Billboard : 05/27/1957
Score of 73

An interesting amalgam of earlier work by Stitt, who is heard within simulated big-band context – three trumpets and rhythm – but, for the most part, with just rhythm. Stitt works out on alto, tenor and baritone; plays with fluidity and fire, and makes an otherwise ordinary ‘mainstream’ LP something to hear. Sales are not likely to be earth-shattering, but Stitt’s “name,” and his fine work here should appeal to jazz buyer.

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Liner Notes by Ira Gitler

Like the halfback on a football team who runs, passes and punts with great skill, Sonny Stitt can also be classified as a “triple threat man”. In his handling of the three members of the saxophone family most used by jazz musicians, he has proven himself a man to reckon with on all of them.

Originally an alto saxophonist, Sonny switched to the tenor in 1949. While it has remained his main instrument since then, he did add the baritone to his list of accomplishments in the early Fifties and still maintained his association with the alto.

Taking this collection of Stittiana chronologically, we begin with the tenor offerings of February 17, 1950. With a rhythm section consisting of Kenny Drew, piano, Tommy Potter, bass and Art Blakey, drums, Sonny balladizes Fats Waller‘s Ain’t Misbehavin’ and romps through the medium up Later. The latter, a blues, includes solos by Drew and Potter.

On December 15, 1950 Sonny returned to the alto on record for the first time since his memorable Stardust as “Lord Nelson” and other stints as a sideman with Russell Jacquet on the King label. The ballad Imagination at usual ballad tempo is, nevertheless, constantly in motion and the challenging Cherokee shows off a flying, fluid Stitt. Notice in the bridge of the third chorus how he tips his cap to Bird by quoting from Ko Ko. The rhythm section consisted of Junior Mance, piano, Gene Wright, bass and Art Blakey, drums.

A second alto session was cute on January 31, 1951 with a rhythm section of Charlie Bateman, piano, Gene Wright, bass and Teddy Stewart, drums. Liza is up tempo and has a short Charlie Bateman solo too. The sea going phrase that Sonny ends with is one that Charlie Parker liked to insert a lot and Sonny Rollins has also used. Perhaps Sonny thought he was “Lord Nelson” again. Can’t We Be Friends? is taken at a medium groove tempo with bluesy overtones and much warmth.

The baritone tracks were actually first cut on the same day as Liza but Sonny wasn’t happy with them and returned on February 1st to record them again, this time to his satisfaction. He handles the large horn more like a tenor and the Pres side of his background emerges. This Can’t Be Love is swung at medium tempo with a short solo interlude by Bateman. P.S. I Love You is medium down, replete with typical Stitt double-ups. Again there is a short bit by Bateman. Notice how Pres-like the endings of both tunes are.

The last session represented here has Sonny returning to the tenor but in a different setting and with some different material. Recorded on March 25, 1952, this set of four Billy Massey originals (he also did the arrangements) features a three man trumpet section of Joe Newman, John Hunt and Massey himself. The rhythm section of John Houston, piano, Ernie Shephard, bass and Shadow Wilson, drums is augmented by the timbales of Humberto Morales on the two mambos. On all four (Sonny Sounds and Stitt’s It are “rhythm” type swingers) the trumpet trio imparts a big band flavor. Sonny is particularly quick and sure and never stops swinging. The latter characteristic seems to pervade, no matter what instrument he is blowing.

As Sonny changes from horn to horn, quite naturally, the tonal colors change and different facets of his style stand out. It is in this kaleidoscope setting that we can enjoy all the sides of his talent.

Today, Sonny is not often heard on baritone but has re-emphasized the alto while continuing to feature his tenor work. Fellow tenor star Stan Getz, in talking about him during the course of a recent Down Beat interview praised him thusly, “With Stitt you’ve gotta work. He doesn’t let you rest. You’ve got to work or you’re left at the starting gate. It’s hard for me to say which horn he’s better on, alto or tenor.”