Sonny Stitt With Don Patterson - Shangri-La (1964)

Tracklist

1.My New Baby - 7:21
2.Misty - 4:34
3.Soul Food - 7:51
4.Shangri-La - 4:44
5.Mama Don't Allow It - 5:54
6.The Eternal One - 5:49

personnel :

Sonny Stitt - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Don Patterson - organ
Billy James - drums

On this trio date Stitt is supported by Don Patterson on organ and Billy James on drums. Shangri-La doesn't particularly stand out from other, similar albums he made at the time with organ, but it's a respectable set with both uptempo swingers and ballads. Even in 1964, a moratorium should have been declared on versions of the too-often-covered "Misty," which is here. Far more surprising, and edifying, is a rare vocal with a humorous and not entirely serious delivery by Stitt himself on "Mama Don't Allow." The album is available in its entirety on Prestige's Low Flame CD, which combines Shangri-La and Stitt's 1962 album Low Flame (which also features Patterson and Billy James, along with guitarist Paul Weeden) on the same disc.