Sonny Stitt - Sonny Stitt & The Top Brass (1962) [2012 Japan 24-bit Remaster]

This LP features altoist Sonny Stitt accompanied by a nonet playing arrangements by either Tadd Dameron or Jimmy Mundy. The charts give this Stitt album more variety than usual, and the superior material (which includes "On a Misty Night," "Poinciana" and Stitt's "Hey Pam") challenges the saxophonist to play at his best; trumpeter Blue Mitchell also has a couple of spots.
Sonny Stitt recorded hundreds of throwaway sessions, but this is one of his rare well planned efforts on a major label with arrangements split between Tadd Dameron and Jimmy Mundy.
Stitt is at the top of his game, with his solos, dare I say, on a par with Charlie Parker.


Tracks:

01 - Souls Valley
02 - Coquette
03 - On a Misty Night
04 - Stittsie
05 - Poinciana
06 - Boom-Boom
07 - Sea Sea Rider
08 - The Four Ninety
09 - Hey Pam

Personnel:

Sonny Stitt - alto sax
Reunald Jones, Blue Mitchell, Dick Vance - trumpets
Jimmy Cleveland, Matthew Gee - trombones
Willie Ruff - French horn
Duke Jordan - piano (tracks 2, 5, 7 & 9)
Perri Lee - organ (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6 & 8)
Joe Benjamin - bass
Frank Brown or Philly Joe Jones - drums
Tadd Dameron or Jimmy Mundy - arranger