The Sonny Stitt Quartet – Saxophone Supremacy

AllMusic Review by Ken Dryden

Sonny Stitt had a difficult time coming out from under the shadow of Charlie Parker, even though Stitt's approach to playing the alto sax was only partially similar to the late giant. Stitt (who is incorrectly listed as playing tenor sax on the album jacket) is joined by a solid rhythm section consisting of pianist Lou Levy, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Mel Lewis. Most of this album is dedicated to standards. A loping treatment of "I Cover the Waterfront" is followed by his playful take of Hoagy Carmichael's "Lazybones." Also of interest are the leader's two originals, the frisky "Two Bad Days Blues" and the uptempo romp "Blue Smile," the latter of which has a fine solo by Levy but is prematurely faded as Stitt returns. This Verve LP was recorded during the same sessions that produced Sonny Stitt Plays the Most and Sonny Stitt Blows the Blues, but this long out of print disc will be somewhat hard to track down.

00:00 A1 I Cover The Waterfront (Edward Heyman, Johnny Green) 03:16 A2 Lazy Bones (Hoagy Carmichael,Johnny Mercer) 10:59 A3 Sunday (Benny Krueger,Chester Cohn,Jule Styne,Ned Miller) 14:55 A4 Just Friends (John Klenner,Samual Lewis) 18:44 B1 All Of Me (Gerald Marks,Seymour Simons) 21:47 B2 Two Bad Days Blues (Sonny Stitt) 26:31 B3 It's You Or No One (Jule Styne,Sammy Cahn) 31:04 B4 Blue Smile (Sonny Stitt) Alto Saxophone – Sonny Stitt Bass – Leroy Vinnegar Drums – Mel Lewis Piano – Lou Levy Recorded December 21 & 23, 1959
Verve