American Jazz Series
Edward “Sonny” Stitt
Edward “Sonny” Stitt was born February 2, 1924 in Boston Massachusetts, and passed away July 22, 1982 at age 57 in Washington, D.C. He was inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame in 1989.
I attended a Stitt ‘gig’ at the Famous Ball Room in Baltimore sometime around 1968. During that session he was ‘challenged’ by a young newcomer to the jazz scene, a tenor sax player perhaps age 25-30. During the first few minutes Stitt treated him mercifully, but when he attempted to ‘best’ the older man Stitt blew a series of riffs that the young guy found far beyond his capabilities to follow. With a head shake and showing embarrassment, from then on he took care to mine his manners.
Reference:
My Jazz Journey – Terry Randolph
The American Jazz Series provides background information of those jazz artists whose sessions I was privileged to attend from 1963-67, and then as a member of the Left Bank Jazz Society, Baltimore, Maryland and its sister the Left Bank Jazz Society, Washington, DC, concurrently from 1967-80. Jazz institutions and locations: The Famous Ballroom, Baltimore, Maryland; and Bohemian Caverns, The Green Door, Blues Alley, Howard University’s Cramton Auditorium, The Cellar Door, and Lincoln Theatre, all located in Washington, DC. These jazz venues were firmly established, except for The Green Door that was short-lived and located on Georgia Avenue in the vicinity of Howard University. Also near by was the District of Columbia Teachers College (previously Minors Teachers College) now integrated with several other institutions to become the University of the District of Columbia.
Lover Man” writtten by Jimmy Davis, Roger (“Ram”) Ramirez, and James Sherman. Sonny Stitt Alto Sax, Walter Bishop Piano. Tommy Potter Bass, Kenny Clarke Drums.
