SONNY STITT NOW

Sonny Stitt - Now!

Sonny Stitt

Now!

ABC/Impulse! 9000 series/A 43

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, June 10, 1963

Personnel:

Sonny Stitt (as, ts)

Hank Jones (p)

Al Lucas (b)

Osie Johnson (d)

11584 Touchy

11585 Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone

11588 Surfin'

11589 My Mother's Eyes

11590 Lester Leaps In

11591 Never-Sh!

11592 I'm Getting Sentimental Over You

11596 Estralita

-------------------------------------------------------------

Tracks

1. Surfin' [Stitt] 4:13

2. Lester Leaps In [Young] 6:24

3. Estralita [Public Domain] 3:17

4. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone [Clare/Stept] 4:34

5. Touchy [Stitt] 5:13

6. Never-Sh! [Stitt] 5:08

7. My Mother's Eyes [Beer/Gilber] 4:09

8. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You [Bassman/Washington] 4:15

Review by Dave Nathan

Issued by the Impulse! label, Now! was one of those albums Sonny Stitt made in the 1960s (this one in 1963) that was part of his transition from the alto to the tenor sax, a transition necessary to shuck off the mantle that he was little more than a Charlie Parker clone. While Parker's influence remained a basic part of Stitt's articulation and phrasing, he eventually became a foremost practitioner based on his own significant jazz accomplishments. This album is virtually alto free, with the small sax used on just one tune, "Never-Sh!" Also, the almost frenetic, egoist display of high-speed fingering and dazzling work with chord changes that characterized some of Stitt's early work is virtually absent from this session. The play list lets Stitt bring to the table his capacity to be at ease in a variety of scenarios, from his bouncy, boppish "Surfin'" to an imaginative improvisation on "Estralita" (an otherwise unimaginative piece of fluff) to a lovely ballad interpretation of "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You." Stitt is joined by the first-rate rhythm section of Hank Jones, Al Lucas, and Osie Johnson. The synergy of this group is apparent from the outset and stays right through to the end of the session. Jones gets plenty of time to display his unmatched prowess on the piano on such tunes as "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone." For some reason, Johnson's drums are a bit chunky on some cuts, which is out of character for him. But there is little harm done. This album is a significant entry in the large Sonny Stitt discography.

http://www.mediafire.com/?gzgqcdcu6w6s7n2 CLIQUE AQUI