Sonny Stitt - Lone Wolf - The Roost Alternates - NEW SEALED 180g LTD & Numbered

$

29

Biography

Sonny Stitt was born Edward Boatner, Jr. into a musical family in
Boston on February 2. 1924 and later moved to Michigan where he
took the family name of his step father Robert Stitt. By age 20, he was
already a professional musician, playing alto saxophone with the Tiny Bradshaw
band. A high profile stint with Billy Eckstine’s big band; a hotbed of bebop
innovators followed in 1945. A string of stellar small group sessions in
the late ‘40s with Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Dorham, Kenny Clarke, Fats Navarro
and Bud Powell among others earned him the renown as an outstanding
modern saxophone virtuoso. His similarity to Charlie Parker’s style, which
he always maintained was parallel development rather than an effort to
 emulate Bird, unfairly branded him a Parker imitator. Phil Woods and Charles
McPherson would later suffer a similar assessment. But as Gene Quill was
heard to say at Birdland one night when a patron accused him just mimicking
Bird, “Why don’t you try imitating Charlie Parker!” Teddy Reig, who had
produced Stitt’s many appearances on Savoy sessions, had started Roost Records
in 1949 and was quick to record Stitt after the dissolution of the
Ammons-Stitt band. Reig would continue to produce a series of magnificent
Stitt albums until 1965. True to his lone wolf nature, Stitt would record
throughout this period as a non-exclusive artist, making albums for Verve,
Prestige, Argo and Impulse among others. Roost did not have the budget and
distribution that other labels enjoyed, so much of his work here, despite its
excellence, did not garner the sales or reputation that it deserved. Stitt’s first
Roost session on November 20, 1952 is represented here by alternate takes
of all four titles recorded at the date. Sonny is on tenor sax throughout. He’d
introduced the horn on a J.J. Johnson three years earlier and began using it with
 increasing regularity. His sound and style on the tenor are unique and quite
distinct from his alto work. The rhythm section is unusual for Stitt; John Simmons
and Jo Jones were stylistically rooted in the swing era. The mystery man here is
Fletcher Peck, about whom nothing is known, in his only recorded appearance.
The standards, “They Say It’s Wonderful” and “Why Do I Love You” are
taken at medium and up tempos respectively. Stitt’s “Symphony Hall Swing”
(also known as “Mass Ave Swing”) is built on “I Got Rhythm” changes and
borrows part of the melody from Thelonious Monk’s “Rhythm-A-Ning.” His
medium-paced blues “Sonny’s Bunny” was recut for Roost three years later with
Quincy Jones’s orchestra backing up the saxophonist. Sonny shifts to alto sax
 for balance of this album. The second (December 15/16, 1955) and fourth
(August 30, 1957) record dates in this collection reflect an inadvertent advantage
of Stitt working as a single rather than as a band leader. In the hands of the right
 producer, Stitt could enjoy first class rhythm sections that wouldn’t consider
going on the road. The ’55 session yields gorgeous readings of “The Nearness
Of You,” on which Basie guitarist Freddie Green joins the quartet, and “If I Should
Lose You.” The third session here, which produced “37 Minutes And 48 Seconds
With Sonny Stitt,” comes from late 1956 or January 23, 1957 date. The three
alternate takes add another 10 minutes and 49 seconds to the mix! Dolo Coker,
Edgar Willis and Kenny Dennis all make their recording debut here. They may
have been working with some regularity with Stitt. Stitt takes “Sweet Georgia Brown”
 at a furious tempo with a clear bebop attitude. The medium-slow “Blues For
Yard” is Sonny’s tribute to Charlie Parker, whose magnificent blues playing is
 often the most overlooked aspect of his achievements. Stitt digs deep on
“Harlem Nocturne,” a perennial sexy feature for tenor saxophonists. That Rolls
Royce of rhythm sections (Jones, Marshall and Wilson) returns for “Sonny Stitt
With The New Yorkers” represented here by alternates of a blues and two standards.
Stitt’s solo turns “Engos, The Bloos” into a dazzling bebop masterpiece.
By 1957, the 12” LP format was the standard. The quartet takes advantage
of the extended playing time by stretching out on “People Will Say We’re In Love”
and a soulful “It Might As Well Be Spring.” Sonny Stitt was a true improviser
and his solos on these alternate takes differ substantially from the later
takes chosen to be the masters. Some of them were uncovered by
Teddy Reig in 1986 for an LP entitled “Symphony Hall Swing.” The rest were
first released on the 2001 Mosaic CD collection “The Complete Roost Sonny
Stitt Studio Sessions,” but have yet to appear on the vinyl format.

Track Listing:

Personnel on tracks A1-A4: Sonny Stitt (ts), Fletcher Peck (p),
John Simmons (b) Jo Jones (d) NYC 11/20/52

Personnel on tracks A5 & A6: Sonny Stitt (as), Hank Jones (p),
Freddie Green (g), Wendell Marshall (b), Shadow Wilson (d),
NYC 12/15/55 and 12/16/55

Personnel on tracks B1 & B2: Sonny Stitt (as) Dolo Coker (p),
Edgar Willis (b), Kenny Dennis (d) NYC late 1956 or 1/23/57

Personnel on tracks B3-B5: Personnel: Sonny Stitt (as), Hank Jones (p),
Wendell Marshall (b), Shadow Wilson (d), Nola’s Penthouse Sound NYC 8/30/57

NEW SEALED 180g Limited and Numbered LP

```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

This LP is part of the HUGE collection offered by 
Orbit Records on eBay. Our eBay store features 
a wide variety of new & used blues, rock, country, 
gospel, R&B, classical & jazz vinyl LPs, 45s, & 
78s, in addition to CDs, posters, books & more. 
We have tens of thousands of items in our inventory, 
and are adding things daily, so don’t hesitate to 
contact us with your requests and suggestions.

Be sure to bookmark our site and visit often. 

We combine items for the best shipping price. 

You are safe with Orbit Records. Please see our feedback

to find more than 13,000 satisfied customers. 
Sign up for our newsletter for announcements 
on new listings and occasional specials! 
Thanks for looking.

```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

LP PACKAGING
We package our LPs in a thick cardboard LP mailer. 
We ALWAYS take the LP out of the jacket of 2nd hand items to 
avoid any seam splitting that could occur in shipment. 
We put the LP and the jacket in an LP plastic sleeve. 
We do NOT open sealed LPs unless requested. 
We cushion the LP in bubble wrap and use shipping tape 
on all spines to protect the integrity of the box, and to 
insure the safety of the contents. All this is included in

the low shipping price. We will clean your purchase on our 
VPI machine if and when necessary. This insures that 
you receive your item in the best possible condition.

 LP SHIPPING
We offer the US Postal Service’s Media Mail and / or Priority 
for shipping in the U.S. Buyer’s choice. The buyer pays the shipping, 
packing (see above) and handling charges. Tracking is included 
with both. We occasionally run domestic shipping specials. 
Signing up for our newsletter will give you early warnings. 
Shipping to other countries is by the United States Postal 
Service's First Class Mail International. Priority International 
Is also available.

 WE COMBINE ITEMS FOR THE BEST SHIPPING PRICE

 All items will be expertly packaged to prevent damage in 
shipment (see above). Please refer to our feedback for 
testimonials to our packaging. We are good…really.

PAYMENT
Paypal is the preferred method. Paypal will accept 
Credit Card payments without a paypal account. 
Go to the Paypal website for more information or write us 
with concerns.

FEEDBACK
We leave feedback for you once payment has been 
received, and would appreciate your feedback once you 
have received you package and have inspected it to 
your satisfaction. If there is any problem, we would appreciate 
your contacting us for resolution before leaving negative 
feedback. We have an excellent record, and plan to keep 
it that way - by offering great customer service. 
Please view our feedback to verify our integrity.

STORE INFORMATION
Orbit Records has thousands of new & used LPs, 45s, 78s, 
CDs, DVDs, etc. We specialize in R&B, Blues, Rock, 
Soul, Gospel, Jazz and oldies from the 40’s, 50's, 
60's, 70's and beyond. We also have a nice 
collection of classical. We are an internet only store, 
and additional items can be found in our web store. 
Write us with requests. We add many set sale and 
auction items weekly, so check back, or better 
yet, add Orbitrecords1900 to your “favorite sellers” list.
We also have an eBay newsletter for updates and 
occasional exclusive sales. Sign up from 
the link in the store.

STORE HOURS
Sun – Sat – 12:01AM to Midnight, 24/7 
from the comfort of your favorite chair.

CONTACT via TELEPHONE
Have records to sell? We buy collections! and are 
always on the lookout for quality items to add to our 
inventory. Write us through the eBay system. 

or E-MAIL
For question