b. Edward Stitt, 2nd February 1924, Boston, Massachusets, U.S.A.
d. 22nd July 1982, Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
Sonny Stitt established himself on the American jazz scene in the 60's before making an impact on the UK jazz funk scene during the mid-70's.
Prior to these recordings, Sonny Stitt recorded in the 40's for Tiny Bradshaws band.
He also worked with Billy Eckstine and Dizzy Gillespie in his big band.
At the end of the forties he was working with Gene Ammons and cut several albums for Prestige, Argo and Verve in the following decades.
In 1960, he was working alongside Miles Davis and James Moody.
After recording for the Jazz Masters label (albums including 'Tornado', featuring Eddie Russ) he switched to Cadet Records for 'Satan' (1974).
Perhaps his most sought-after album for soul / fusion followers, was the 1975 Cadet release 'Never Can Say Goodbye' (an album collaboration with 'Pee Wee' Ellis), which included 'Slick Eddie'.
He then moved to Roulette Records for 'Stardust' (1976).
In the early eighties, Sonny was still recording for Muse and Sonnet amongst others.
Sonny Stitt suffered a heart attack and died in 1982.
Albums:
All Star Series: Sonny Stitt (Savoy 1946)
Genesis (Prestige 1949)
All God's Chillun Got Rhythm (Prestige 1949)
Sonny Stitt / Bud Powell / J.J. Johnson (Prestige 1949)
Bud's Blues (Prestige 1949)
Stitt's Bits, Vol. 1 (Prestige 1950)
Mr. Saxophone (Prestige 1950)
Sonny Stitt, Vol. 1: Favorites (Prestige 1950)
Stitt's Bits (Prestige 1950)
Prestige First Sessions, Vol. 2 (Prestige 1950)
Sonny Stitt, Vol. 2: Tenor Sax (Prestige 1950)
Kaleidoscope (Prestige 1950)
Stitt's Bits, Vol. 2 (Prestige 1950)
Arrangements from the Pen of Johnny Richards (Roost 1952)
Symphony Hall Swing (Savoy 1952)
Early Modern (Jazztone 1953)
Battle of Birdland (Roost 1953)
At the Hi-Hat [live] (Roulette 1954)
Live at the Hi-Hat, Vol. 2 (Roulette 1954)
Jazz at the Hi Hat [live] (Roost 1954)
Sonny Stitt Plays Arrangements of Quincy... (Roost 1955)
New York Jazz (Verve 1956)
Inter-Action (Cadet 1956)
37 Minutes and 48 Seconds (Roost 1956)
Verve Jazz Masters 50 (Verve 1956)
Personal Appearance (Verve 1957)
Sonny Stitt with the New Yorkers (Roost 1957)
Sits in with the Oscar Peterson Trio (Verve 1957)
Only the Blues (Verve 1957)
Burnin' (Argo 1958)
Sonny Stitt [MCA] (MCA / Chess 1958)
The Saxophone of Sonny Stitt (Roost 1959)
The Hard Swing (Verve 1959)
Sonny Stitt Plays Jimmy Giuffre Arrangements (Verve 1959)
A Little Bit of Stitt (Roost 1959)
Saxophone Supremacy (Verve 1959)
Sonny Stitt Swings the Most (Verve 1959)
Sonny Side of Stitt (Roost 1960)
Stittsville (Roost 1960)
Sonny Side Up (Roost 1960)
The Sensual Sound of Sonny Stitt (Verve 1961)
Sonny Stitt at the D.J. Lounge [live] (Chess 1961)
We'll Be Together Again (Prestige 1961)
Boss Tenors (Verve 1961)
Feelin's (Roost 1961)
Nother Futher / Meets Brother Jack (Prestige 1962)
Stitt Meets Brother Jack (Prestige 1962)
Nuther Fu'ther (Prestige 1962)
Soul Summit (Prestige 1962)
Boss Tenors in Orbit (Verve 1962)
Low Flame (Jazzland 1962)
Sonny Stitt and the Top Brass (Atlantic 1962)
Stitt and Top Brass (Atlantic 1962)
Rearin' Back (Argo 1962)
With the Ralph Burns Strings (1962)
Autumn in New York (1201 Music 1962)
Stitt Plays Bird (Atlantic 1963)
My Mother's Eyes (Pacific Jazz 1963)
Sonny Stitt Now! (Impulse! 1963)
Salt and Pepper (GRP / Impulse! 1963)
Soul Shack (Prestige 1963)
Night Letter (Prestige 1963)
Primitivo Soul (Prestige 1963)
Move on Over (Argo 1963)
Stitt Goes Latin (Royal Roost 1963)
Sonny Stitt in Orbit (Roost 1963)
Sonny Stitt Goes Latin (Roost 1963)
My Main Man (Argo 1964)
Shangri-La (Prestige 1964)
Sonny's Blues [Ronnie Scott's] [live] (Jazz House 1964)
Soul People (Prestige 1964)
Sonny Stitt...Pow! (Prestige 1965)
Night Crawler (Prestige 1965)
Broadway Soul (Colpix 1965)
The Matadors Meet the Bull (Roulette 1966)
Soul in the Night (Cadet 1966)
Stardust (Roulette 1966)
What's New? Sonny Stitt Plays the Varitone (Roulette 1966)
Deuces Wild (Atlantic 1966)
Pow (Prestige 1967)
I Keep Comin' Back (Roulette 1967)
Sonny Stitt and the Giants (Jazz Man 1967)
Parallel-A-Stitt (Roulette 1967)
Made for Each Other (Delmark 1968)
Soul Electricity (Prestige 1968)
Little Green Apples (Solid State 1968)
Come Hither (Solid State 1968)
Sonny Stitt Blows the Blues (Verve 1970)
Turn It on (Prestige 1971)
Black Vibrations (Prestige 1971)
Tune-Up! (Muse 1972)
Endgame Brilliance: Constellation & Tune-Up (32 Jazz 1972)
Goin' Down Slow (Prestige 1972)
Constellation (Muse 1972)
So Doggone Good (Prestige 1972)
12! (32 Jazz 1972)
The Genius of Sonny Stitt Gets Close to You (Jazz Masters 1972)
The Champ (Muse 1973)
I Cover the Waterfront (Cadet 1973)
Mr. Bojangles (Cadet 1973)
Tornado (Jazz Masters 1974)
Satan (Cadet 1974)
Mellow (Muse 1975)
Soul Girl (Paula / Flyright 1975)
In Walked Sonny (Sonet 1975)
My Buddy: Stitt Plays for Gene Ammons (Muse 1975)
Forecast: Sonny & Red (Catalyst 1975)
Blues for Duke (Muse 1975)
Never Can Say Goodbye (Cadet 1975)
Dumpy Mama (Flying 1975)
Stomp off Let's Go (Flying 1976)
Moonlight in Vermont (Denon 1977)
I Remember Bird (Catalyst 1977)
Sonny Stitt with Strings (Catalyst 1977)
Sonny Stitt Meets Sadik Hakim (Progressive 1978)
Back to My Own Home (Black & Blue 1979)
Sonny's Back (Muse 1980)
Good Life (Storyville 1980)
In Style (32 Jazz 1981)
Sonny (Who's Who In 1981)
Sonny, Sweets and Jaws (Who's Who In 1981)
The Bubba's Sessions with Eddie 'Lockjaw'... (Who's Who In 1981)
Battle of the Saxes (AIM 1981)
Last Stitt Sessions, Vols. 1 & 2 (32 Jazz 1982)
Just Friends (Le Jazz 1995)
I Should Care (Jewel 1996)
Duty Free (Delta 1998)
Live at Ronnie Scott's (DCC 1999)
Atlas Blues: Blow And Ballad (Atlantic 1999)
Sonny Sweets and Jaws: Live at Bubbas (Allegro 2000)
Just the Way It Was: Live at the Left Bank (Label M. 2000)
The Complete Roost: Sonny Stitt Sessions (Mosaic 2001)
