Boppin' A Riff – Sonny Stitt
A head deeply influenced by bebop that contrasts the bop melody with an open bridge for solos.
- Recording: Fats Navarro - Boppin' A Riff
- Recorded on: September 6, 1946
- Label: Savoy (588)
- Concert Key: B-flat
- Style: Swing (medium up)
- Trumpet - Fats Navarro
- Trumpet - Kenny Dorham
- Alto Sax - Sonny Stitt
- Tenor Sax - Morris Lane
- Baritone Sax - Ed DeVerteuil
- Piano - Bud Powell
- Bass - Al Hall
- Drums - Kenny Clarke
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As you will hear from our audio example, the melody is steeped in the bebop tradition, both melodically and rhythmically. The "bridge" is open for the soloist's improvisation, which in this case is the composer, alto saxophonist Sonny Stitt. Sonny's bridge solo is cued in all lead sheets for your reference. The melody chord progression is a defined set of "rhythm changes," while soloing is open to a freer "rhythm changes" concept.
Recorded on September 6, 1946, and first issued as both sides of the Savoy 78 rpm: "Boppin' A Riff pt.1&2" / The Be-Bop Boys (Savoy 588). Next issued on 10" LP "New Sound In Modern Music" (various artists - Savoy MG 9012), session listed by Savoy as "Fats Navarro/Gil Fuller's Modernists."
Recorded on September 6, 1946, and first issued as both sides of the Savoy 78 rpm: "Boppin' A Riff pt.1&2" / The Be-Bop Boys (Savoy 588). Next issued on 10" LP "New Sound In Modern Music" (various artists - Savoy MG 9012), session listed by Savoy as "Fats Navarro/Gil Fuller's Modernists."
Sonny recorded Boppin' A Riff on the last of a series of sessions he recorded with both Kenny Dorham and Bud Powell. The first session was on August 23, 1946 (The Bebop Boys/Kenny Dorham Quintet). Then, starting on September 4, 1946, the group changed names daily as they recorded. "The Bebop Boys/Sonny Stitt Quintet" on September 5, was augmented to a nonet on September 6 for a "Kenny Clarke and His 52nd Street Boys" session, which also added an additional trumpet player, Fats Navarro, and finally on September 7, it became an octet, dropping the guitar, as "Fats Navarro/Gil Fuller's Modernists." In 1947 Sonny won the Esquire New Star alto sax award.
Sonny Stitt
February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982
Alto saxophonist Sonny Stitt was 3 1/2 years younger than Charlie Parker. When they met in 1943, each was surprised to find the other had developed a virtually identical style. Sonny was always frustrated when he was labeled as just another disciple of Charlie Parker, knowing he had already developed his style before hearing recordings of Charlie Parker with Jay McShann. Read more...