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A pair of hard-wailing tenor albums on Verve – both of them great! Boss Tenors In Orbit is a studio album, but one that really has Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt recreating some of the bold energy of their live shows – coming across with a vibe that's much more Prestige Records than Verve, thanks to the presence of the Don Patterson trio on the set! Backing is by Don on Hammond, Paul Weeden on guitar, and Billy James on drums – a nicely loose combo that really lets the tenorists stretch out and show their stuff. The cuts are mostly standard material – "John Brown's Body", "Walkin", "Long Ago And Far Away" – but the twin-tenor sound is great, and Patterson's free organ lines riff away nicely! On Boss Tenors, Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt go head to head in this classic album of tracks that perfectly captures the joy and fury of their live performances from years before! The record was cut in Chicago with a very hard rhythm section that includes John Houston on piano, Charles Williams on bass, and George Brown on drums – and it's way heavier than the usual Verve "meeting of the masters" session, and feels more like a record that should have been issued on Prestige or Argo. Both players are impeccable, and the solos stretch out for a long long very live time. Titles include "Blues Up & Down", "The One Before This", and "Counter Clockwise" – but these guys even groove amazingly on standards like "Autumn Leaves" and "No Greater Love".

A nice little album – featuring some of the sides that Gene Ammons cut "off contract" for Chess/Argo during the early 60s, and ones that feature him paired with Sonny Stitt, his longtime partner in legendary tenor battles from the 50s. The two horns aren't really locked in combat here, but they do complement each other nicely on the album's mellow groovers and ballad tracks. Titles include "Cha Bootie", "Tenor Eleven", "The Last Mile", and "Full Moon".

These two tenor giants meet in the period slightly before Ammons death, and they're grouped with some of the younger funky players on Prestige, like Leon Spencer, Idris Muhammad, and George Freeman. The sound is fairly traditional, but there's some nice funky moments. Tracks include "Out Of It", which was written by Harold Vick, "The People's Choice", written by Harold Ousley, and the title cut, which is a Leon Spencer original.

Incredible stuff – and a rare meeting of two giant jazz talents you'd never thought would appear on the same stage! The album features a 1960 concert in Sweden – Miles and Sonny upfront, with backing by the trio of Wyton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb. Tracks are long, fiery, and a bit dirty (if we can say that in mixed company!) – and titles include "No Blues", "If I Were A Bell", "Walkin", "All Of You", and "On Green Dolphin Street".

A bit of a mystery session – clearly recorded in the late 40s, but without as many session details as we might like! Still, the work's great – early Milt Jackson with a nice boppish edge, recording here with Sonny Stitt on alto, Sir Charles Thompson on piano, and Russell Jacquet on trumpet. All other players are unnamed, but tracks are short and have a lot of energy – and the album's worth it for Stitt alone. Titles include "Be Bop Blues", "Red Shoes", "3rd Song", "Fine & Dandy", "Royal Wedding", and "Ratio & Proportion".

A great groover from Don Patterson – cut in a trio format, with an open-ended style that lets the players kick back and play, in the sort of free and easy setting you'd hear in a hip small club. Patterson's organ is backed by his usual drummer Billy James, and 4 of the album's 5 tracks feature tenor work, either by Booker Ervin or Sonny Stitt. The last track, "Theme For Dee", is a spare mellow ballad that features mostly just organ by Patterson, with some subtle drum fills by James. The other tracks groove a bit harder, and include "Love Me With All Your Heart", "42639", and "Sentimental Journey".

A lost Sonny Stitt session from the 60s – but wonderfully swinging, and with a groove that really works well! The album's a set of Broadway tunes played jazz-wise – but in the hands of Stitt, they come up wonderfully – stretching out with soulful intensity that's mighty nice, amidst a larger ensemble that makes for a nice contrast from some of Sonny's smaller group sessions! Stitt plays both alto and tenor – and the group features some excellent other hornmen in the lineup – Zoot Sims, Jerome Richardson, and Budd Johnson on tenor saxes, Phil Woods on alto, and Thad Jones on trumpet – plus Walter Bishop Jr on piano, Milt Hinton on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. Stitt's in the lead here – blowing cleanly and confidently, much more soaringly than on earlier records, and without the tricks of later electric ones. Titles include "Gimme Some", "Night Song", "Better All The Time", "You'd Better Love Me", and "Loads Of Love".

A great little Sonny Stitt album – very different than any of his other sets from the 60s! The album has a number of interesting aspects – from hard-wailing organ by Wilmer Mosby (who we think is Don Patterson under a fake name), to some screaming guest work by Rufus Harley and Robin Kenyatta. Sonny and Kenyatta sound especially great together, and on the track "In The Bag" Stitt's alto blends right in with Kenyattas, for an hard-wailing sound that's enough to shatter your windows, glasses, and contact lenses. Harley's work is equally great on the cut "Pipin The Blues", and with Sitt playing the sax parts, Rufus is free to really work those jazz bagpipes! Other tracks include "Deuces Wild", "Blues Ahead", and "Sittin In With Stitt".

Plenty of style here – a great later date from Sonny Stitt – one of those near-perfect gems from the years when he had fallen far from the mainstream of jazz, but could still blow with some of the best! There's a simple, almost understated quality to the date that's really wonderful – especially for 1981 – a lineage that flows right back to Stitt's marvelous work for the Roost label, alongside which this record could stand proudly, with only a slight difference in production technique. Other players include Barry Harris on piano, George Duvivier on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and titles include "Western Style", "Yesterdays", "Eastern Style", "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby", "The Good Life", and "Killing Me Softly".

Sonny Stitt makes Oscar Peterson sit up and groove! The record's a great one, and uses the Peterson Trio as a perfect rhythm section for Sonny's confidently blown solos of the late 50s – in a way that pushes the combo past their usual safe area, and into more freewheeling territory to keep up with Stitt's sense of power and invention! The tunes on the set are every bit as great as those on Sonny's own albums as a leader for Verve – crisp, clear, and perfectly blown – a masterpiece of subtle creativity and one of the greatest tones to ever emerge from the saxophone! Titles include "Au Privave", "Scrapple From The Apple", "Moten Swing", and "Easy Does It".

A seminal set of Sonny Stitt recordings for Prestige – material that was originally issued on singles and 10" LPs, pulled together to make one classic album! The material here was recorded in 1951 and 1952, and shows Stitt at all of his prime youthful power – blowing beautifully with a razor-sharp tone, and a sense of improvisational imagination that few others could match! Sonny plays alto, tenor, and baritone – and other players include Joe Newman on trumpet, Kenny Drew or Junior Mance on piano, and Art Blakey on drums. Titles include "Cherokee", "Imagination", "Can't We Be Friends", "Liza", "Cool Mambo", "Sonny Sounds", and "Blue Mambo".

2 classic Stitt albums back to back – Turn It On and Black Vibrations, both recorded during his early 70s funk years at Prestige! Turn It On is very firmly the funky Prestige sound of the early 70s – complete with Idris Muhammad on drums, organ by Leon Spencer, guitar by Melvin Sparks, and trumpet by Virgil Jones. After years of noodling around on the Varitone, never quite hitting his right moment, Stitt breaks out nicely in the company of these hot young funky players. The record's got a few mellow moments that point towards his older ballad style, but the funky numbers are the best. Titles include "Turn It On", "The BBQ Man", and "Miss Riverside". On Black Vibrations, Sonny Stitt joins up with a tight group of prime Prestige funky players – like Idris Muhammad, Leon Spencer, Melvin Sparks, and Virgil Jones – for a sound that's much funkier than some of his other records for the label. The set's got a good set of modern funk tracks, with all the quality moments you'd expect from these top-notch players. Titles include "Goin' To DC", "Calling Card", "Them Funky Changes", and "Black Vibrations".

A mellow late-night set of jazz tracks, cut with Don Patterson and his trio that included Paul Weeden and Billy James. The record has a great soulful sound that's a lot more like some of Patterson's work on Prestige than the usual stuff on Jazzland – and we almost wonder if the session wasn't given to Jazzland by Prestige, or done for free as a favor for using Stitt on a few of their records. Stitt's nicely situated in a warm organ groove, and his blowing is strong and soulful on tracks like "Low Flame", "Silly Billy", "Baby, Do You Ever Think Of Me", and "Donald Duck".

A record with a simple, elegant title – and a similar cover image too – but if you know Sonny Stitt, you know there's often plenty beneath the surface, and this classic Chess Records has plenty to offer, once you start listening! The album's right up there with Sonny's work for Roost – in terms of straight, strong, confident blowing – remarkably subtle, but also remarkably well-conceived, and proof that by the end of the 50s, Stitt had really matured greatly as a player – bringing so much to bear in very short space, and really coming up with imaginative solos in the process! The group's a quartet with Barry Harris on piano – but Stitt's the main focus on this set, and for good reason – on titles that include "Jack Spratt", "Propapagoon", "This Is Always", "Everyone Does", and "Mr Sun".

A classic from Stitt – cut during the underground days of the early 60s, when both he and Gene Ammons seemed to be recording for just about every jazz label around, and when they both seemed to be doing an awful lot of work in Chicago. This album was done in a flurry that Jug and Stitt cut for Argo during 1961 – and it's a Stitt-only session, recorded at the super-hip DJ Lounge, owned by Chicago spinner McKie Fitzhugh down at the intersection of 63rd and Cottage Grove. The group's an organ combo, with Eddie Buster on the Hammon, Joe Shelton on drums, and John Board joining in for a bit more tenor. (Interesting to note is the fact that Board made a number of classic soul session appearances later on in the decade – but this is one of his few jazz recordings.) The set's very hard-grooving – with longish tracks that let Stitt and Board go head to head in the same style he was used to with Ammons. Titles include "McKies", "Jay Tee", "Free Chicken", and "Blue Moon".

An oft-overlooked, but very nice record from Sonny Stitt – recorded in Chicago in the early 70s, and with two different types of groups that show off both sides of the city's jazz scene at the time! On the first 4 numbers, the group is a bit on the larger side – giving the material a nice Cadet Studios touch to it – with Richard Evans on bass, Morris Jennings on drums, Tennyson Stephens on piano, a bit of strings, and vocalizing by Kitty Hayward. The remaining tracks are done in a smaller setting – and they feature a rare appearance by Muhal Richard Abrams on piano, who plays straight stuff here – in a quartet with Wilbur Campell and Cleveland Eaton. A rare record from Sonny – but it's an entirely worthy one! Includes "Got To Get Over", "Soul Girl", "Jeep Blues" and "I Know That You Know" with the larger group, plus the quartet pieces "I Should Care", "Eight Track Blues" and "Gone With The Wind".

By this point in his career, Sonny hardly needed a tune up in his style – but the album's a great one from his post-Prestige years, and a real back-to-basics effort that recalls the genius of his work on Roost! The format is straight and simple – Stitt's tenor and alto fronting a quartet that includes Barry Harris, Sam Jones, and Alan Dawson – all playing in a way that puts Sonny in command on all tracks, blowing with an amazing tone that makes us want to throw away all his funk, organ, and electric outings, and just concentrate on these straight acoustic sides. Stitt has a way of blowing the reed like he's got his whole mouth moving into the sax – an earthy, human, and personal feel that first came out strongly in his work during the late 50s, but which has grown even more by this point – even if you couldn't hear the development on other sets. And given our love of funk and electric sides, we're honestly surprised we find ourselves championing a record like this from the early 70s – but it's a great one, and not to be missed if you remotely dig Stitt! Titles include "Tune Up", "Idaho", "Just Friends", "Groovin High", and "Blues For Prez & Bird".

Head to head blowing from Sonny Sitt and Paul Gonsalves – just the kind of twin-horn performance that Stitt was famous for in his live battle days, and one that also reminds us that Gonsalves can be a very loose swinger when he wants to be! The tracks are all long, and played with the sort of feel you'd hear if you caught these guys live at some small southside club – and the solos also show the kind of inventiveness and imagination you'd catch in that sort of setting – backed by a swinging rhythm combo that features Hank Jones on piano, Milt Hinton on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. Titles include a version of "Perdido" that's nearly 13 minutes long – plus "Stardust", "Sposin", "Salt & Pepper", and "Theme From Lord Of The Flies".

By this point in his career, Sonny hardly needed a tune up in his style – but the album's a great one from his post-Prestige years, and a real back-to-basics effort that recalls the genius of his work on Roost! The format is straight and simple – Stitt's tenor and alto fronting a quartet that includes Barry Harris, Sam Jones, and Alan Dawson – all playing in a way that puts Sonny in command on all tracks, blowing with an amazing tone that makes us want to throw away all his funk, organ, and electric outings, and just concentrate on these straight acoustic sides. Stitt has a way of blowing the reed like he's got his whole mouth moving into the sax – an earthy, human, and personal feel that first came out strongly in his work during the late 50s, but which has grown even more by this point – even if you couldn't hear the development on other sets. And given our love of funk and electric sides, we're honestly surprised we find ourselves championing a record like this from the early 70s – but it's a great one, and not to be missed if you remotely dig Stitt! Titles include "Tune Up", "Idaho", "Just Friends", "Groovin High", and "Blues For Prez & Bird".

Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt go head to head in this classic album of tracks that perfectly captures the joy and fury of their live performances from years before! The record was cut in Chicago with a very hard rhythm section that includes John Houston on piano, Charles Williams on bass, and George Brown on drums – and it's way heavier than the usual Verve "meeting of the masters" session, and feels more like a record that should have been issued on Prestige or Argo. Both players are impeccable, and the solos stretch out for a long long very live time. Titles include "Blues Up & Down", "The One Before This", and "Counter Clockwise" – but these guys even groove amazingly on standards like "Autumn Leaves" and "No Greater Love".

The brain trust of soul jazz in the early 60s – led by tenorist Gene Ammons on both albums! Soul Summit Volume one features Ammons and Sonny Stitt on tenor, plus Jack McDuff on Hammond – a definite soul summit for the time – with 3 top-shelf players in the lead, all getting plenty of room to do their thing! Both Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt are on tenor in the front, working with the respect and confidence they'd forged together on other co-led sessions from the time – and Jack McDuff's a great addition to the set, playing Hammond with his newly-lean tone, and really helping things move along nicely. Drummer Charlie Persip has a nicely booming style here – one that gets the group out of the box from the get-go, and McDuff's handling all the bass work on the organ, which always makes for a tight rhythmic romp! Most tunes are in that great raw Prestige mode from the old days, as you'd guess by titles like "Tubby", "Dumplin", and "Shuffle Twist" – alongside other numbers that include "Sleeping Susan" and "Out In The Cold Again". Soul Summit Vol 2 is a set that's less a "summit" than a great collection of groovy work for Prestige Records in the 60s – tracks that didn't make it onto other full albums of the time, but which feature material by some of the most soulful talents on the label! Tenorist Gene Ammons is the main star here – stretching out wonderfully on most numbers on the record – although the set also features added tenor work from Red Holloway, George Barrow, and Harold Vick! The mighty Jack McDuff lends his Hammond to a few tunes, Etta Jones sings on three numbers, and the record even features trumpet from Clark Terry, alto from Oliver Nelson, and congas from Ray Barretto too – on cuts that include "Scram", "Cool Cool Daddy", "Ballad For Baby", "If You Are But A Dream", "But Not For Me", and "Love I've Found You".

One of the greatest jam session records on Verve! Although some of the label's "big horn talent" albums tended to be a bit snoozy, this one crackles with energy, and features three different classes of boppers working together perfectly on long, lively tracks with Ray Bryant on piano, Tommy Bryant on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums. In fact, it's probably the soulful rhythm section that makes the whole thing so darn good – as they really chop up some nice rhythms on cuts like "Wheatleigh Hall", "Haute Mon", and the album's classic version of "Con Alma". Great stuff, and essential for fans of Diz and Rollins especially!

Sweet 70s work from Sonny Stitt – quite different than his bop years, but with a smooth funky finish that puts it in the same territory as CTI or Kudu Records in the 70s! Sonny's getting full backing here – arrangements by Don Sebesky, who crafts some elegant and slinky sounds for the album's gently grooving tracks – and although the set's not a hard-edged funk effort, it's got the same mix of soul and jazz that you'd find in some of Stanley Turrentine's work of the time. Sonny Plays both alto and tenor, and Roland Hanna handles the electric piano. Highlights include the bouncy "Blue Monsoon", a nice mellow version of "The World Is A Ghetto", and the tracks "Got To Be There", "Fifty Per Cent", and "Ben".

Sonny Stitt in a sweet electric funk mode – working here in a style that's almost more CTI/Kudu than the usual Cadet Records groove! Arrangements are by James Brown heavyweight Pee Wee Ellis – who also plays some moog on the set – and other players include Wilbur Bascomb on bass, Bernard Purdie on drums, and Patti Brown on electric piano! Titles include the classic "Slick Eddie", plus "Bachianas Brasilieras/Funky Interlude", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Spanish Harlem", and "Ocho Rios".

Sonny Stitt's work for Verve was some of his best on record – and this album is a perfect illustration of that bold claim! Sonny's blowing here in a wonderful style – a bit more restrained than on his early bop sides, more complicated than on his later soul jazz sessions, and all together totally solid, totally in-the-pocket – with not a note out of place, nor a moment of superfluous blowing on the set. Stitt's extremely confident here – dominating the intimate quartet setting with lots of fire, warmth, and imagination. The rhythm section includes Jimmy Jones on piano, Jo Jones on drums, and Ray Brown on bass – and tracks include "Sonny's Tune", "Down Home Blues", "Alone Together", and "Norman's Blues".

One of Sonny Stitt's amazing albums for Roost – a record with a beautifully mature conception of bop soloing, and a totally confident tone throughout! There's an understated brilliance here that's nearly impossible to describe in words – a sense of placement, timing, and phrasing that's really impeccable – and handled with Stitt at a level that shows tremendous growth from his early years on Prestige! The group's a quintet, with Freddie Green on guitar and Hank Jones on piano – and titles include "Afterwards", "Biscuit Mix", "Blues For Bobby", and "The Nearness Of You". Great cover, too – with Stitt backlit against a smokey backdrop, blowing away easily.

Sonny Stitt makes Oscar Peterson sit up and groove! The record's a great one, and uses the Peterson Trio as a perfect rhythm section for Sonny's confidently blown solos of the late 50s – in a way that pushes the combo past their usual safe area, and into more freewheeling territory to keep up with Stitt's sense of power and invention! The tunes on the set are every bit as great as those on Sonny's own albums as a leader for Verve – crisp, clear, and perfectly blown – a masterpiece of subtle creativity and one of the greatest tones to ever emerge from the saxophone! Titles include "Au Privave", "Scrapple From The Apple", "Moten Swing", and "Easy Does It".

An incredible blend of Fender Rhodes and soulful saxophone – a late record from saxophonist Sonny Stitt, but one that also features the young Eddie Russ on keyboards! The record's got a laidback and funky sound that goes deeper than any of Stitt's earlier sides of the 70s – and it sounds a fair bit like Eddie Russ' own record for the Jazz Masters label, thanks to a pretty heavy focus on the keys. Electric piano starts off most of the tracks before Stitt comes in for his solos – and the arrangements are relatively full, with added horns, guitar, and percussion on a fair number of tunes. Larry Nozero plays flute on the record, and some tracks even seem to feature more of him than Stitt – and the range of grooves here is really great. "Tornado" is a rolling funky tune with lots of conga on the bottom, "Escanaba Beat" is a slightly Latin-styled number, "Spinning Wheel" is taken in a jazzily stepping groove that runs for nearly ten minutes, "By My Side" has a nice chunky drum pattern under the Rhodes, and even the album's version of "We've Only Just Begun" is great – with a wicked rolling bassline sample on the intro, and lots of jazzy changes in the groove!

Stitt hits the Varitone for Roulette, and while his work isn't as funky as that of Eddie Harris or Lou Donaldson, the instrument lets him get in a nice raw tone, with a good honest edge that comes through despite backing by a largeish group. Other players include Ernie Hayes on organ, Walter Perkins on drums, and JJ Johnson on trombone – and the set includes short tracks like "Round Midnight", "Beastly Blues", "Jumpin With Symphony Sid", and "Morgan's Song".

A killer little soundtrack – and one that's quite different than the usual blacksploitation set, but still pretty funky overall! The film Black Girl was a surprisingly sensitive movie directed by Ossie Davis in the early 70s – not as much about action as it was about the everyday life, and the hopes and dreams of the lead characters – all of which made for some really well-rounded music, of the sort you'd find on some of the other great Fantasy Records soundtracks of the time, especially the classic Cornbread Earl & Me score. Ed Bogas and Ray Shanklin put together the whole thing, and the album's a mix of hip instrumental tracks with some other vocal ones – a really nice range that draws from singers like Betty Everett, Rodger Collins, and JJ Malone – and jazz players like Sonny Stitt and John Hunt (plus organ from Merl Saunders on one cut.) Titles include "BJ's Step", "Black Girl", "Sister", "Earl (Still A Pearl)", "Mothers Day Song", "Power", "Get Me To The Bridge", "Chock-lite Puddin", and "Black Girl Cue".

Nice one! This is the kind of material that's made Sonny Stitt a favorite for rare jazz vinyl hounds, and it's also the kind of session that's previously been sorely missed in most reissue campaigns of his work. The set's nothing fancy – but its warm soulful grooves show Stitt at his best, and let him unwind with the confident, pointed, yet mellow tone that became his calling card at this point in his career. Titles include "Blues For Yard", "Harlem Nocturn", "Windy Ride", and a haunting take of "Because Of You".

One of those Prestige compilations issued late in the label's history but before they were acquired by Fantasy. This set collects Sonny Stitt's organ combo collaborations with Jack McDuff, with a half a dozen popping soul jazz sides pulled from the Soul Shack and Nuther Fu'ther LPs: 'Soul Shack", "Ringin' In", "Thirty Three Ninety Six", "'Nother Fu'ther", "Hairy" and "Pam Ain't Blue".

A smoking little bop set from Sonny Stitt – recorded live at the Keystone in 1981, as sort of a "summit meeting" of horns – one that features Richie Cole and John Handy in the frontline with Sonny! The rhythm section alone is enough to cook this one up nicely – with Cedar Walton on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the sextet is expanded by Bobby Hutcherson, whose vibes seem to bring an even deeper level of soul to the set. But the main focus here is on the horns – and it's a focus that's well-kept, especially on the longer tunes, which really sparkle in the range of tone and mood expressed. Highlights include an extended "Ballad Medley" and versions of "Wee", "Lover Man", and "Star Eyes". (And by the way, that's "bad", as in "good" – in case you couldn't guess from the title!)

Probably the most classic of Stitt's sides for Verve – and certainly the one that gets rated time and time again by jazz collectors. We think it's pretty darn great – although we always wonder why folks don't give Stitt's other sides for Verve as much of a chance, because they're all pretty darn excellent! The record's a very laidback session, with 4 long tracks that feature plenty of room for Stitt to meander along on his solos. The group includes Roy Eldridge, Oscar Peterson, Herb Ellis, Ray Brown, and Stan Levey – and titles include "The String", "BW Blues", and "Blues For Bags".

Quite an obscure later session from Sonny Stitt – one recorded for the tiny Finite label, which we mostly know from more "out" recordings! The set features Sonny blowing straight and inside – but always with that clean, confident tone that followed nicely in the Roost years. The group's a quintet, with Sam Bivens on trumpet, Hugh Lawson on piano, Ronnie Boykins on bass, and producer John Lewis on drums. The overall feel is a bit loose, almost as if you were catching the combo in a club – and titles include "The First One", "I Know That You Know", "Eternal Triangle", "Elise's Blues", and "Desafinado".

First pressing of an album that was more famously issued under the title Nuther Fu'ther – and which features Stitt & McDuff in a very tasty set of ortan/tenor grooves, played with that style that Prestige was finally beginning to perfect in the early 60s, as it let these organ combos shake off their 50's R&B sound, and start to hit a straighter jazz groove. Art Taylor's on drums, Eddie Diehl's on guitar, and Ray Barretto lopes along behind on congas. Titles include "Thirty Three, Ninety Six", "Nuther Fu'Ther", "Ringin' In", and "Pam Ain't Blue".

Two Sonny Stitt dates with organ – both from different ends of the 60s! First up is Soul Shack – a mellow burner, and a real classic from the early 60s soul jazz years of Prestige Records! The album brings together the saxes of Sonny Stitt (both alto and tenor) and the Hammond of Jack McDuff – who's really coming into his own at this point, and has a lean, mean tone that's a perfect match for Stitt's horn. There's a bluesy undercurrent to the record, but without any of the cliches that might have crept in a few years before – leaving Stitt in the modern company you might expect, in ways that are similar to his dates with Don Patterson. Rhythm is from Leonard Gaskin on bass and Herbie Lovelle on drums – and titles include "Shadows", "Soul Shack", "Sunday", "Love Nes", "For You", and "Hairy". Night Letter is a great set of Varitone sax numbers from Sonny Stitt – recorded for Prestige with a bit more bite than some of his albums of the type for Roulette! The album's got a tight tenor/organ vibe throughout – thanks to work on Hammond from Gene Ludwig, working under the "nom de date" of Booker Patterson – bumped along strongly with some tight guitar from the great Pat Martino! Drums are by Randy Gelispie – and Stitt's electric horn melds in with the organ and guitar wonderfully – with a sound that's a lot deeper than other uses of the instrument at the time. Titles include "Loose Walk", "Night Letter", "Stringing The Jug", and "Blue String".

A great little album that's as hip as its cover image – one of 3 seminal mid 50s recordings for Imperial by LA altoist Sonny Criss! At this point in his career, Criss had a sharp-edged sound that could easily rival the best work by Sonny Stitt or Charlie Parker on the alto sax – but he also had a groove that was a bit more spacious, and a tone that was slightly more raspy – a wonderful quality that we can only describe as Criss-esque, recorded perfectly in the Imperial studios! The group here is a tight quartet – with Sonny Clark on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Lawrence Marable on drums – and Criss' solos are brilliant throughout! Titles include "Wailin With Joe", "The Man I Love", "Blues For Rose", "Blue Prelude", and "Summertime".

One of the few albums as a leader from Mighty Mike Cuozzo – a tight tenor player with a great sort of 50s swing! The set's the kind of no-nonsense, well-blown effort you might expect from Sonny Stitt or Seldon Powell at the time – tunes that pack in plenty over a relatively short space – really transformed by Mike's deft talents on the tenor, with a surprising degree of soul in the mix as well! Rhythm is by Eddie Costa on piano, Vinnie Burke on bass, and Nick Stabulas on drums – and the whole thing's got the solid feel of a lost Roost session. Titles include "Blue Jeans", "Bounce For Mike", "Ten AM", "Lover Man", and "That Old Feeling".

40's LP collection of some of the earlier sides that Dizzy cut for Savoy, with be bop classics like "Our Delight", "One Bass Hit", "Oop Bop Sh'Bam", "Salt Peanuts", and "Dizzy Atmosphere". The groups include players like Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, Al Haig, and Kenny Clarke, and the set's virtually a who's who of early be bop, with Dizzy heading up the lead.

Fantastic work from one of the most unique talents in jazz! Rufus Harley plays bagpipes – yes, that's right, bagpipes – in a modal Coltrane-esque way that's simply got to be heard to be believed. He uses the drone capability of the instrument to explore reed patterns in the same way that Coltrane did, inspired a bit by Eastern sounds, especially Indian music, but also working in an Afro-centric mode that reclaims the bagpipes as an instrument rooted in the middle east (where it was first picked up by soldiers during the crusades, and brought north to Scotland.) The whole thing might sound incredibly silly, but when you hear the music, you'll be convinced – and this CD is set up to do just that. The collection takes 9 tracks from Rufus glory days at Atlantic Records during the late 60s – and features Harley not only on bagpipes, but on tenor, soprano, and flute – playing in groups that feature players like Roy Ayers, Herbie Mann, Sonny Stitt, James Glenn, and Don Patterson. Titles include "Feelin Good", "Flute Bag", "Taurus The 20th", "More", "Sufur", and "Pipin The Blues".

That's the Modern Jazz Sextet – not the Modern Jazz Quartet – although the group definitely borrows a bit of energy from the MJQ, and some personnel too! The group was only put together for this date – and combines the subtle touches of MJQ members John Lewis on piano and Percy Heath on bass, with some harder-edged, hardbop-driven sounds from Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Sonny Stitt on alto, Skeeter Best on guitar, and Charlie Persip on drums! The set's got an open, easygoing feel – that loose Verve studio mode of the time – which stems from their jam session modes, but is a bit tighter overall – in ways that really help the players find their energy together in the tunes. Titles include 2 standards, in the usual Verve style – "Mean To Me" and a ballad medley of "Old Folks", "What's New" and "How Deep Is The Ocean" – plus 3 originals – "Blues For Bird", "Tour De Force", and "Dizzy Meets Sonny".

One of the classic Verve series of recordings from the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival, and an album that features one side of the Oscar Peterson trio with Ray Brown and Herb Ellis, plus a side of the trio joined by Jo Jones, Sonny Stitt and Roy Eldridge. 8 tracks in all, including "Will You Still be Mine", "Joy Spring", "Gal In Calico", "52nd Street Theme", "Monitor Blues", "Willow Weep For Me", "Autumn In New York" and "Roy's Son".

A beautiful bit of hardbop that often gets overlooked because of the "leaderless" quality of the session. One batch of tracks on the record has Jackie McLean playing some beautiful rough interpretations of Bird on the standards "Old Folks" and "Embraceable You". The other batch was recorded live at Newport, and features Max Roach leading a sextet with JJ Johnson, Howard McGhee, Sonny Stitt, and Harold Mabern, on "Buzzy", "Now's The Time", and "Wee". The album's worth the price for the playing of Stitt and McLean alone – who both fall into the Parker-ish groove that they were once haunted with, but which here gives them a chance to show how individual they are. Nice stuff, and a record we almost passed by years ago. Don't make the same mistake.

Some of the most soulful jazz recorded in Europe during the 1960s – and the complete Philips recordings of German saxophonist Klaus Doldinger! Doldinger's probably best remembered for the more dynamic fusion he cut with the Passport group in the 70s, but back in his early years he was full on soul jazz player, steeped in the tradition of Gene Ammons, Lou Donaldson, Sonny Stitt, and others before him – all players that we'd easily rank Doldinger with during these years, given the ultra-high level of his work for Philips! But given his German orientation, Doldinger also picked up on some of the freer influences that were running around the European scene of the 60s – and the tracks here don't just sparkle with American soul jazz sounds, but also show a bit of Brazilian and more progressive jazz influences as well. And alongside Doldinger's tremendous tenor and soprano sax, the recordings here are equally noteworthy for the organ lines of Ingrfried Hoffmann – an ultra-cool player on the Hammond, with the mixture of rhythmic energy and playfulness you might find in the work of Jack McDuff for Prestige at the same time! Doldinger and Hoffmann cook tremendously throughout – so much so, you can easily forget their country of origin, and just put these sides on equally next to your favorites from Prestige or Cadet. 4CD package features material from 4 full albums, plus rare singles – and also includes a full CD of other rare Doldinger recordings from the same time! Tremendous stuff throughout, and easily one of the greatest discoveries in jazz you may make this year. 51 tracks in all – with titles that include "Delilah", "Signal", "Blues For George", "Solar", "Viva Brasilia", "Waltz Of The Jive Cats", "Blue Note Samba", "Negra Sin Sandalia", "Shakin The Blues", "Just A Little Bit Of Soul", "Run Baby Run", "Quartenwalzer", "Praeludium No 3", "That Bluesy Sound", "Watch It", "Pavana The Earl Of Salisbury", "Midnight Session", and "Joe's Blues".

Some of the earliest recorded work from trumpeter Kenny Dorham – presented here in an overstuffed set that brings together most of his appearances on the Savoy label! The core standout tunes here are 10 numbers recorded in 1946 by The Bebop Boys – a combo that featured Dorham, Sonny Stitt, and Bud Powell coming together on tight, short, very upbeat bop material that ranked with some of the best early 78s of the genre. Titles by this group include "Seven Up", "Bebop In Pastel", "Serenade To A Square", "Fools Fancy", and "Bombay". Other material on the CD includes a solo by Kenny on "The Jitney Man" by Billy Eckstine, plus 3 tracks with the Milt Jackson Sextet from 1949 – including "Conglomeration", "Bruz", and "Roll Em Bags". Kenny also plays on three 1949 recordings with Charlie Parker – "Barbados", "Scrapple From The Apple", and "Bebop" – as well as four 1956 numbers with Cecil Payne – including "Grooving High", "Man Of Moods", and "Saucer Eyes".

Gutsy tenor work from Jimmy Forrest – a player who was poised to rival Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons at the start of the 60s, and who could have easily done so, given the strength of his work for Prestige! The record's one of a few that the St Louis player got to cut for the label – and it's a tightly-crafted combo effort that features Hugh Lawson on piano, Tommy Potter on bass, and Clarendon Johnson on drums – plus a bit of added conga from Ray Barretto, bringing in that extra "kick" that pushed off other great soul jazz sessions from the time! Tracks are short, and have a good focus on Forrest's wonderful tone – and titles include "Sonny Boy", "Annie Laurie", "I Love You", "Most Much", "Soft Winds", "Matilda", and "Autumn Leaves".

Well known for the title track, a stepper's classic, this album preserves Don's low down gritty blues style (he played on Prestige sides led by Booker Ervin and Sonny Stitt). The trio lineup featured on this album gives Don the room to sretch out, driving the grooves to their limit. Tracks include "Little Duck", "It's Magic", "Trick Bag", and "Work Song".

One of our favorite records from Archie Shepp's "new traditionalism" years – a set of understated brilliance and beauty, and proof that Shepp's tenor could sound every bit as great on the inside of jazz as it did on the out! The group here is a quartet – with Ken Werner on piano, Santie Debriano on bass, and John Betsch on drums – but the real star of the scene is Archie, blowing with a rough-edged tone that's dripping with soul and humanity – definitely "knowing about the life" in the title, and coming through with a timeless quality that makes him stand beautifully alongside older players like Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, or Sonny Stitt! Titles include "Well You Needn't", "I Know About The Life", "Giant Steps", and "Round Midnight".

The funky side of the Jewel & Paula labels – surprisingly jazzy work for a company that's best known for its blues recordings! Most of the tracks here come from a creative early 70s stretch for the label – and there's a number of cuts that show a strong connection with the AACM and Chicago undergrounds of the time – mixed with other tracks that show more of the southern roots that you might normally expect from Jewel/Paula. Electric and acoustic sounds mix together wonderfully in the track selection for the package – and titles include "Just A Feelin" by Ronnie Kole, "Chi Congo" by Art Ensemble Of Chicago, "Tropical" by African Music Machine, "L&T" by Tony Valor Orchestra, "Ode To Billie Joe" by Ronnie Kole, "First Thing In The Morning" by James Moody, "I Love Every Little Thing About You" by Odell Brown, "Toussaint Shuffle" by Toussaint McCall, "Got To Get Over" by Sonny Stitt, "One For Bud" by Mal Waldron, and "Great Stone Bottle" by Ronnie Kole.

One of our favorite Japanese jazz players of all time – still sounding wonderful on this date from the mid 80s! Akira Miyazawa's easily the most soulful tenorist to come out of the Japanese scene of the 60s – and here, he works with a free, open approach to his horn that almost reminds us of Sonny Stitt in his later years – a really masterful way of opening up, yet never losing his groove – rhythmic, even in some of the most laidback moments – with an inherent sense of swing that matches his depth of tone. Many tracks are ballads, but blown way past obvious interpretations – and in addition to piano trio backing, the set's got some strings too – although Akira's tenor is always very strongly out front in the mix – a quality that makes the record feel like a Verve "with strings" set from the 50s. Titles include "Round Midnight", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "Poor Butterfly", "I Can't Get Started", and "My One & Only Love".

Chicago mainstay John Young offers his own expressive take on pop tunes and film themes from the late 50's and early 60's on this trio side cut for the Argo label (Chess record's jazz wing) in 1961. This trio, featuring William Yancey and Phillip Thomas, served as the rhythm section for many of the sides cut for the Argo label behind leaders such as Sonny Stitt, Howard McGhee and Gene Ammons. Here, they shine in their own light on numbers like "When Sunny Gets Blue", "Mr. Lucky", "Spartacus(Love Theme)" and "Fever".