I gotta share a story. A few years ago, coming from the Chicago Jazz Fest where the Detroit Allstars appeared backing Betty Carter, I went to the Jazz Showcase to their crowded after-hours session. I was seated just off stage left behind the piano bench where a young Chicago wunderkind was playing. You should have seen the death rays shot at the kid by Charles McPherson and Phillip Guilbeau. As soon as their regular piano player showed, the kid was history.
Me too, what a coincidence! I did not listen to him properly before because I was young and foolish enough to believe those people calling him mere Parker imitator. After hearing these albums I was properly hooked and grew to love Stitt even more with time, especially after hearing him on Dizzy's "Sonny Side Up".
Maybe it was a little different. I first heard Stitt live and then went to buy one of his albums which turned out to be Constellation, considered to be among his best. Stitt lived in Chicago then and was perhaps taken a little for granted as a "local musician", but I soon learned of his stature and international fame. I was fortunate to hear him often at the Jazz Showcase, at least twice a year for the last ten years of his life, once with Eddie Jefferson, Richie Cole and Charles McPherson.
I met him and sat in with him in "Sweet Basil" (jazz club in NYC-no longer exists) and he was extremely nice and encouraging. Experience I shall never forget..
To John Bresnik "never cared for Stitt" !!!?? That's kind of like saying "never cared for a juicy porterhouse steak with garlic smashed potatoes"... I'm sure some folks would agree, but a whole lot more would think you're crazy! Stitt's playing is just that: Meat and potatoes: Honest, basic, full of taste and SATISFYING!
Love hearing this tune. Used to see Sonny a lot at the old Parisian Room in Los Angeles in the 70's. Sure do miss his fire. Barry Harris is always a delight and Alan Dawson one of the best. Thanks for this Robert.
never cared for Stitt, but love Barry's work -- he's 82 now -- still playing in New York -- does weekly workshops. As a piano player, he's one of my inspirations. He even called me one time to comment on an exercise I have on youtube -- how many famous jazz players would do that? Barry did -- he's right at the top of my list.
Everyone is inspired by Bird and we all own him a great deal, but if the peoble who can't hear the difference between Bird and Stitt have the right to judge, I' m getting off.
Stitt really doesn't sound too much like Bird to me, even on alto. His phrasing and tone are way different. Maybe he sounded more like Bird earlier on, and perhaps he drew from Bird, but who didn't? It's kind of a shame that he was often discounted on the grounds that he was a "clone" of Bird.
it takes some time to shake off the feeling that he's just a clone of Bird, but once you discover how magnificent he was in terms of phrasing and tone, you cannot but be amazed when listening to his records.
@@MrThepopopopo Long before Sonny knew who Bird was he was making his mark in the music world as a youngster in Saginaw, Mich. Sonny came from a family of talent , his mother and father both taught music Sonny played in clubs in Saginaw, while he was still in high school .He was underage but he was so musically gifted , club owner''s allowed Sonny to perform anyway, hence, Sonny was well on his way to a musical career as a teenager.
Thank you for your civil response -- some people on youtube are not nice people. I've got a thing about "sound." What does his or her playing "sound" like. I liked Chet Baker's sound (trumpet, not voice) and I liked Hank Mobley's sound. True, I was also listening to their improvisation, but "sound" was and is important to my ear (I've been playing jazz piano since 1955). I use my ears more than my fingers to find a good sound. I just didn't like Stitt's sound. My favorite alto? Phil Woods.
I hear you. I worship Stitt man, but not really his sound. Sonny Rollin's same thing - incredible but his sound never resonated with me. Dexter Gordon,Adderley, Hank Mobley, Stan Getz...that' some' sound.'
Interesting opinion. Man, the sheer force of cats that had tell stories musically to me means they always have sounds all theirs! To me the Blues, swing and the above make real Jazz.
One day i read that Sonny Stitt met Charlie "Bird' parker somewhere in New York and asked "hey man, how do i sound like?'" "Well you just sound like me, nothing else", answered, Bird. " No, you sound like me", claimed Stitt. Ha-ha-haa...I think that's funny enough because as for me Stitt like other musicians was influenced by Charlie Parker and copied him. Charlie Parker was the master of melody, improvisation and saxophone virtuosity. Also a lot of white sax musicians copied him but couldn't really sound like him but Sonny Stitt really sounded like him on alto sax. That's my opinion.
Of course it's okay...You're talking to a bebop alto player, weaned on Bird.. In my opinion, Stitt took Bird's innovations to an even higher level-- he played cleaner, longer, better lines than Bird, and even added his own vocabulary of riffs and runs: Kind of like Bird on Steroids. So therefore, Stitt being one of my "idols", I must admit I was taken aback by your comment. You are entitled to your opinion and sorry if I offended you. BTW, which alto players DO you like?
I don't believe that guy Strasser61.. I wonder, would he speak to you like that face-to-face? People are so confident when they can hide behind the anonymity of their computers.. If someone spoke to me that way in person, they'd end up in the hospital. Same holds for people in their cars-- giving me the finger out the window. Out of their cars and face-to-face, they're not so brave. I stop, & say "get out of your car and do that!" ..99% of the time they freak & speed away. F**** cowards!
This alto....poor Sonny was burdended by trying NOT to sound like Parker. Sonny was BETTER than Parker on melodic lines, history just hasn't caught up......Sonny is the master
Hum...Sonny Stitt is really great but better than Parker ??.... I would never say such a thing ! The genius of Parker was above everybody and Sonny, Cannonball, Phil Woods etc... knew it all better than everybody
SELMER1947 Well, I hear you for sure my man. Parker was an absolute genius and more, a radial innovator at the time he lived in context of the jazz scene and melodic domain. I was recently researching these guys because of the similarities. They were only 4 yrs apart and met when they were like 19 and 23!!! They commented on their stylistic similarities. Parker is GOLD. I played and worshiped the Omnibook - I know Parker, LOL. Stitt's lines are just more melodic - it's a preference. But Sonny was a melodic and chordal GENIUS in every way. And he was playing this stuff with Dizzy in his early twenties???! Really man?! Damn. Sonny recorded over 100 albums and is the most prolific jazz recording artist in history. No idea why he isn't iconic in the public domain.
C Davis you and selmer1947 have good points and I think it comes down to personal preference.i am just in the parker camp just.but theres very little in it and I love cannonball pepper and woods and we are all reading the same score.good luck and keep swinging.many thanks.
alterdestiny Yeah, honestly Parker, Stitt, Julius Aderly, Phil Woods - heck they are all amazing just amazing. When I hear Parker play Cherokee I always doubt my own opinion on anybody possibly being better, LOL. I stand corrected on better, there is really no better.
sonny was his own man a giant player in the history of jazz.barry harris is one of the original bop players on the same level.wonderful.many thanks.
Alan Dawson deserves to be named along with the other two...he's a drumming pioneer!
Yeah the fill he plays after first theme is so tasteful
大学生の頃、初めて買ったレコードがこの一枚でソニースティットに聞きほれてました。四十年ぶりで聞きなおしてみても惚れ惚れしますね！パーカーとはまた違った味わいがあります。
Voted best small group Album, 1972, by Downbeat Magazine
I gotta share a story. A few years ago, coming from the Chicago Jazz Fest where the Detroit Allstars appeared backing Betty Carter, I went to the Jazz Showcase to their crowded after-hours session. I was seated just off stage left behind the piano bench where a young Chicago wunderkind was playing. You should have seen the death rays shot at the kid by Charles McPherson and Phillip Guilbeau. As soon as their regular piano player showed, the kid was history.
Me too, what a coincidence! I did not listen to him properly before because I was young and foolish enough to believe those people calling him mere Parker imitator. After hearing these albums I was properly hooked and grew to love Stitt even more with time, especially after hearing him on Dizzy's "Sonny Side Up".
Thank god you became wiser.
Banger
Maybe it was a little different. I first heard Stitt live and then went to buy one of his albums which turned out to be Constellation, considered to be among his best. Stitt lived in Chicago then and was perhaps taken a little for granted as a "local musician", but I soon learned of his stature and international fame. I was fortunate to hear him often at the Jazz Showcase, at least twice a year for the last ten years of his life, once with Eddie Jefferson, Richie Cole and Charles McPherson.
You lucky guy.
I only heard him live once in Copenhagen.
I met him and sat in with him in "Sweet Basil" (jazz club in NYC-no longer exists) and he was extremely nice and encouraging. Experience I shall never forget..
every fuckin thing that Sonny plays makes me feel extatic.......like John said, you can play a shoestring if you're sincere
I just love Sonny's phrasing and enthusiasm.
Sonny Stitt was fantastic ....I love him.
To John Bresnik "never cared for Stitt" !!!?? That's kind of like saying "never cared for a juicy porterhouse steak with garlic smashed potatoes"... I'm sure some folks would agree, but a whole lot more would think you're crazy! Stitt's playing is just that: Meat and potatoes: Honest, basic, full of taste and SATISFYING!
Love hearing this tune. Used to see Sonny a lot at the old Parisian Room in Los Angeles in the 70's. Sure do miss his fire. Barry Harris is always a delight and Alan Dawson one of the best. Thanks for this Robert.
never cared for Stitt, but love Barry's work -- he's 82 now -- still playing in New York -- does weekly workshops. As a piano player, he's one of my inspirations. He even called me one time to comment on an exercise I have on youtube -- how many famous jazz players would do that? Barry did -- he's right at the top of my list.
That's some playing right there.
It seems to me that Stitt plays more freely when he plays with Barry Harris than with anybody else .
Geez...such a nice piecing sound....
loved this tune, thanks for sharing
I already bought them, thank you, they have been among my favorites jazz albums since they came out first on Cobblestone label.
beauty!
70年代息を吹き返したﾊｰﾄﾞ･ﾊﾞｯﾌﾟの好盤､ｿﾆｰ･ｽﾃｨｯﾄの手練のﾃﾅｰ･ｿﾛがなんともイイ、バリー・ハリスもGOOD！ドーソンの天才刻み #jazzm
Tune Up and Constellation are available on a Double CD, two of my favorite Stitt albums.
Phrase at 2:27, what Charles McPherson called 'the snake'
Yeah, me too. By accident, those were the first Stitt albums I bought.
Yes,one must be that, no doubt.
Post Parker, the best altoist. Almost tenor like.
Love this album and Sonny and Barry in general. As I recently lost this album to a fire I wonder if you could upload "Tune Up". Thank you in advance!
😀🌱🌸💙
ﾄﾞﾗﾑがｱﾗﾝ･ﾄﾞｰｿﾝ先生でこのアルバムの価値が一段と!､70年代復活アルバムでは出色だった! ソニースティットさんチューンアップOK!
por favor que alguien vuelva a subir at last de Stitt
is this recording playing a 1/4 step higher or my imagination
+andy37654 Not your imagination, it's a bit sharp but it's like this on the physical CD I have.
stitt always played sharp
What do you play? Sax?
Everyone is inspired by Bird and we all own him a great deal, but if the peoble who can't hear the difference between Bird and Stitt have the right to judge, I' m getting off.
yeah... I'm gettin there...
Piano.
What key is this in? Ab?
Yes only a bit sharp
Stitt really doesn't sound too much like Bird to me, even on alto. His phrasing and tone are way different. Maybe he sounded more like Bird earlier on, and perhaps he drew from Bird, but who didn't? It's kind of a shame that he was often discounted on the grounds that he was a "clone" of Bird.
it takes some time to shake off the feeling that he's just a clone of Bird, but once you discover how magnificent he was in terms of phrasing and tone, you cannot but be amazed when listening to his records.
Rest assured this giant/master was no one's clone.all of great alto,tenor player's took from bird, however stitt developed his own sound.
Yeah its interesting. I reckon even without Bird Sonny Still would have still made his mark.
@@MrThepopopopo Long before Sonny knew who Bird was he was making his mark in the music world as a youngster in Saginaw, Mich. Sonny came from a family of talent , his mother and father both taught music Sonny played in clubs in Saginaw, while he was still in high school .He was underage but he was so musically gifted , club owner''s allowed Sonny to perform anyway, hence, Sonny was well on his way to a musical career as a teenager.
Thank you for your civil response -- some people on youtube are not nice people. I've got a thing about "sound." What does his or her playing "sound" like. I liked Chet Baker's sound (trumpet, not voice) and I liked Hank Mobley's sound. True, I was also listening to their improvisation, but "sound" was and is important to my ear (I've been playing jazz piano since 1955). I use my ears more than my fingers to find a good sound. I just didn't like Stitt's sound. My favorite alto? Phil Woods.
I hear you. I worship Stitt man, but not really his sound. Sonny Rollin's same thing - incredible but his sound never resonated with me. Dexter Gordon,Adderley, Hank Mobley, Stan Getz...that' some' sound.'
Interesting opinion. Man, the sheer force of cats that had tell stories musically to me means they always have sounds all theirs! To me the Blues, swing and the above make real Jazz.
One day i read that Sonny Stitt met Charlie "Bird' parker somewhere in New York and asked "hey man, how do i sound like?'" "Well you just sound like me, nothing else", answered, Bird. " No, you sound like me", claimed Stitt. Ha-ha-haa...I think that's funny enough because as for me Stitt like other musicians was influenced by Charlie Parker and copied him. Charlie Parker was the master of melody, improvisation and saxophone virtuosity. Also a lot of white sax musicians copied him but couldn't really sound like him but Sonny Stitt really sounded like him on alto sax. That's my opinion.
Yea let’s add race for some reason!!
Lol
you must be a player just to be able to sit in like that.
is it OK if I have an opinion?
ジャスト・フレンズ・・・英語は苦手です、親友と訳すのでしょうか？
一時期クスリの服用で調子を崩したソニー・スティットですが
７０年代に入るとカムバック 円熟味を増して帰ってきました
気のあった仲間とのセッションで名盤の一つにあげられます
日本で人気が高かった彼は、晩年の来日では健康がすぐれず
演奏が出来なかったことが心残りだったと思います
Of course it's okay...You're talking to a bebop alto player, weaned on Bird.. In my opinion, Stitt took Bird's innovations to an even higher level-- he played cleaner, longer, better lines than Bird, and even added his own vocabulary of riffs and runs: Kind of like Bird on Steroids. So therefore, Stitt being one of my "idols", I must admit I was taken aback by your comment. You are entitled to your opinion and sorry if I offended you. BTW, which alto players DO you like?
are you kidding? I've been married for 47 years and have five kids... straight as an arrow. how about you?
I don't believe that guy Strasser61.. I wonder, would he speak to you like that face-to-face? People are so confident when they can hide behind the anonymity of their computers.. If someone spoke to me that way in person, they'd end up in the hospital. Same holds for people in their cars-- giving me the finger out the window. Out of their cars and face-to-face, they're not so brave. I stop, & say "get out of your car and do that!" ..99% of the time they freak & speed away. F**** cowards!
And the other 1% of the time?
This alto....poor Sonny was burdended by trying NOT to sound like Parker. Sonny was BETTER than Parker on melodic lines, history just hasn't caught up......Sonny is the master
Hum...Sonny Stitt is really great but better than Parker ??.... I would never say such a thing ! The genius of Parker was above everybody and Sonny, Cannonball, Phil Woods etc... knew it all better than everybody
SELMER1947 Well, I hear you for sure my man. Parker was an absolute genius and more, a radial innovator at the time he lived in context of the jazz scene and melodic domain. I was recently researching these guys because of the similarities. They were only 4 yrs apart and met when they were like 19 and 23!!! They commented on their stylistic similarities. Parker is GOLD. I played and worshiped the Omnibook - I know Parker, LOL. Stitt's lines are just more melodic - it's a preference. But Sonny was a melodic and chordal GENIUS in every way. And he was playing this stuff with Dizzy in his early twenties???! Really man?! Damn. Sonny recorded over 100 albums and is the most prolific jazz recording artist in history. No idea why he isn't iconic in the public domain.
C Davis you and selmer1947 have good points and I think it comes down to personal preference.i am just in the parker camp just.but theres very little in it and I love cannonball pepper and woods and we are all reading the same score.good luck and keep swinging.many thanks.
alterdestiny Yeah, honestly Parker, Stitt, Julius Aderly, Phil Woods - heck they are all amazing just amazing. When I hear Parker play Cherokee I always doubt my own opinion on anybody possibly being better, LOL. I stand corrected on better, there is really no better.
+C Davis
But... Stitt is playing tenor here...
sonny the best!!