Edward Hammond Boatner Jr. (February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982), known professionally as Sonny Stitt, was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

saxophonist of the bebop/ hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of his generation, recording more than 100 albums. He was nicknamed the "Lone Wolf" by jazz critic Dan Morgenstern because of his relentless touring and devotion to jazz yet rarely worked with the same musicians for long. Stitt was sometimes viewed as a

Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...

mimic, especially earlier in his career, but gradually came to develop his own sound and style, particularly when performing on

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while ...

and even occasionally

baritone saxophone The baritone saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of instruments, larger (and lower-pitched) than the tenor saxophone, but smaller (and higher-pitched) than the bass. It is the lowest-pitched saxophone in common use - the bass, contrab ...

Early life

Edward Hammond Boatner, Jr. was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in

Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greate ...

. He had a musical background: his father,

Edward Boatner Edward Hammond Boatner (1898–1981) was an American composer who wrote many popular concert arrangements of Black American spirituals. Biography Boatner was educated at Western University in Quindaro, Kansas, Boston Conservatory and recei ...

, was a baritone singer, composer, and college music professor; his brother was a classically trained pianist, and his mother was a piano teacher. He was given up for adoption in 1924 by his father and adopted by the Stitt family in Saginaw. He later began calling himself "Sonny". While in high school in Saginaw, he played in the Len Francke Band, a local popular swing band. In 1943, Stitt met

. As he often recalled, the two men had similar styles. Parker is alleged to have remarked, "Well, I'll be damned, you sound just like me", to which Stitt responded, "Well, I can't help the way I sound. It's the only way I know how to play." Kenny Clarke said of Stitt, "Even if there had not been a Bird, there would have been a Sonny Stitt." During the 1940s, he played alto saxophone as a member of Tiny Bradshaw's big band,

Billy Eckstine William Clarence Eckstine (July 8, 1914 – March 8, 1993) was an American jazz and pop singer and a bandleader during the swing and bebop eras. He was noted for his rich, almost operatic bass-baritone voice. In 2019, Eckstine was posthumously ...

's big band with

Gene Ammons Eugene "Jug" Ammons (April 14, 1925 – August 6, 1974), also known as "The Boss", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. The son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons, Gene Ammons is remembered for his accessible music, steeped in soul and ...

and Dexter Gordon, and

Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but a ...

's big band. Stitt was a leader of Bebop Boys and Galaxy in 1946 and 1948 respectively. When playing tenor saxophone Stitt seemed to break free from some of the criticism that he was imitating Parker's style, and began to develop a far more distinctive sound. He played with other bop musicians including

Horace Parlan Horace Parlan (January 19, 1931 – February 23, 2017) was an American pianist and composer known for working in the hard bop and post-bop styles of jazz. In addition to his work as a bandleader Parlan was known for his contributions to the Cha ...

Bud Powell Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell (September 27, 1924 – July 31, 1966) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Along with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke and Dizzy Gillespie, Powell was a leading figure in the development of mode ...

and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, a fellow tenor with a distinctly tough tone in comparison to Stitt, in the 1950s and recorded a number of sides for

Prestige Records Prestige Records is a jazz record company and label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock in New York City which issued recordings in the mainstream, bop, and cool jazz idioms. The company recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz music ...

as well as albums for

Argo In Greek mythology the ''Argo'' (; in Greek: ) was a ship built with the help of the gods that Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece. The ship has gone on to be used as a motif in a variety of ...

, Verve, and Roost. Stitt experimented with Afro-Cuban jazz in the late 1950s, and the results can be heard on his recordings for Roost and Verve, on which he teamed up with Thad Jones and

Chick Corea Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was an American jazz composer, pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain", " 500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba", and ...

for Latin versions of such standards as " Autumn Leaves". In 1952 Stitt played with pianist Jimmy Jones and the next year performed orchestral music with Johnny Richards. Under Quincy Jones's guidance in 1955 he played uptempos and

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or '' ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

s such as "My Funny Valentine" and "Star Dust" and the same year performed "Afterwards" and "There Will Never Be Another You" with

Hank Jones Henry Jones Jr. (July 31, 1918 – May 16, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Critics and musicians described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, and impeccable. In 1989, The National Endowment for the Arts honored ...

. Stitt joined

Dolo Coker Charles Mitchell "Dolo" Coker (November 16, 1927 – April 13, 1983) was a jazz pianist and composer who recorded four albums for Xanadu Records and extensively as a sideman, for artists like Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons, Lou Donaldson, Art Pepper, ...

in 1957 to perform "Blues for Yard" and "Blue Moon" before returning to Hank to perform "Cherokee". Stitt joined

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...

briefly in 1960, and recordings with Davis' quintet can be found only in live settings on the tour of 1960. Concerts in Manchester and Paris are available commercially and also a number of concerts (which include sets by the earlier quintet with John Coltrane) on the record ''Live at Stockholm'' (

Dragon A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted a ...

), all of which featured Wynton Kelly,

Jimmy Cobb Wilbur James "Jimmy" Cobb (January 20, 1929May 24, 2020) was an American jazz drummer. He was part of Miles Davis's First Great Sextet. At the time of his death, he had been the band's last surviving member for nearly thirty years. He was ...

, and Paul Chambers. However, Miles fired Stitt due to the excessive drinking habit he had developed, and replaced him with

Hank Mobley Henry "Hank" Mobley (July 7, 1930 – May 30, 1986) was an American hard bop and soul jazz tenor saxophonist and composer. Mobley was described by Leonard Feather as the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone", a metaphor used to de ...

. Later in the 1960s, Stitt paid homage to Parker on the album ''Stitt Plays Bird'', which features Jim Hall on guitar. Stitt recorded several times with his friend

in sessions that were interrupted by Ammons' own imprisonment for narcotics possession. The records recorded by these two saxophonists are regarded by many as some of both Ammons and Stitt's best work. The Ammons/Stitt partnership went down in posterity as one of the best dueling partnerships in jazz, alongside

Zoot Sims John Haley "Zoot" Sims (October 29, 1925 – March 23, 1985) was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor but also alto (and, later, soprano) saxophone. He first gained attention in the "Four Brothers" sax section of Woody Herman's big ...

and Al Cohn, and Johnny Griffin with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. Stitt ventured into soul jazz, and he recorded with fellow tenor saxophonist

Booker Ervin Booker Telleferro Ervin II (October 31, 1930 – August 31, 1970) was an American tenor saxophone player. His tenor playing was characterised by a strong, tough sound and blues/gospel phrasing. He is remembered for his association with bassi ...

in 1964 on the ''

Soul People ''Soul People'' is an album by American saxophonists Sonny Stitt and Booker Ervin, and organist Don Patterson. Just like his previous ''Soul Shack'', ''Soul People'' features heavily blues-drenched jazz. The original album was recorded in 1964 a ...

'' album. Stitt also recorded with

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was bas ...

alumnus

Paul Gonsalves Paul Gonsalves ( – ) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist best known for his association with Duke Ellington. At the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, Gonsalves played a 27-chorus solo in the middle of Ellington's " Diminuendo and Crescendo in Bl ...

in 1963 for Impulse! on the ''

Salt and Pepper Salt and pepper is the common name for edible salt and ground black pepper, which are ubiquitously paired on Western dining tables as to allow for the additional seasoning of food after its preparation. During food preparation or cooking, they ...

'' album in 1964. Around that time he appeared regularly at Ronnie Scott's in London, a live 1964 encounter with Ronnie Scott, ''The Night Has a Thousand Eyes'', eventually surfaced, and another in 1966 with resident guitarist Ernest Ranglin and British tenor saxophonist Dick Morrissey. Stitt was one of the first jazz musicians to experiment with the Selmer Varitone amplification system as heard on the albums '' What's New!!!'' in 1966 and ''

Parallel-a-Stitt ''Parallel-a-Stitt'' (subtitled ''Sonny Stitt on the Varitone'') is an album by saxophonist Sonny Stitt recorded in 1967 and released on the Roulette label. The album represents Stitt's third featuring the varitone, an electronic amplification devi ...

'' in 1967.

Later life

In the 1970s Stitt slowed his recording output slightly but in 1972 produced another classic, ''

Tune-Up! ''Tune-Up!'' is an album by saxophonist Sonny Stitt recorded in 1972 and released on the Cobblestone label.Scott Yanow Scott Yanow (born October 4, 1954) is an American jazz reviewer, historian, and author. Allmusic Biography/ref> Biography Yanow was born in New York City and grew up near Los Angeles. Since 1974, he was a regular reviewer of many jazz styles a ...

, as his definitive record. Indeed, his fiery and ebullient soloing was reminiscent of his earlier playing. In 1971 he managed to record four albums; '' Turn It On!'' with Leon Spencer, Melvin Sparks,

Idris Muhammad Idris Muhammad ( ar, إدريس محمد; born Leo Morris; November 13, 1939 – July 29, 2014) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He had an extensive career performing jazz, funk, R&B, and soul music and recorded with musicians such a ...

, and Virgil Jones, '' You Talk That Talk!'' with

and George Freeman as new members of the group, ''Just The Way It Was - Live At The Left Bank'' with Don Patterson and Billy James, and '' Black Vibrations'' which featured the same group as in ''Turn It On!''. ''Just The Way It Was - Live At The Left Bank'' which was released in 2000 also featured Stitt as an electric saxophone player, which was the first album which encompassed it. Stitt's productivity dropped in the 1970s due to alcoholism. He drank heavily after giving up

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and bro ...

in the late fifties and the abuse was beginning to take its toll. A series of alcohol-induced

seizure An epileptic seizure, informally known as a seizure, is a period of symptoms due to abnormally excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. Outward effects vary from uncontrolled shaking movements involving much of the body with lo ...

s caused Stitt to abstain and quit for good. Stitt joined the all-star group The Giants of Jazz (which also featured

Art Blakey Arthur Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He was also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after he converted to Islam for a short time in the late 1940s. Blakey made a name for himself in the ...

Thelonious Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk (, October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including " 'Round Midnight", ...

Kai Winding Kai Chresten Winding ( ; May 18, 1922 – May 6, 1983) was a Danish-born American trombonist and jazz composer. He is known for his collaborations with fellow trombonist J. J. Johnson. His version of "More", the theme from the movie '' Mondo Ca ...

and bassist Al McKibbon) and made albums for

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

Concord Concord may refer to: Meaning "agreement" * Pact or treaty, frequently between nations (indicating a condition of harmony) * Harmony, in music * Agreement (linguistics), a change in the form of a word depending on grammatical features of other ...

and

EmArcy EmArcy Records is a jazz record label founded in 1954 by the American Mercury Records. The name is a phonetic spelling of "MRC", the initials for Mercury Record Company. During the 1950s and 1960s, musicians such as Max Roach, Clifford Brown, ...

. 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. In 1975 he performed with Ron Burton, Major Holley and drummer John Lewis at the Village Vanguard. In 1981, Stitt performed with

George Duvivier George Duvivier (August 17, 1920 – July 11, 1985) was an American jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in ...

and

, Six weeks before his death, Stitt recorded two last consecutive sessions which were with George Duvivier, Jimmy Cobb, Bill Hardman and either Junior Mance or

Walter Davis Jr. Walter Davis Jr. (September 2, 1932 – June 2, 1990) was an American bebop and hard bop pianist. Davis once left the music world to be a tailor, but returned. A soloist, bandleader, and accompanist, he amassed a body of work while never be ...

on piano. In 1982, Stitt was diagnosed with

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

, and died on July 22 in Washington, D.C. He is buried in a wall crypt at Fort Lincoln Cemetery, Brentwood, Maryland.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

*1949–50: '' Sonny Stitt/Bud Powell/J. J. Johnson'' ( Prestige, 1956) *1950: '' Stitt's Bits'' (Prestige, 1958) *1950–52: '' Kaleidoscope'' (Prestige, 1957) *1953: '' Sonny Stitt Playing Arrangements from the Pen of Johnny Richards'' (Roost) *1954: '' Jazz at the Hi-Hat'' ( Roost) *1954: '' The Battle of Birdland'' (Roost) with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis *1955: '' Sonny Stitt Plays Arrangements from the Pen of Quincy Jones'' (Roost) *1956: '' Sonny Stitt Plays'' (Roost) *1956: '' New York Jazz'' ( Verve) *1956: ''

For Musicians Only ''For Musicians Only'' is a 1958 jazz album by Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz and Sonny Stitt incorporating bebop influences. Recorded in Los Angeles, California on October 16, 1956, it has been described as the "real thing, no pretense". Bob Levey ...

'' (Verve) with

and

Stan Getz Stanley Getz (February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre ...

*1956: ''

37 Minutes and 48 Seconds with Sonny Stitt ''37 Minutes and 48 Seconds with Sonny Stitt'' is an album by saxophonist Sonny Stitt that was released by Roost.Edwards, D. & Callahan, MRoyal Roost/Roost Album Discography accessed January 3, 2013 Track listing Personnel * Sonny Stitt ...

'' (Roost) *1957: '' Personal Appearance'' (Verve) *1957: ''

Sonny Stitt with the New Yorkers ''Sonny Stitt with the New Yorkers'' is an album by the saxophonist Sonny Stitt, recorded in 1957 and originally released on the Roost label. Reception The Allmusic site awarded the album 3 stars. Track listing ''All compositions by Sonny S ...

'' (Roost) *1957: '' Only the Blues'' (Verve) *1957: '' Sonny Side Up'' (Verve) with Dizzy Gillespie and

Sonny Rollins Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, he has recorded over sixty albums as a ...

*1958: '' The Saxophones of Sonny Stitt'' (Roost) *1958: '' Sonny Stitt'' (

) *1958: '' Burnin''' (Argo) *1959: '' The Hard Swing'' (Verve) *1959: '' Sonny Stitt Plays Jimmy Giuffre Arrangements'' (Verve) *1959: '' A Little Bit of Stitt'' (Roost) *1959: ''

Sonny Stitt Sits in with the Oscar Peterson Trio ''Sonny Stitt Sits in with the Oscar Peterson Trio'' is a 1959 album by Sonny Stitt, accompanied by the Oscar Peterson trio. Reception '' The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' rated the album three and a half stars out of four and wrote of the session, " ...

'' (Verve) with

Oscar Peterson Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian virtuoso jazz pianist and composer. Considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, ...

*1959: '' The Sonny Side of Stitt'' (Roost) *1959: '' Sonny Stitt Blows the Blues'' (Verve) *1959: '' Saxophone Supremacy'' (Verve) *1959: ''

Sonny Stitt Swings the Most ''Sonny Stitt Swings the Most'' is an album by saxophonist Sonny Stitt recorded in 1959 and released on the Verve label.

'' (Verve) *1960: ''

Stittsville Stittsville is a suburban community, part of the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Ontario. It is within the former Goulbourn Township. A part of the National Capital Region, Stittsville is immediately to the southwest of Kanata, adjacent to Richm ...

'' (Roost) *1960: '' Previously Unreleased Recordings'' (Verve) *1960: '' Sonny Side Up'' (Roost) *1961: '' The Sensual Sound of Sonny Stitt'' (Verve) with the

Ralph Burns Ralph Joseph P. Burns (June 29, 1922 – November 21, 2001) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Early life Burns was born in Newton, Massachusetts, United States, where he began playing the piano as a child. In 1938, he atten ...

Strings *1961: '' Sonny Stitt at the D. J. Lounge'' (Argo) *1961: ''

Dig Him! ''Dig Him!'' is an album by saxophonists Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt recorded in 1961 and originally released on the Argo label in 1961.Gene Ammons Eugene "Jug" Ammons (April 14, 1925 – August 6, 1974), also known as "The Boss", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. The son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons, Gene Ammons is remembered for his accessible music, steeped in soul and ...

(reissued on Prestige as ''We'll Be Together Again'' in 1969) *1961: ''

Boss Tenors ''Boss Tenors'' (subtitled ''Straight Ahead from Chicago August 1961'') is an album by saxophonists Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt recorded in Chicago in 1961 and originally released on the Verve label.Stitt Meets Brother Jack'' (Prestige) with Jack McDuff *1962: '' Boss Tenors in Orbit!'' (Verve) with Gene Ammons *1962: '' Soul Summit'' (Prestige) with Gene Ammons and

Jack McDuff Eugene McDuff (September 17, 1926 – January 23, 2001), known professionally as "Brother" Jack McDuff or "Captain" Jack McDuff, was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz ...

*1962: '' Feelin's'' (Roost) *1962: '' Low Flame'' ( Jazzland) *1960–62: ''

Stitt in Orbit ''Stitt in Orbit'' is an album by saxophonist Sonny Stitt recorded in 1960 and 1962 and originally released on the Roost label.Edwards, D. & Callahan, MRoyal Roost/Roost Album Discographyaccessed January 4, 2013 Reception The Allmusic site a ...

'' (Roost) *1962: ''

Sonny Stitt & the Top Brass ''Sonny Stitt & the Top Brass'' is an album by saxophonist Sonny Stitt recorded in 1962 and released on the Atlantic label.

'' (

) *1962: '' Rearin' Back'' (Argo) *1963: '' Stitt Plays Bird'' (Atlantic) *1963: '' My Mother's Eyes'' (

Pacific Jazz Pacific Jazz Records was a Los Angeles-based record company and label best known for cool jazz or West coast jazz. It was founded in 1952 by producer Richard Bock (1927–1988) and drummer Roy Harte (1924–2003). Harte, in 1954, also co-founded ...

) with

Charles Kynard Charles Kynard (20 February 1933 – 8 July 1979) was an American soul jazz/ acid jazz organist born in St. Louis, Missouri. Kynard first played piano then switched to organ and led a trio in Kansas City including Tex Johnson (flute, sax) an ...

*1963: '' Move on Over'' (Argo) *1963: '' Now!'' ( Impulse!) *1963: ''

Salt And Pepper Salt and pepper is the common name for edible salt and ground black pepper, which are ubiquitously paired on Western dining tables as to allow for the additional seasoning of food after its preparation. During food preparation or cooking, they ...

'' (Impulse) *1963: '' Soul Shack'' (Prestige) *1963: '' Stitt Goes Latin'' (Roost) *1963: '' Primitivo Soul!'' (Prestige) *1964: '' My Main Man'' (Argo) with Bennie Green *1964: ''

Shangri-La Shangri-La is a fictional place in Asia's Kunlun Mountains (昆仑山), Uses the spelling 'Kuen-Lun'. described in the 1933 novel '' Lost Horizon'' by English author James Hilton. Hilton portrays Shangri-La as a mystical, harmonious valley, g ...

'' (Prestige) with Don Patterson *1964: ''

'' (Prestige) with

and Don Patterson *1965: '' Inter-Action'' (

Cadet A cadet is an officer trainee or candidate. The term is frequently used to refer to those training to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. Its meaning may vary between countries which can include youths in ...

) with

*1965: ''

Broadway Soul ''Broadway Soul'' is an album by saxophonist Sonny Stitt recorded in 1965 and released on the Colpix label.Edwards, D. & Callahan, MColpix Album Discography, Part 1 (SCP-400 Popular Music Series)accessed January 8, 2013 Reception Scott Yanow o ...

'' ( Colpix) *1965: "The Double-O-Soul of Sonny Stitt, Part 1"/"The Double-O-Soul of Sonny Stitt, Part 2" (Wingate) (Single) *1965: "Concerto For Jazz Lovers"/"Just Dust" (Wingate) (Single) *1965: "Stitt's Groove"/"Marr's Groove" (Wingate) (Single) with Hank Marr *1965: '' Sax Expressions'' (Roost) *1965: '' Live at Ronnie Scott's'' (Ronnie Scott's Jazz House) with Dick Morrissey *1965: '' The Matadors Meet the Bull'' (

Roulette Roulette is a casino game named after the French word meaning ''little wheel'' which was likely developed from the Italian game Biribi''.'' In the game, a player may choose to place a bet on a single number, various groupings of numbers, the ...

) *1965: '' Pow!'' (Prestige) *1965: '' Night Crawler'' (Prestige) with Don Patterson *1966: ''

Soul in the Night ''Soul in the Night'' is an album by saxophonists Sonny Stitt and Bunky Green recorded in Chicago in 1966 and released on the Cadet label.

'' (Cadet) with Bunky Green *1966: '' What's New!!!'' (Roulette) *1966: '' I Keep Comin' Back!'' (Roulette) *1966: '' Deuces Wild'' (Atlantic) with

Robin Kenyatta Robin Kenyatta (March 6, 1942 – October 26, 2004) was an American jazz alto saxophonist. Early life Born Robert Prince Haynes in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, Kenyatta grew up in New York City and began playing the saxophone at age 14. He was ...

*1967: ''

'' (Roulette) *1968: '' Made for Each Other'' ( Delmark) released 1972 *1968: '' Soul Electricity!'' (Prestige) *1968: '' Little Green Apples'' ( Solid State) *1968: ''

Come Hither ''Come Hither'' is an album by saxophonist Sonny Stitt recorded in 1969 and released on the Solid State label.Payne, D.Sonny Lester discographyaccessed April 14, 2015 It's Magic "It's Magic" is a popular song written by Jule Styne, with lyrics by Sammy Cahn, published in 1947. They wrote the song for Doris Day in her Warner Brothers film debut, ''Romance on the High Seas'' (retitled ''It's Magic'' in the United Kingdom ...

'' (Delmark) released 2005 *1969: '' Night Letter'' (Prestige) *1971: '' Turn It On!'' (Prestige) *1971: '' You Talk That Talk!'' (Prestige) with Gene Ammons *1971: '' Black Vibrations'' (Prestige) *1971: ''Just the Way It Was'' (Hyena) *1972: ''

Tune-Up! ''Tune-Up!'' is an album by saxophonist Sonny Stitt recorded in 1972 and released on the Cobblestone label.Cobblestone Cobblestone is a natural building material based on cobble-sized stones, and is used for pavement roads, streets, and buildings. Setts, also called Belgian blocks, are often casually referred to as "cobbles", although a sett is distinct fr ...

) *1972: '' Goin' Down Slow'' (Prestige) *1972: ''

Constellation A constellation is an area on the celestial sphere in which a group of visible stars forms a perceived pattern or outline, typically representing an animal, mythological subject, or inanimate object. The origins of the earliest constellation ...

'' (Cobblestone) *1972: '' So Doggone Good'' (Prestige) *1972: '' 12!'' (

Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in ...

) *1973: '' Mr. Bojangles'' (Cadet) *1973: '' The Champ'' (Muse) *1973: '' God Bless Jug and Sonny'' (Prestige) with Gene Ammons *1973: '' Left Bank Encores'' (Prestige) with Gene Ammons *1973: '' Together Again for the Last Time'' (Prestige) with Gene Ammons *1974: ''

Satan Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an entity in the Abrahamic religions that seduces humans into sin or falsehoo ...

'' (Cadet) *1975: '' Never Can Say Goodbye'' (Cadet) *1975: '' Mellow'' (Muse) *1975: '' Dumpy Mama'' ( Flying Dutchman) *1975: '' My Buddy: Sonny Stitt Plays for Gene Ammons'' (Muse) *1975: '' Blues for Duke'' (Muse) *1976: '' Stomp Off Let's Go'' (Flying Dutchman) *1976: '' Forecast: Sonny & Red'' (

Catalyst Catalysis () is the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed in the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recyc ...

) with Red Holloway *1977: ''

I Remember Bird ''I Remember Bird'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Sonny Stitt featuring performances recorded in 1976 for the Catalyst label.

'' (Catalyst) *1977: '' Sonny Stitt with Strings: A Tribute to Duke Ellington'' (Catalyst) *1978: ''The Sonny Stitt Quintet'' ( Finite) *1978: ''Sonny Stitt Meets Sadik Hakim'' ( Progressive) *1980: ''Groovin' High'' (

Atlas An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of maps of Earth or of a region of Earth. Atlases have traditionally been bound into book form, but today many atlases are in multimedia formats. In addition to presenting geogra ...

) *1980: ''Atlas Blues "Blow & Ballad"'' (Atlas) *1980: ''Sonny's Back'' (Muse) *1981: '' In Style'' (Muse) *1981: ''Sonny, Sweets and Jaws: Live at Bubbas,'' (

Who's Who in Jazz Who's Who in Jazz was a record label based in New York City, formed by Lionel Hampton in 1977 or 1978, and distributed by the Gillette Madison Company (GEMCON). It specialized in jazz albums and later CDs and released a half dozen recordings of ...

) with Harry "Sweets" Edison, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis *1981: ''Just in Case You Forgot How Bad He Really Was'' (32 Jazz) *1983: ''The Last Stitt Sessions'' (Muse) *1988: ''Sonny Stitt Featuring Howard McGhee'' (Jazz Life) with Howard McGhee

As sideman

With

*'' All Star Sessions'' (Prestige, 1950–55 959 *'' Jug and Sonny'' (Chess, 1948–51 960 *''

Boss Tenors ''Boss Tenors'' (subtitled ''Straight Ahead from Chicago August 1961'') is an album by saxophonists Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt recorded in Chicago in 1961 and originally released on the Verve label.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 Again for the Last Time'' (Prestige, 1974) With

*'' A Jazz Message'' (Impulse!, 1963) *'' In Walked Sonny'' ( Sonet, 1975) With

*''Miles Davis in Stockholm 1960 Complete with John Coltrane and Sonny Stitt'' (

, 1992) With

*'' The Modern Jazz Sextet'' (Verve, 1956) with

Skeeter Best Clifton "Skeeter" Best (November 20, 1914 – May 27, 1985) was an American jazz guitarist. Best played in Philadelphia from 1935 to 1940, recording with Slim Marshall and Erskine Hawkins. In 1940, he joined Earl Hines's orchestra, playing wi ...

John Lewis John Robert Lewis (February 21, 1940 – July 17, 2020) was an American politician and civil rights activist who served in the United States House of Representatives for from 1987 until his death in 2020. He participated in the 1960 Nashville ...

, Percy Heath and Charli Persip *''

Duets A duet is a musical composition or piece for two performers. Duets or The Duets may also refer to: Films and television * ''Duets'' (film), a 2000 film, starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Giamatti and Huey Lewis * "Duets" (''Glee''), a 2010 episod ...

'' (Verve, 1957) Quintets featuring Sonny Stitt or Sonny Rollins; with Ray Bryant, Tommy Bryant and Charlie Persip *'' Sonny Side Up'' (Verve, 1957 el. 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,

and

*'' The Bop Session'' (Sonet, 1975) with

, Percy Heath and Max Roach With

Milt Jackson Milton Jackson (January 1, 1923 – October 9, 1999), nicknamed "Bags", was an American jazz vibraphonist, usually thought of as a bebop player, although he performed in several jazz idioms. He is especially remembered for his cool swinging so ...

*''

Loose Walk ''Loose Walk'' is a 1972 album by Count Basie and Roy Eldridge. Reception Scott Yanow, writing for AllMusic, said that " onically, the earliest recording by Count Basie for Norman Granz's Pablo label was one of the most recent to be released." ...

'' ( Palcoscenico, 1980) With Don Patterson *''

Patterson's People ''Patterson's People'' is an album by organist Don Patterson recorded in 1964 and released on the Prestige label.The Boss Men ''The Boss Men'' is an album by organist Don Patterson with saxophonist Sonny Stitt and drummer Billy James recorded in late 1965 and released on the Prestige label.Funk You! ''Funk You!'' is an album by organist Don Patterson recorded in 1968 and released on the Prestige label.Brothers-4'' (Prestige, 1969) *''

Donny Brook ''Donny Brook'' is an album by organist Don Patterson with saxophonist Sonny Stitt recorded in 1969 and released on the Prestige label.

'' (Prestige, 1969) *'' Tune Up!'' (Prestige, 1964–69) With

* '' The Oscar Peterson Trio with Sonny Stitt, Roy Eldridge and Jo Jones at Newport'' (Verve, 1957) With Zimbo Trio * ''Zimbo Convida Sonny Stitt'' (Clam, 1979)

References

External links

Sonny Stitt at Verve RecordsBBC - Radio 3 Jazz Profiles - Sonny Stitt
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stitt, Sonny 1924 births 1982 deaths African-American saxophonists American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists Bebop saxophonists Hard bop saxophonists Miles Davis Quintet members Musicians from Saginaw, Michigan Musicians from Boston Argo Records artists Cobblestone Records artists Verve Records artists Muse Records artists Impulse! Records artists Prestige Records artists Transatlantic Records artists Atlantic Records artists Flying Dutchman Records artists 20th-century American musicians 20th-century saxophonists Jazz musicians from Massachusetts Jazz musicians from Michigan American male jazz musicians Deaths from cancer in Washington, D.C. The Giants of Jazz members Black Lion Records artists HighNote Records artists 20th-century American male musicians