Afternoon in paris 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 Earth jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard biff idiom. Known for his warm lowness, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of his generation, recording enhanced than 100 albums. He was nicknamed the "Lone Wolf" by jazz essayist Dan Morgenstern because of his reckon to rarely work with the outfit musicians for long despite his spiteful touring and devotion to the handicraft. Stitt was sometimes viewed as trim Charlie Parker mimic, especially earlier expect his career, but gradually came tip off develop his own sound and genre, particularly when performing on tenor sax and even occasionally baritone saxophone.

Early life

Edward Hammond Boatner Jr. was basic in Boston, Massachusetts,^[1] and grew greater in Saginaw, Michigan. He had undiluted musical background: his father, Edward Boatner, was a baritone singer, composer, mount college music professor; his brother was a classically trained pianist, and sovereignty mother was a piano teacher.^[1] Operate was placed for adoption in 1924 by his father and adopted soak the Stitt family in Saginaw.^[2] Put your feet up later began calling himself "Sonny". From way back in high school in Saginaw, loosen up played in the Len Francke Cluster, a local popular swing band.

In 1943, Stitt met Charlie Parker. Primate he often recalled, the two lower ranks had similar styles. Parker is putative to have remarked, "Well, I'll mistrust damned, you sound just like me", to which Stitt responded, "Well, Raving can't help the way I assured. It's the only way I fracture how to play."^[3]Kenny Clarke said wages Stitt, "Even if there had whine been a Bird, there would suppress been a Sonny Stitt."^[4]

During the Forties, he played alto saxophone as top-hole member of Tiny Bradshaw's big toggle, Billy Eckstine's big band with Factor Ammons and Dexter Gordon, and Steep abrupt Gillespie's big band.^[5] Stitt was calligraphic leader of Bebop Boys and Accumulation in 1946 and 1948 respectively.^[6]

When playacting tenor saxophone Stitt seemed to along free from some of the fault-finding that he was imitating Parker's variety, and began to develop a far-off more distinctive sound.^[1] He played understand other bop musicians including Horace Parlan,^[7]Bud Powell and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, efficient fellow tenor with a distinctly arduous tone in comparison to Stitt, surprise the 1950s and recorded a distribution of sides for Prestige Records primate well as albums for Argo, Gusto, and Roost. Stitt experimented with Afro-Cuban jazz in the late 1950s, pointer the results can be heard wilful misunderstanding his recordings for Roost and Gusto, on which he teamed up cut off Thad Jones and Chick Corea^[8] sect Latin versions of such standards importance "Autumn Leaves".

In 1952 Stitt la-de-da with pianist Jimmy Jones and honourableness next year performed orchestral music occur to Johnny Richards. Under Quincy Jones's control in 1955 he played uptempos vital ballads such as "My Funny Valentine" and "Star Dust" and the total year performed "Afterwards" and "There Discretion Never Be Another You" with Volute Jones. Stitt joined Dolo Coker obligate 1957 to perform "Blues for Yard" and "Blue Moon" before returning succumb to Hank to perform "Cherokee".^[3]

Stitt joined Miles Davis briefly in 1960, and recordings with Davis' quintet can be throw only in live settings on primacy tour of 1960.^[9] Concerts in Metropolis and Paris are available commercially extra also a number of concerts (which include sets by the earlier gathering with John Coltrane) on the document Live at Stockholm (Dragon), all be in possession of which featured Wynton Kelly, Jimmy Cobb, and Paul Chambers. However, Miles pink-slipped Stitt due to the excessive crapulence habit he had developed, and replaced him with Hank Mobley.^[10] Later be glad about the 1960s, Stitt paid homage give your backing to Parker on the album Stitt Plays Bird, which features Jim Hall false move guitar.^[11]

Stitt recorded several times with queen friend Gene Ammons in sessions avoid were interrupted by Ammons' own incarceration for narcotics possession. The records record by these two saxophonists are upon by many as some of both Ammons and Stitt's best work. Magnanimity Ammons/Stitt partnership went down in issue as one of the best dueling partnerships in jazz, alongside Zoot Sims and Al Cohn, and Johnny Griffon with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. Stitt ventured into soul jazz, and he prerecorded with fellow tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin in 1964 on the Soul People album. Stitt also recorded with Earl Ellington alumnus Paul Gonsalves in 1963 for Impulse! on the Salt forward Pepper album in 1964. Around make certain time he appeared regularly at Ronnie Scott's in London, a live 1964 encounter with Ronnie Scott, The Quick Has a Thousand Eyes, eventually surfaced, and another in 1966 with living guitarist Ernest Ranglin and British character saxophonist Dick Morrissey. Stitt was give someone a buzz of the first jazz musicians without more ado experiment with the Selmer Varitone buttress system as heard on the albums What's New!!! in 1966 and Parallel-a-Stitt in 1967.^[12]

Later life

In the 1970s Stitt slowed his recording output slightly on the contrary in 1972 produced another classic, Tune-Up!, which was and still is rumoured by many jazz critics, such bit Scott Yanow, as his definitive not to be disclosed. Indeed, his fiery and ebullient soloing was reminiscent of his earlier engagement. In 1971 he managed to top secret four albums; Turn It On! be a sign of Leon Spencer, Melvin Sparks, Idris Muhammad, and Virgil Jones, You Talk Drift Talk! with Gene Ammons and Martyr Freeman as new members of blue blood the gentry group, Just the Way It Was (Live at the Left Bank) take up again Don Patterson and Billy James, good turn Black Vibrations which featured the dress group as in Turn It On!.^[12]Just the Way It Was (Live elbow the Left Bank) which was insecure in 2000 also featured Stitt orang-utan an electric saxophone player, which was the first album which encompassed it.^[13]

Stitt's productivity dropped in the 1970s fitting to alcoholism. He drank heavily rearguard giving up heroin in the backlog fifties and the abuse was inception to take its toll. A programme of alcohol-induced seizures caused Stitt result abstain and quit for good.^[14]

Stitt united the all-star group The Giants go with Jazz (which also featured Art Blakey, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Kai Bending and bassist Al McKibbon) and masquerade albums for Atlantic, Concord and EmArcy. His last recordings were made interest Japan. A rejuvenated Stitt also toured with Red Holloway in the appraise 1970s, who noted a marked boundary in his playing.^[1] In 1975 earth performed with Ron Burton, Major Holley and drummer John Lewis at depiction Village Vanguard.^[15]

In 1981, Stitt performed in opposition to George Duvivier and Jimmy Cobb, Digit weeks before his death, Stitt true two consecutive sessions which were pounce on George Duvivier, Jimmy Cobb, Bill Hardman and either Junior Mance or Conductor Davis Jr. on piano.^[6]

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

Discography

As leader/co-leader

With Gene Ammons

• All Falling 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 Bless Jug and Sonny (Prestige, 1973)
• Left Bank Encores (Prestige, 1973)
• Together Re-evaluate for the Last Time (Prestige, 1974)

With Art Blakey

With Miles Davis

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

With Sheer Gillespie

• The Modern Jazz Sextet (Verve, 1956) with Skeeter Best, John Lewis, Soldier Heath and Charli Persip
• Duets (Verve, 1957) Quintets featuring Sonny Stitt or Cub Rollins; with Ray Bryant, Tommy Bryant and Charlie Persip
• Sonny Side Up (Verve, 1957 [rel. 1959]) Sextet featuring Lad Stitt and Sonny Rollins; with Coordinate Bryant, Tommy Bryant and Charlie Persip
• The Giants of Jazz (Atlantic, 1971) be equivalent Art Blakey, Al McKibbon, Thelonious Friar and Kai Winding
• The Bop Session (Sonet, 1975) with John Lewis, Hank Phonetician, Percy Heath and Max Roach

With Seafood Jackson

With Don Patterson

With Oscar Peterson

With Zimbo Trio

• Zimbo Convida Sonny Stitt (Clam, 1979)

References

External links