Sonny Stitt with Strings: A Tribute to Duke Ellington

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Sonny Stitt with Strings: A Tribute to Duke Ellington
A Tribute to Duke Ellington.jpg
Studio album by Sonny Stitt
Released 1977
Recorded 1977
Annex Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA
Genre Jazz
Label Catalyst
CAT-7620
Producer Pat Britt
Sonny Stitt chronology
I Remember Bird
(1977) I Remember Bird1977		Sonny Stitt with Strings: A Tribute to Duke Ellington
(1977)		 The Sonny Stitt Quintet
(1978) The Sonny Stitt Quintet1978

Sonny Stitt with Strings: A Tribute to Duke Ellington is an album by American jazz saxophonist Sonny Stitt featuring performances of compositions associated with Duke Ellington recorded in 1977 for the Catalyst label. [1]

Sonny Stitt American jazz saxophonist

Edward Hammond Boatner Jr., known professionally as Sonny Stitt, was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of his generation, recording more than 100 albums. He was nicknamed the "Lone Wolf" by jazz critic Dan Morgenstern because of his relentless touring and devotion to jazz. Stitt was sometimes viewed as a Charlie Parker mimic, especially earlier in his career, but gradually came to develop his own sound and style, particularly when performing on tenor sax.

Duke Ellington American jazz musician, composer and band leader

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and leader of a jazz orchestra, which he led from 1923 until his death over a career spanning more than fifty years.

Catalyst Records was a record company and label that specialized in jazz. It was formed in Los Angeles in 1975. Catalyst released both new recordings and reissues. The catalogue was available through the 1980s, though recording ceased in 1977. This label is different from the subsidiary of BMG which was founded in the early 1990s.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]

The Allmusic site awarded the album 3 stars, stating, "No real surprises occur although the string charts are a cut above the usual. Stitt is at his most melodic and really romps on a few of these pieces". [2]

Track listing

  1. "Take the "A" Train" (Billy Strayhorn) - 3:44
  2. "Prelude to a Kiss" (Duke Ellington, Irving Gordon, Irving Mills) - 4:17
  3. "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" (Ellington, Mills) - 4:35
  4. "Cotton Tail" (Ellington) - 5:14
  5. "In a Sentimental Mood" (Ellington, Mills, Manny Kurtz) - 4:09
  6. "In a Mellow Tone" (Ellington, Milt Gabler) - 4:43
  7. "Jeep's Blues" (Ellington, Johnny Hodges) - 5:43

Personnel

Tenor saxophone type of saxophone

The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B♭ (while the Alto is pitched in the key of E♭), and written as a transposing instrument in the treble clef, sounding an octave and a major second lower than the written pitch. Modern tenor saxophones which have a high F♯ key have a range from A♭2 to E5 (concert) and are therefore pitched one octave below the soprano saxophone. People who play the tenor saxophone are known as "tenor saxophonists", "tenor sax players", or "saxophonists".

Alto saxophone type of saxophone

The alto saxophone, also referred to as the alto sax, is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s, and patented in 1846. It is pitched in E♭, and is smaller than the tenor, but larger than the soprano. The alto sax is the most common saxophone and is commonly used in concert bands, chamber music, solo repertoire, military bands, marching bands, and jazz. The fingerings of the different saxophones are all the same so a saxophone player can play any type of saxophone.

Hermenengildo 'Gildo' Mahones was an American jazz pianist.

Related Research Articles

"In a Mellow Tone", also known as "In a Mellotone", is a 1939 jazz standard composed by Duke Ellington, with lyrics written by Milt Gabler. The song was based on the 1917 standard "Rose Room" by Art Hickman and Harry Williams, which Ellington himself had recorded in 1932. Howard Stern used a recording of this song as the opening theme to The Howard Stern Show from 1987 to 1994.

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<i>Homage to Duke</i> album by Dave Grusin

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Sonny Stitt Plays Jimmy Giuffre Arrangements is an album by saxophonist Sonny Stitt performing music arranged by Jimmy Giuffre recorded in 1959 and originally released on the Verve label.

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<i>Blues for Duke</i> album by Sonny Stitt

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<i>Stomp Off Lets Go</i> album by Sonny Stitt

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<i>We Thought About Duke</i> album by Franz Koglmann

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References

  1. ↑ Catalyst Records 7600 series discography accessed April 29, 2016
  2. 1 2 Yanow, Scott. Sonny Stitt with Strings: A Tribute to Duke Ellington – Review at AllMusic . Retrieved April 29, 2016.
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