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Sonny Stitt on Argo


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Does anyone know which of Sonny's albums are on this CD?

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It's a compilation. It's consists of selections from Burnin' (Argo, 1958, w/ Barry Harris), Sonny Stitt & Bennie Green - My Main Man (Argo, 1964), and Sonny Stitt & Zoot Sims - Inter-action (Cadet, 1965). The sucky think is that there is room left on the CD - they could probably have included at least one complete album.

Edited by alankin
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Does anyone know which of Sonny's albums are on this CD?

51Knlh2GvoL._SX425_.jpg

It's a compilation. It's consists of selections from Burnin' (Argo, 1958, w/ Barry Harris), Sonny Stitt & Bennie Green - My Main Man (Argo, 1964), and Sonny Stitt & Zoot Sims - Inter-action (Cadet, 1965). The sucky think is that there is room left on the CD - they could probably have included at least one complete album.

Because they've been issued with the same cover, "Burnin'" is often confused with Argo 629, "Sonny Stitt," which had no liner notes or listing of personnel, only the same photo of Stitt on both front and back. The rhythm section on Argo 629 has often been said to be the same as on "Burnin,'" (Barry Harris, Frank Gant, and William Austin) but in fact Stitt is backed there by the Ramsey Lewis Trio. The quite distinctive work of bassist El Dee Young is the giveaway; also, Lewis sounds nothing like Barry Harris. Finally, unexpected though this may be, Argo 629 is the superior album IMO, one of the best Stitt ever made.

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That's the one with 'Jack Spratt', 'Propapagoon' (what?), 'This is always' & 'Dancing on the ceiling', on it, ain't it?

Got a UK issue a short while ago. Never realised it was the Ramsey Lewis trio. Been meaning to give it another listen.

Thanks Larry.

MG

What's the UK edition of "Sonny Stitt" that you've got MG?

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I see that this Fresh Sound reissue:

http://www.amazon.com/Burnin-Barry-Harris-William-Austin/dp/B008E612OA/ref=sr_1_10?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1408809087&sr=1-10&keywords=sonny+stitt+argo

combines those two Argo albums, but it also lists the Harris trio as the rhythm section on both dates, which is incorrect.


That's the one with 'Jack Spratt', 'Propapagoon' (what?), 'This is always' & 'Dancing on the ceiling', on it, ain't it?

Got a UK issue a short while ago. Never realised it was the Ramsey Lewis trio. Been meaning to give it another listen.

Thanks Larry.

MG

That's the one. Bought it when it came out, have loved it ever since. Associate it in my mind with a similarly excellent Zoot Sims date, "Zoot," on Argo from 1957:

http://www.amazon.com/Zoot-Mini-Sleeve-Sims-Quartet/dp/B000060N5G/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1408813779&sr=1-4&keywords=zoot+sims+quartet

Not to be confused with the tasty Riverside album from around the same time "Zoot!," with Nick Travis on trumpet.

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Not to be confused with the tasty Riverside album from around the same time "Zoot!," with Nick Travis on trumpet.

Confused?.... moi......... :wacko:

Zoot Sims Quartet

Zoot Sims (tenor,alto saxophone) John Williams (piano) Knobby Totah (bass) Gus Johnson (drums)

Chicago, IL, October 12, 1956
9:20 Special Argo LP 608; Chess 2ACMJ 405 The Man I Love - 55th And State - Blue Room - Gus's Blues - That Old Feeling - Bohemia After Dark - Woody'n You -

* Argo LP 608 Zoot Sims - Zoot

* Chess 2ACMJ 405 Sonny Stitt/Zoot Sims - Interaction

Zoot Sims Quintet

Nick Travis (trumpet) Zoot Sims (tenor,alto saxophone) George Handy (piano, arranger) Wilbur Ware (bass) Osie Johnson (drums)

Reeves Sound Studios, NYC, December 13 & 18, 1956
Why Cry Riverside REP 120, RLP 12-228 Echoes Of You - Swim Jim Riverside RLP 12-228 Here And Now - Fools Rush In Riverside RLP 12-228, RLP 12-244 Osmosis Riverside RLP 12-228 Taking A Chance On Love -

* Riverside RLP 12-228; Original Jazz Classics OJC 228, OJCCD 228-2 Zoot Sims - Zoot!

= Jazzland JLP 2 Zoot Sims Quintet

* Riverside RLP 12-244 Various Artists - Jazz For Lovers

* Riverside REP 120 Zoot Sims Quintet

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Love both "Zoot" albums! And the second Stitt Argo is tasty indeed! (But the one with Harris ain't half bad, either.)

But in the above listing, why is "Inter-Action" suddenly the same as the Argo "Zoot"? Something fishy there.

"Inter-action" was reissued fairly recently in Japan and I bought it. Pretty good one, but not great, I'd say. Still miss a complete edition of the album w/Green, so I'm holding on to the compilation "How High the Moon" (the one in the starting post) for the time being (there's a Gambit issue, I think, of the Green albums - don't know the other one w/Bunky that's on it at all yet).

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Does anyone know which of Sonny's albums are on this CD?

51Knlh2GvoL._SX425_.jpg

It's a compilation. It's consists of selections from Burnin' (Argo, 1958, w/ Barry Harris), Sonny Stitt & Bennie Green - My Main Man (Argo, 1964), and Sonny Stitt & Zoot Sims - Inter-action (Cadet, 1965). The sucky think is that there is room left on the CD - they could probably have included at least one complete album.

Because they've been issued with the same cover, "Burnin'" is often confused with Argo 629, "Sonny Stitt," which had no liner notes or listing of personnel, only the same photo of Stitt on both front and back. The rhythm section on Argo 629 has often been said to be the same as on "Burnin,'" (Barry Harris, Frank Gant, and William Austin) but in fact Stitt is backed there by the Ramsey Lewis Trio. The quite distinctive work of bassist El Dee Young is the giveaway; also, Lewis sounds nothing like Barry Harris. Finally, unexpected though this may be, Argo 629 is the superior album IMO, one of the best Stitt ever made.

Larry, thanks for the musician info re Argo 629 (is it Eldee or El Dee Young?) - you wouldn't have a more accurate date than 57-58?

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That's the one with 'Jack Spratt', 'Propapagoon' (what?), 'This is always' & 'Dancing on the ceiling', on it, ain't it?

Got a UK issue a short while ago. Never realised it was the Ramsey Lewis trio. Been meaning to give it another listen.

Thanks Larry.

MG

What's the UK edition of "Sonny Stitt" that you've got MG?

Marble Arch!!!!!

MG

That's the one with 'Jack Spratt', 'Propapagoon' (what?), 'This is always' & 'Dancing on the ceiling',

MG

it's "propapacoon", is it not?

spinning the mini lp for the first time in many a moon this evening. what a gem....

Well, on my edition - cheapo Marble Arch from the 60s - is says Propapagoon on the sleeve and label.

MG

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But in the above listing, why is "Inter-Action" suddenly the same as the Argo "Zoot"? Something fishy there.

There was a two-fer issued with the same name:

Oh, I wasn't aware of any Argo vinyl twofers! Never saw one so far!

It was a series issued when Argo/Chess was owned by some faceless corporation in the mid-70's. I had this one, I think as a French import:

14405_01.JPG

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Per Wikipedia, "In 1971 Chess Records was purchased by General Recorded Tape, aka GRT Corporation, which consolidated both the Chess and Cadet labels into a single labeling number sequence." A list of their releases can be found here. IIRC, GRT made the cassettes used by labels to release prerecorded cassettes; guess this was their attempt at diversification.

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Well, on my edition - cheapo Marble Arch from the 60s - is says Propapagoon on the sleeve and label.

MG

on my japanese mini-lp (uccc-9026), it's printed as 'propapacoon'....

this thread has sent me headlong into a stitt listening session culminating in the mosaic roost sessions box but including about eight or ten other titles. what a joy the past day has been - not a single imperfect note!

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Some early 70s Chess/Cadet 2-fers.

can't see a one of your images... ?

Finally, unexpected though this may be, Argo 629 is the superior album IMO, one of the best Stitt ever made.

that would make for a wonderful conversation. personally, i think there are a *lot* of high points in his discography. i think 'stitt plays bird' gives 629 a run for its money.

up next is one i haven't heard in ages; 'salt and pepper' with paul gonsalves.

Edited by etherbored
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Thanks guys, I wondered whether it was a compilation. I guess I'll just have to wait until the next time the complete albums get released again in Japan.

"Sonny Stitt", "Inter-Action" & "Mr Bojangles" are still available through HMV Japan, currently at a reduced price (906 Yen)

http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/search/advanced_1/category_1%2C2%2C3%2C4%2C5%2C7%2C9%2C10%2C23%2C24%2C50/formattype_1/keyword_sonny+stitt/sort_datedesc/target_SEARCH/

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R-1536313-1318082749.jpeg

R-4887319-1378514289-7430.jpeg

R-1193409-1235140866.jpeg

R-3732420-1342162974-5996.jpeg

R-2669321-1295805683.jpeg

R-2686008-1338617970-5832.jpeg

R-1487539-1223385621.jpeg

R-2640641-1327510607.jpeg

R-2276110-1273901371.jpeg

Some early 70s Chess/Cadet 2-fers.

can't see a one of your images... ?

Sorry. Discogs images are quirky here for some reason.

Here's the site from which you can see the albums. Just click on the album name.

http://www.discogs.com/label/31486-Cadet-Records

The Burrell 2-fer Cool Cookin' was a hidden discographical gem because it contained three previously unreleased tracks from the Vanguard trio date with Davis & Haynes. None of the others were so fruitful iirc, but given the then-scarcity of much of the Chess/Argo/Cadet/Etc catalog in those days, they were welcome on the shelves, and always served as good listening experiences independent of the "album" context.

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