Just the Way It Was: Live at the Left Bank [Live]

Just the Way It Was: Live at the Left Bank [Live]

ASIN: B00004YNBL

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Saxophonist Sonny Stitt could play rapid-fire lines right out of the Charlie Parker songbook or roll out the funk-soul grooves that drove people vigorously to the dance floor. Just the Way It Was is of the dance-floor variety, featuring Stitt, organist Don Patterson, and drummer Billy James tearing it up at a 1971 live performance recorded by Baltimore's Left Bank Jazz Society. Stitt used his electric saxophone for this gig; though he did it regularly during this era, it was a controversial move in the jazz community, which didn't want its bop icons "wrecking" the tone of the sax with such gadgetry. Electric or not, Stitt rips notes from his horn like kernels from a corncob as Patterson and James keep things at a boil. This is certainly not Stitt in definitive form, but it offers an interesting and insightful look at a gifted band taking flight once again, and that certainly makes this worth checking out. --Tad Hendrickson

Tracks:

Deuces Wild
Samba De Orpheus
Who Can I Turn To?
Cry Me A River
John Brown's Body
The Shadow Of Your Smile
Blues Up And Down

Just the Way It Was: Live at the Left Bank

Average customer rating:

If you like Organ with Saxophone, THIS IS HOT
Good Live Jazz - but not great

Just the Way It Was: Live at the Left Bank
Sonny Stitt
Manufacturer: Label M.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Bebop | Live Albums | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Jazz | Styles | Music

Soul-Jazz & Boogaloo | Jazz | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00004YNBL
Release Date: 2000-09-26

Tracks:

Deuces Wild
Samba De Orpheus
Who Can I Turn To?
Cry Me A River
John Brown's Body
The Shadow Of Your Smile
Blues Up And Down

Amazon.com

Saxophonist Sonny Stitt could play rapid-fire lines right out of the Charlie Parker songbook or roll out the funk-soul grooves that drove people vigorously to the dance floor. Just the Way It Was is of the dance-floor variety, featuring Stitt, organist Don Patterson, and drummer Billy James tearing it up at a 1971 live performance recorded by Baltimore's Left Bank Jazz Society. Stitt used his electric saxophone for this gig; though he did it regularly during this era, it was a controversial move in the jazz community, which didn't want its bop icons "wrecking" the tone of the sax with such gadgetry. Electric or not, Stitt rips notes from his horn like kernels from a corncob as Patterson and James keep things at a boil. This is certainly not Stitt in definitive form, but it offers an interesting and insightful look at a gifted band taking flight once again, and that certainly makes this worth checking out. --Tad Hendrickson

Customer Reviews:

If you like Organ with Saxophone, THIS IS HOT.......2001-12-25

DO NOT FEAR : You'll get over the Varitone(electric Sax) sound pretty quickly. This album captures Sonny's captivating, driving, aggressive, killer approach very well. It's got a nicely groovin'/party atmosphere that is rounded out by some ballads(still played with some serious intensity). This should not be the first or only Stitt album to own, but I recommend this for people who can appreciate what a live recording offers. Drummer Billy James and Organist Don Patterson are full of the vivacious swing off of which Sonny strives.

Good Live Jazz - but not great.......2001-09-19

The songs are this CD are pleasant to listen too, but on one of the songs you can hear a slight mix up with the recording. It's only a slight distraction and shouldn't deter you from buying this CD. The electric organ occasionally reminds me of Yankee Stadium's organ...I have to admit, I never heard of Sonny Stitt before. But after I heard this album reviewed on NPR, I decided to buy it. I wasn't let down.

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