About Sonny Stitt
Sonny Stitt (born Edward Hammond Boatner Jr.; February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982) 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 era, recording over 100 albums. He was nicknamed the "Lone Wolf" by jazz critic Dan Morgenstern because of his tendency to rarely work with the same musicians for long despite his relentless touring and devotion to the craft. Stitt was sometimes regarded as a Charlie Parker mimic early in his career, but gradually developed his own sound and style, particularly when performing on the tenor saxophone and even occasionally baritone saxophone. Stitt joined Miles Davis briefly in 1960, and recordings with Davis's quintet can be found only in live settings on the tour of 1960. Stitt recorded several times with his friend Gene Ammons in sessions that were interrupted by Ammons's own imprisonment for narcotics possession. The records recorded by these two saxophonists are regarded by many as some of both Ammons’s and Stitt's best work.
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