Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Sonny Stitt: Work Done

Sonny Stitt: Work Done

By George Harris
September 9, 2005
View read count

Sonny Stitt is sure playing like he means it on Work Done. Recorded live at the Keystone Korner in 1976, Stitt is in excellent form as he swings the living daylights out of a searing collection of standards, blues, and contemporary songs. On tenor, he is absolutely presidential, wailing through "Indiana" and "Loose Walk" (also known as "Blues Walk" for you Clifford Brown fans). Stitt spews out more ideas in one solo than any Berklee student could dream of in one semester.

He even burns through contemporary songs such as Stevie Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" and "On a Clear Day," turning each pop song into a jazz masterwork. Stitt is absolutely stunning pulling out all of the stops on a radiant reading of "Stardust." The intro to this piece alone is worth the price of admission. Of course, Stitt wouldn't be who he is without a few Bird songs, and his versions of "Lover Man" and "Constellation" are textbook perfect.

With an in-the-pocket rhythm section, Stitt could do no wrong this night. The sound quality is not exactly 24-bit, but there's no need to complain on this evening when this Sonny shined so brightly.

Track Listing

Barkan the Blues; Indiana; Shadow of Your Smile; Lover Man; Constellation; You Are the Sunshine of My Life; Stardust; On a Clear Day; Loose Walk.

Personnel

Sonny Stitt

saxophone

Sonny Stitt: tenor saxophone; Ed Kelly: piano; Ray Drummond: bass; Smiley Winters: drums.

Album information

Title: Work Done | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: HighNote Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Feign
< Previous

Endangered Species
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.