''Night Letter'' is an album by saxophonist Sonny Stitt recorded in 1969 and released on the

Prestige Prestige refers to a good reputation or high esteem; in earlier usage, ''prestige'' meant "showiness". (19th c.) Prestige may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films * ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnet ...

label. The album features Stitt using the

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 ...

, an electronic amplification device which altered the saxophone's sound.Myers, M
Sonny Stitt: Varitone Redux
''

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 ...

'', December 20, 2011

Reception

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 ...

reviewed the album stating "He plays with the usual surging intensity, but the album doesn't have as much excitement as similar dates done before and after it".Wynn, R
Allmusic Review
accessed January 9, 2013

Track listing

All compositions by Sonny Stitt except where noted # "Night Letter" - 5:15 # "

When It's Sleepy Time Down South "When It's Sleepy Time Down South", also known as "Sleepy Time Down South", is a 1931 jazz song written by Clarence Muse, Leon René and Otis René. It was sung in the 1931 movie ''Safe in Hell'' by Nina Mae McKinney, and became the signature song o ...

" (

Clarence Muse Clarence Muse (October 14, 1889 – October 13, 1979) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, singer, and composer. He was the first African American to appear in a starring role in a film, 1929's ''Hearts in Dixie''. He acted for ...

Leon René Leon René (February 6, 1902 – May 30, 1982) was an American music composer of pop, R&B and rock and roll songs and a record producer in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. He sometimes used the songwriting pseudonym Jimmy Thomas or Jimmie Thom ...

Otis René Otis Joseph René Jr. was an American songwriter and record label owner. As a songwriter, he is notable as the co-author of " When It's Sleepy Time Down South", which became a signature song for Louis Armstrong. Biography Otis René was born in ...

) - 4:07 # "Stringin' the Jug" ( Gene Ammons, Stitt) - 5:20 # " Pretend" ( Lew Douglas, Cliff Parman, Frank LeVere) - 3:45 # "Blue String" - 6:20 # "

You'll Never Know "You'll Never Know", sometimes referred to as "''You'll Never Know (Just How Much I Love You)''" in later years, is a popular song with music written by Harry Warren and the lyrics by Mack Gordon. The song is based on a poem written by a young ...

" ( Harry Warren,

Mack Gordon Mack Gordon (born Morris Gittler; June 21, 1904 – February 28, 1959) was an American composer and lyricist for the stage and film. He was nominated for the best original song Oscar nine times in 11 years, including five consecutive years betwee ...

) - 4:00 # "Blues Walk" - 5:55

Personnel

* Sonny Stitt -

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while ...

Gene Ludwig Gene Ludwig (September 4, 1937 – July 14, 2010) was an American jazz and rhythm and blues organist, who recorded as a leader as well as a sideman for Sonny Stitt, Arthur Prysock, Scott Hamilton, Bob DeVos, and Leslie West, and others. Ludwig ...

- organ *

Pat Martino Pat Martino (born Patrick Carmen Azzara; August 25, 1944 – November 1, 2021) was an American jazz guitarist and composer. Biography Martino was born Patrick Carmen Azzara in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, to father Carmen "Mickey" ...

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...

Randy Gelispie Randle Gelispie, "Randy" or "Uncle G", is an American jazz percussionist, drummer, and educator. Born in 1935 in Akron, Ohio, Randy Gelispie began playing drums at a young age. He played clubs while still in his teens, technically illegal for him ...

- drums

References

{{Authority control 1969 albums Prestige Records albums Sonny Stitt albums Albums recorded at Van Gelder Studio Albums produced by Bob Porter (record producer)