Sonny Stitt and Paul Gonsalves - Salt and Pepper (2011) [DSD64]

One of the underrated gems of the 1960s, Salt And Pepper is an exciting matchup of tenors Sonny Stitt and Paul Gonsalves. It is very much a jam session set, with 'Salt And Pepper' being a heated medium-tempo blues and the two competitive tenors stretching out on 'S'posin'' and a lengthy 'Perdido.' The most memorable selection from the date is the one on which Stitt switches to alto, 'Stardust.'

His beautiful playing behind Gonsalves' warm melody statement raises the session to the classic level. Also included on this consistently exciting release is a Sonny Stitt quartet set. Although Stitt (doubling on alto and tenor) recorded scores of quartet sessions, he sounds particularly inspired here, especially on such offbeat material as 'Estralita,' the Dixieland standard 'Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone' and 'My Mother's Eyes.'

Highly recommended to bebop and straight-ahead jazz fans.

Sonny Stitt, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Paul Gonsalves, tenor saxophone
Milt Hinton, bass
Osie Johnson, drums
Hank Jones, piano
Al Lucas, bass


Recorded at Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Sept. 5, 1963

Digitally remastered.