for Each Other here.

Soul Electricity—Prestige/Sept. 1968. Sonny Stitt (varitone as,ts) Don Patterson (org) Billy Butler (g) Billy James (d). Superb date. Among the best in the series. Tracks 7-14 make upSoul Electricity on the CDLegends of Acid Jazz: Sonny Stitt/Don Patterson Vol. 2.

Little Green Apples—SolidState/Oct. 1968. Joseph De Angelis, Don Corrado (fhr) Sonny Stitt (varitone as) Haywood Henry (bar) Paul Griffin (p) Eric Gale (g) Bob Bushnell (el-b) Joe Marshall (d) Jimmy Mundy (arr,cond). Never issued on CD.

Come Hither—Solid State/1968. Joseph De Angelis, Don Corrado (fhr) Sonny Stitt (varitone as) Jerome Richardson (bar) Paul Griffin (p,org) Billy Butler (g) Bob Bushnell (el-b) Joe Marshall (d) Jimmy Mundy (arr). Never issued on CD, but probably among the worst in the Varitone series.

Brothers 4—Prestige/Sept.1969. Sonny Stitt (ts,varitone sax) Don Patterson (org) Grant Green (g) Billy James (d). This was a Patterson date with plenty of Stitt cooking. You'll find Brothers 4 here.

Night Letter—Prestige/Oct. 1969. Sonny Stitt (varitone) Gene Ludwig (org) Pat Martino (g) Randy Gelispie (d). A more soulful date, particularly on the gorgeous ballads When It's Sleepy Time Down South andPretend. Night Letter is available on the two-fer CDNight Letter/Soul Shack(tracks 7-12).

Turn It On!—Prestige/Jan. 1971. Virgil Jones (tp) Sonny Stitt (el-ts) Leon Spencer, Jr. (org) Melvin Sparks (g) Idris Muhammad (d). A mix of funky-soul tracks, ballads and two standards (Cry Me a River andThere Are Such Things). Turn It On! is part of the two-fer CDSonny Stitt: Legends of Acid Jazz (tracks 1-5). The other half is Black Vibrations (see below).

You Talk That Talk!—Prestige/Feb. 1971. Gene Ammons/Sonny Stitt : Gene Ammons (ts) Sonny Stitt (ts,el-sax) Leon Spencer, Jr. (org) George Freeman (g) Idris Muhammad (d). A killer album and one of the finest that Sonny recorded in the '70s. Includes boastful soul-jazz blues as well as a big ballad each for Stitt (Body and Soul) and Ammons (The Sun Died). You'll find You Talk That Talk! as part of the CD Gene Ammons: Legends of Acid Jazz (tracks 7-12).

Just the Way It Was: Live at the Left Bank—Label M/March 1971. Sonny Stitt (sax) Don Patterson (org) Billy James (d). A sizzlingly successful date at  the Famous Ballroom at the Left Bank Jazz Society in Baltimore. You'll find Just the Way It Was on Sonny Stitt: Live and Rare Sessions(Deuces Wild, Samba de Orpheus, Who Can I Turn To?, Cry Me a River, The Shadow of Your Smile andBlues Up and Down).

Black Vibrations—Prestige/July 1971. Virgil Jones (tp) Sonny Stitt (el-ts) Leon Spencer, Jr.(org) Melvin Sparks (g) Idris Muhammad (d). A beautifully paced soul-jazz album, particularly Goin' to DC, Airesand Where Is Love. A fitting, sensual exit from the Varitone for Stitt. You'll find Black Vibrations on Sonny Stitt: Legends of Acid Jazz (tracks 6-11). - Used with permission by Marc Myers

Joe Diorio and Sonny Stitt

Reprinted from http://jazzwax.com
Guitarist Joe Diorio recorded only two albums with saxophonist Sonny Stitt. Both are among my favorite Stitt recordings thanks to Diorio's extraordinary swinging rhythm guitar playing and soulful fills. The first of the pair was Move on Over (1963) and the second was My Main Man (1964). Both were recorded for the Argo label and both featured Stitt in peak form on alto and tenor saxes.

On these dates, Diorio provides aggressive, rhythmic chord comping and ringing guitar solos that linger long after the albums are over. For me, Diorio on these albums rivals Stitt in excitement and catchy ideas—so much so that I often think of them as Diorio's sessions rather than Stitt's.
Diorio, 74, was born in Waterbury, Conn., and studied formally in the 1950s. He has played with Eddie Harris, Ira Sullivan, Stan Getz, Pat Metheny, Horace Silver, and Freddie Hubbard, among others. In 2005, Diorio suffered a debilitating stroke and has been struggling to regain use of his left arm ever since. For more on Diorio's background and career, Bill Milkowski wrote a fine piece in JazzTimes in 2008 here.

Move on Over was a quintet date with Stitt on alto and tenor saxes, Nicky Hill on tenor sax, Eddie Buster on organ, Diorio on guitar and Gerald Donovan on drums. Diorio here is tasteful and swinging, supporting Stitt perfectly with groovy chord voicings and tasty harmony lines. Many of the tracks open with Diorio's clarion chords setting the mood. Among the finest examples are Stormy Weather, Love Letters and Shut the Back Door.

My Main Man also was a quintet date, teaming Stitt with trombonist Bennie Green. Joining the front line was Bobby Buster on organ, Diorio on guitar and Dorrell Anderson on drums. This album features three hip bossa novas—Our Day Will Come, The Night Has a Thousand Eyes and Flame and Frost. Dig Diorio's rhythm playing here and his deep, rich solo on the last of the three tunes. The remaining tracks are blues.

I have not kept up with Joe Diorio's health progress, but I hope he's mending. These albums remain great rhythm guitar works, with Diorio courageously popping and swinging behind one of the most dynamic and dominant saxophonists of the period.

JazzWax tracks: Sonny Stitt's Move on Over with Joe Diorio is available on Move on Over: The Eddie Buster Sides (Jazz Beat). The CD includes Move on Over and Stitt's At the DJ Lounge (1961), recorded live in Washington, D.C. The CD is available here.

My Main Man is available at iTunes or here. You'll find Diorio's other albums as a sideman and a leader at iTunes and at the sites of online CD retailers.

JazzWax clip: For a sense of Joe Diorio's enormous technique and taste, here's a clip of him playing Autumn Leaves...

http://www.jazzwax.com/2010/09/joe-diorio-and-sonny-stitt.html
Used with permission by Marc Myers