''It's Magic'' is an album by saxophonist
Sonny Stitt recorded in 1969 but not released by the
Delmark label until 2005.
Reception
Scott Yanow of
Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
said "This previously unissued set by the great bebop saxophonist Sonny Stitt does not contain any real surprises. Stitt, who at the time was using a Varitone octave device on his horns (it is fortunately barely noticeable here), performs with his regular band of the period... Although his playing on both alto and tenor is quite professional and reasonably creative within the boundaries of his boppish music, Stitt sometimes sounds as if he is just going through the motions".
In
JazzTimes
''JazzTimes'' is an American magazine devoted to jazz. Published 10 times a year, it was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1970 by Ira Sabin as the newsletter ''Radio Free Jazz'' to complement his record store.
Coverage
After a decade of growt ...
Chris Kelsey wrote "Sonny Stitt’s ''It’s Magic'' (Delmark), an organ-trio date recorded in 1969, is less magic than simple sleight-of-hand. ... Absent is the dauntless intensity he could bring to the table when the mood struck him. His use of a Varitone device-an early signal processor that added an octave below the tenor’s normal register-might have been an inhibiting factor, although the extra octave is just barely audible when it can be heard at all ... it’s like watching Houdini pull a rabbit out of a hat. It’s kind of cool, but you know he’s capable of much more".
[Kelsey, C]
JazzTimes Review
accessed October 22, 2019 On
All About Jazz
''All About Jazz'' is a website established by Michael Ricci in 1995. A volunteer staff publishes news, album reviews, articles, videos, and listings of concerts and other events having to do with jazz. Ricci maintains a related site, ''Jazz Near ...
Paul Olsen noted "''It's Magic'' isn't a great album and it's by no means essential. But it's got its charms, though. It's a rough-sounding, raw recording with occasionally faltering sound, but that quality gives it a certain immediacy that benefits the variable performance—at times, anyway. Sometimes Stitt's great, sometimes he's not. The band's ability rises and falls. There's no faking it—and that's jazz, not magic"
[Olsen, P]
All About Jazz Review
accessed October 22, 2019
Track listing
# "
Four
4 (four) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 3 and preceding 5. It is the smallest semiprime and composite number, and is considered unlucky in many East Asian cultures.
In mathematics
Four is the smallest c ...
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Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of musi ...
) – 3:49
# "
On Green Dolphin Street" (
Bronisław Kaper
Bronisław Kaper (; February 5, 1902 – April 26, 1983) was a Polish film composer who scored films and musical theater in Germany, France, and the USA. The American immigration authorities misspelled his name as Bronislau Kaper. He was also va ...
,
Ned Washington
Ned Washington (born Edward Michael Washington, August 15, 1901 – December 20, 1976) was an American lyricist born in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Life and career
Washington was nominated for eleven Academy Awards from 1940 to 1962. He won the Bes ...
) – 3:42
# "
Parker's Mood "Parker's Mood" is a piece of music originally performed by Charlie Parker as an improvised blues in 1948. Vocalese lyrics were later written and recorded by King Pleasure and Eddie Jefferson.
Original recording
Alto saxophonist Charlie Parker rec ...
" (
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...
) – 3:50
# "
How High the Moon
"How High the Moon" is a jazz standard with lyrics by Nancy Hamilton and music by Morgan Lewis. It was first featured in the 1940 Broadway revue '' Two for the Show'', where it was sung by Alfred Drake and Frances Comstock. In ''Two for the S ...
" (
Morgan Lewis,
Nancy Hamilton
Nancy Hamilton (July 27, 1908 - February 18, 1985) was an American actress, playwright, lyricist, director and producer.
Early life and education
Nancy Hamilton was born in Sewickley, Pennsylvania on July 27, 1908, daughter of Charles Lee Hamil ...
) – 3:49 Amazon
# "Shake Your Head" (Bob Gerow,
Sammy Cahn
Samuel Cohen (June 18, 1913 – January 15, 1993), known professionally as Sammy Cahn, was an American lyricist, songwriter, and musician. He is best known for his romantic lyrics to films and Broadway songs, as well as stand-alone songs premi ...
) – 3:39
# "
It's Magic" (
Jule Styne, Cahn) – 3:46
# "
Getting Sentimental Over You" (
George Bassman
George Bassman (February 7, 1914 – June 26, 1997) was an American composer and arranger.
Biography
Born in New York City to a Ukrainian- and Lithuanian-Jewish émigré couple, Bassman was later raised in Boston and began studying music at th ...
, Washington) – 4:11
# "
Just Friends
''Just Friends'' is a 2005 American Christmas comedy film directed by Roger Kumble, written by Adam 'Tex' Davis and starring Ryan Reynolds, Amy Smart, Anna Faris, Chris Klein and Christopher Marquette. The plot focuses on a formerly obese high ...
" (
John Klenner
John Klenner (24 February 1899 – 13 August 1955) was a German-born American pianist and composer
A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are compos ...
,
Sam M. Lewis
Sam M. Lewis (October 25, 1885 – November 22, 1959) was an American singer and lyricist.
Career
Lewis was born Samuel M. Levine in New York City, United States. He began his music career by singing in cafés throughout New York City, and be ...
) – 4:55
# "
Body and Soul" (
Johnny Green,
Edward Heyman
Edward Heyman (March 14, 1907October 16, 1981) was an American lyricist and producer, best known for his lyrics to " Body and Soul," "When I Fall in Love," and " For Sentimental Reasons." He also contributed to a number of songs for films.
Biog ...
,
Robert Sour
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, hono ...
,
Frank Eyton) – 4:04
# "
They Can't Take That Away from Me
"They Can't Take That Away from Me" is a 1937 popular song with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin. It was introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1937 film ''Shall We Dance'' and gained huge success.
Overview
The song is performed b ...
" (
George Gershwin
George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...
,
Ira Gershwin) – 3:52
Personnel
*
Sonny Stitt - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone,
varitone
The Varitone was a woodwind pickup and effects unit, allowing direct amplification of the instrument (i.e. without a standard microphone) and the introduction of various electronic effects. It was marketed in 1967 by the Selmer Company, which dev ...
*
Don Patterson - organ
*Billy James - drums
References
{{Authority control
2005 albums
Delmark Records albums
Sonny Stitt albums
Albums produced by Bob Koester