Sonny - Sonny Morris & The Delta Jazz Band

Advantages: Fine alto and tenor playing
Disadvantages: One or two bland choices of material

...This is a worthwhile addition to the bebop library, in which Sonny Stitt goes some way to dispelling two popular misconceptions about him: one, that he was just a Charlie Parker clone; and secondly, that his achievements were as a band member or collaborator rather than an outright leader. Stitt does indeed pay his respects to Parker here, quoting from such Parker treatments as "Star Eyes" and "My Melancholy Baby". But this is more of a tribute to the jazz giant in the aftermath of his death than a copycat act. Stitt himself disliked the comparison, and his decision to record on tenor as well as alto sax can in many ways be seen as a piece of self-assertion. He handles both with equal zest and shows he can be delicate one moment, more beligerent the next. To me the best moments on this recording are the three stylish... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Sublime music and musicianship
Disadvantages: None

...This is the original score to the 60s film Alfie, composed and played by Sonny Rollins, one of the greatest tenor sax players. I watched this film several times before really appreciating the score, being so intent on the story and film locations, and later checked yes, it was Rollins playing, and he also wrote it. WHO IS SONNY ROLLINS? If you like jazz you don't need me to provide a biog. Sonny [Theodore Walter] Rollins was born in 1930 in New York, arguably one of the best jazz tenor saxophonists of all time. He was already playing with one of the greats, Thelonious Monk before he was 20, and later performed and recorded with John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Art Blakey. In 1955 he joined the Clifford Brown / Max Roach quintet. He was known for his improvisations, sometimes highly imaginative takes on relatively moribund... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Hard Bop excellence
Disadvantages: none

...The first two tracks offer a blistering hard bop frenzy. I would pay a full album price just for "eternal triangle", track number two. Sonny Stitt and Rollins complement each other very well and the contrast from Dizzy really pushes this albulm along. This is probably my favourite album at the moment. Sonny Side up is a great upbeat start to the album with some really lovely solos form all three and cool singing from dizzy. The Eternal triangle is a composition by sonny Stitt and it's where the record really takes off. The two tenors start trying to outdo each other and it just builds and builds. This is my favourite track - truely breathtaking. After Hours is a bluesy track with some nice piano. I kno that you know finishes off nicely. A truely great album. Essential.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful