Blows the Blues

by Sonny Stitt

Overview

Sonny Stitt led a number of excellent record dates in 1959, especially at the end of the year when he produced three LPs for Verve over a span of three sessions with pianist Lou Levy, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Mel Lewis. Playing alto sax throughout this album, Stitt hardly sounds like a Charlie Parker clone, something that unfortunately was a frequent claim by tin-eared critics throughout a fair portion of his career. The music includes several potent originals, especially "Hymnal Blues" (which is based on an old hymn) and the slow, powerful "Morning After Blues." Even an old warhorse like "Frankie and Johnnie" (which actually dates back to the early 1800s, according to liner note writer Leonard Feather) sounds fresh in the quartet's hands, with great solos by Stitt, Levy, and Vinnegar. ~ Ken Dryden

Product Details

Release Date:	07/12/2024
Label:	Verve
UPC:	0602465124576
Rank:	28675

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Sonny Stitt   Primary Artist,Sax (Alto)
Lou Levy   Piano
Leroy Vinnegar   Bass
Mel Lewis   Drums

Technical Credits

Traditional   Composer
Sonny Stitt   Composer
Merle Shore   Art Direction
Phil Stern   Photography
Joe Bishop   Composer
Leonard Feather   Liner Notes
Lew Brown   Composer
Ray Henderson   Composer
Buddy DeSylva   Composer
Public Domain   Composer
Gordon Jenkins   Composer