Sonny Stitt - Only The Blues (1957) CD Rip

Tracklist

01. The Spring (10:04)
02. Cleveland Blues (12:05)
03. B.W. Blues (11:38)
04. Blues For Bags (11:12)
05. I Didn't Know What Time It Was (3:43)
06. I Remember You (4:06)
07. I Know That You Know (4:47)
08. I Know That You Know (Incomplete) (5:04)
09. I Know That You Know (5:40)
10. I Know That You Know (Inserts) (3:22)
11. I Know That You Know (Composite Master Take) (4:43)

personnel :

Sonny Stitt - alto saxophone
Roy Eldridge - trumpet
Oscar Peterson – piano
Ray Brown – double bass
Herb Ellis - guitar
Stan Levey - drums

This 1997 CD releases all of the music recorded by Sonny Stitt (who stuck to alto for the date) on October 11, 1957. The original four songs teamed Stitt with trumpeter Roy Eldridge, pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Stan Levey. Although three of the songs were blues, the most exciting number is ironically the opener, an "I Got Rhythm" run-through on a Stitt original, "The String," that is note for note the same as his "Eternal Triangle." The two horns are quite combative and inspire each other. Not only is Stitt heard on a pair of standards without Eldridge from the same day, but there are 22 minutes of "I Know That You Know" consisting of three full versions, a false start, five breakdowns, an incomplete version, and seven attempts at a coda. The latter serves as proof that more can be less, for there was little reason to release more than one or two versions of the song.~Scott Yanow