The Modern Jazz Sextet

 

Dizzy Meets Sonny

The Modern Jazz Sextet

Supervised by Norman Granz

Cover Design by David Stone Martin

Norgran Records MG N-1076

1956

From the back cover: Here is a jazz unit that includes the basic ingredients of the Down Beat award – winning Modern Jazz Quartet – and more besides. What is added, essentially, is a strong sense of vitality contributed by the trumpet of Dizzy Gillespie and the alto saxophone of Sonny Stitt. You might call this a super-imposition as well as a blend since the addition of Gillespie and Stitt in no way alters what has already been set down by the quartet, namely an inventive, tasteful approach to jazz as well as an unfailing swinging approach. With Dizzy and Sonny on hand there's no loss in any of these vital departments and much to be gained besides.

What piano-and-rhythm section quartet wouldn't be bolstered, after all, by Dizzy Gillespie and Sonny Stitt? Unity clearly was no problem since pianist John Lewis and Dizzy Gillespie are associates of many years standing. In fact, it was Lewis who helped Dizzy's big band in the last 1940s as arranger and pianist. Although he is ranked high as a pianist, Lewis' forte is arranging and he has arranged considerable in the past for Dizzy – and one of Lewis' important works, "Tocata for Trumpet and Orchestra" was introduced to a Carnegie Hall audience in 1947 by none other than John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie. Stitt has also worked previously with John Lewis, mainly in the same Gillespie big band.

In this album the group devotes the A side to two Dizzy Gillespie originals, "Tour de Force," which is aptly named for it is precisely that, and "Dizzy Meets Sonny," a musical introduction, as it were, with appropriate byplay between the two artists. The B side Ballad Medley finds the three soloists in expressive form, each in a separate ballad – Stitt takes "Old Folks" while Lewis is heard on "What's New" and Gillespie on another standard, "How Deep Is The Ocean?" In addition to a sprightly version of the standard "Mean To Me," there's also a tribute to Charlie "Yardbird" Parker entitled "Blues For Bird," co-authored by Gillespie and Stitt. Through it all, of course, there is the rhythmic anchor of Percy Heath's bass as well as Skeeter Best's guitar and the drums of Charlie Persip.

Tour De France

Dizzy Meets Sonny

Ballad Medley

   Old Folks

   What's New

   How Deep Is The Ocean (How High Is The Sky)

Mean To Me

Blues For Bird