Sonny Stitt – Remastered Hits Vol. 5 (2023) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

Sonny Stitt – Remastered Hits Vol. 5 (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 51:44 minutes | 578 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © jjjedizionimusicali

Stitt’s parents were both music teachers, so he grew up in a musical environment. Stitt spent his childhood in Saginaw (Michigan) and had piano lessons from the age of seven, but later switched to the clarinet. At fifteen, he played alto saxophone after hearing Charlie Parker on a recording by bandleader Jay McShann.

Initially, Stitt took lessons from “Big Nick” Nicholas, a local saxophonist, and from Wardell Gray, who often stayed with them because there were few African American hotels in the area. Even before he graduated from high school, he was touring in bands with Nicholas and trumpeter Thad Jones.

In 1942, Stitt performed with pianist William “Sabby” Lewis in Boston before joining the Bama State Collegians. This engagement led him into singer Tiny Bradshaw’s big band, which also featured other later bebop musicians such as Fats Navarro, Dexter Gordon, Gene Ammons and Art Blakey. Stitt, who sought out a meeting with Parker in Kansas in 1942, described Parker accusing him after a jam session together, “you sound too much like me.”

Stitt was a member of Billy Eckstine’s band (Billy Eckstine and His Orchestra) in 1945 and played with Dizzy Gillespie in 1946, where Gene Ammons was also involved. During this period he became addicted to heroin and his cabaret card was revoked (possession of drugs was enough for this), which made it impossible for him to perform in New York’s nightclubs. He went to Chicago, where he performed in sessions with Ammons and Miles Davis and with Johnny Griffin at the Pershing Ballroom. In the summer of 1947 he played in Detroit with Parker, Davis and Gillespie; he also recorded for Sensation Records. In 1947 he was voted “New Star” on alto saxophone in Esquire Magazine’s polls. Convicted of drug trafficking, he spent 1948-49 in the Federal Narcotics Hospital in Lexington (Kentucky).

Back in New York, he switched to tenor and baritone saxophone. This enabled him to escape the image of the supposed Parker imitator. Stitt’s improvisations, however, were more melodic; while turning to the tenor saxophone, Stitt invoked his role model Lester Young.

Tracklist:
1-1. Sonny Stitt – Scrapple From The Apple (Remastered 2023) (04:18)
1-2. Sonny Stitt – The Best Things in Life Are Free (Remastered 2023) (04:59)
1-3. Sonny Stitt – When You’re Smiling (Remastered 2023) (03:34)
1-4. Sonny Stitt – Au Privave (Remastered 2023) (03:57)
1-5. Sonny Stitt – Cherokee (Remastered 2023) (04:08)
1-6. Sonny Stitt – Foot Tapper (Remastered 2023) (03:05)
1-7. Sonny Stitt – Easy Does It (Remastered 2023) (05:22)
1-8. Sonny Stitt – People Will Say We’re in Love (Remastered 2023) (05:06)
1-9. Sonny Stitt – Sometimes I Feel Loke A Motherless Child (Remastered 2023) (02:44)
1-10. Sonny Stitt – Moten’s Swing (Remastered 2023) (07:07)
1-11. Sonny Stitt – Body & Soul (Remastered 2023) (03:51)
1-12. Sonny Stitt – Back In Your Own Backyard (Remastered 2023) (03:26)

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