LP-661

Sonny Stitt - Burnin'

Released May 1960

Recording and Session Information

Sonny Stitt, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone; Barry Harris, piano; Bill Austin, bass; Frank Gant, drums
Chicago, August 1, 1958

8942 Ko-ko
8943 I'll tell you later
8944 It's hipper than that
8945 Lover man
8946 A minor sax
8947 Easy living
8948 Reed and a half
8949 Look for the silver lining
8950 How high the moon
8951 Last tune (unissued)

Track Listing

Ko-Ko	Parker	August 1 1958
A Minor Sax	Sonny Stitt	August 1 1958
Lover Man	Davis, Sherman, Ramirez	August 1 1958
Reed And A Half		August 1 1958
How High The Moon	Lewis, Hamilton	August 1 1958
I´ll Tell You Later	Sonny Stitt	August 1 1958
Look For The Silver Lining	DeSylva, Kern	August 1 1958
Easy Living	Robin, Rainger	August 1 1958
It´s Hipper Than That	Sonny Stitt	August 1 1958

Liner Notes

WHEN A MAN has an avowed devotion to "make people happy through music," then that man hopes he shall be welcomed with open arms. Not so Sonny Stitt. Alcohol, unsympathetic women, narcotics, and unfair musical criticism have singularly and compoundedly vented their spleen on the sensitive artist. More than once, that welcome mat revealed itself to be a shag rug on a slippery surface and Sonny was found picking himself up to knock on the door of fulfillment once more.

Thank heavens for that resiliency. Now the prematurely graying Stitt has a sustaining philosophy regarding his roller coaster existence.

"Everybody has his problems," he states, "but what I always say, you shouldn't let your problems rob you, for tomorrow is a brand new day."

The musical day dawned early for Stitt. His mother took the 14-year-old devotee to and from work three nights a week and on weekends. On February 2, 1960, Edward Stitt was 35 years old and had 21 years of professional musicianship behind him.

These decades have been highlighted with many coveted awards on both the alto and the tenor saxophones. Although his first love is the alto, you will note here that he plays both horns with equal facility. Here he alternates horns with fantastic casc within the confines of a single tune. His sailing, angular tenor style is the antithesis of the florid, rapid-fire alto style.

"They are two different instruments," Sonny explains. "They have two different sounds and they are supposed to bc played differently." Aside from these two horns, Sonny has bccn toying with the idea of developing a third sound on the soprano saxophone. He added,

"The flute is good listening, but I can't imagine myself as the Pied Piper — at least with a flute."

These tracks were made after a minimum number of "takes" to avoid a constant fear which Sonny has...too much polish.

"There is a little more creation involved when you don't over-rehearse. It's like an artist painting a picture. If it's good, then leave it alone. When it's finished, it's over. You can't do the same painting or the same music over again. This is why I couldn't take a studio gig if I were offered one. I can't play the same thing over and over again."

In an era of evasive statements and noncommital answers, Sonny Stitt is the answer to a writer's dream. He is utterly fearless in his opinions and remarks concerning jazz.

"Let's face it, jazz has been here since before ragtime began and people can't do without music — it's food. It's food for the musician and food for the people." He aligns himself firmly with the jazz musicians of the middle west and the east coast tradition.

"The boys on the east coast are more like men when they play," he says. "Not that the west coast fellows don't know what they're doing, because they do. They play all the right notes, but the feeling doesn't seem to be there — something seems to be missing.

"I think jazz is supposed to be warm, not hot all the time, but warm, not cool. It's supposed to have a little kick to it, a little pop of the finger." After reflecting a moment, he qualified his stand.

"I won't venture to say all west coast jazz is bad. It depends on the man and not the climate he comes from."

Stitt holds little regard for the environmental influences upon the musician.

"Shucks, I've been down in Georgia and felt like I was raising sand — had a good time. To me, the most important elements necessary for a good performance are the musician himself, his frame of mind, and the band he's working with."

Some people seem to have been born to get all the breaks, others were destined to make their own. Sonny Stitt is a breaks-maker if ever there was one. Once again he is personally and musically on the ascent. When his coaster car reaches the top this time, Sonny plans to brake and stay there.

Barbara J. Gardner