Early life
Edward Boatner was born in Boston, Massachusetts[1] and grew up in Saginaw, Michigan. He had a musical background; his father, Edward Boatner, was a baritone singer, composer and college music professor, his brother was a classically trained pianist, and his mother was a piano teacher.[1] Boatner was soon adopted by another family, the Stitts, who gave him his new surname. He later began calling himself "Sonny".
In 1943, Stitt first met Charlie Parker, and as he often later recalled, the two men found that their styles had an extraordinary similarity that was partly coincidental and not merely due to Stitt's emulation. Stitt's improvisations were more melodic/less dissonant than those of Parker. Stitt's earliest recordings were made in 1945 with Stan Getz and Dizzy Gillespie. He had also played in some swing bands, though he mainly played in bop bands. Stitt was featured in Tiny Bradshaw's big band in the early forties. Stitt replaced Charlie Parker in Dizzy Gillespie's band in 1945.[2]
Stitt played alto saxophone in Billy Eckstine's big band alongside future bop pioneers Dexter Gordon and Gene Ammons from 1945 until 1956, when he started to play tenor saxophone more frequently, in order to avoid being referred to as a Charlie Parker imitator. Later on, he played with Gene Ammons and Bud Powell. Stitt spent time in a Lexington prison between 1948–49 for selling narcotics.
Stitt, when playing tenor saxophone, seemed to break free from some of the criticism that he was imitating Charlie Parker's style, although it appears in the instance with Ammons above that the availability of the larger instrument was a factor. Indeed, Stitt began to develop a far more distinctive sound on tenor.[1] He played with other bop musicians Bud Powell and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, a fellow tenor with a distinctly tough tone in comparison to Stitt, in the 1950s and recorded a number of sides for Prestige Records label as well as albums for Argo, Verve and Roost. Stitt experimented with Afro-Cuban jazz in the late 1950s, and the results can be heard on his recordings for Roost and Verve, on which he teamed up with Thad Jones and Chick Corea for Latin versions of such standards as "Autumn Leaves."
Stitt joined Miles Davis briefly in 1960, and recordings with Davis' quintet can be found only in live settings on the tour of 1960. Concerts in Manchester and Paris are available commercially and also a number of concerts (which include sets by the earlier quintet with John Coltrane) on the record Live at Stockholm (Dragon), all of which featured Wynton Kelly, Jimmy Cobb and Paul Chambers. However, Miles fired Stitt due to the excessive drinking habit he had developed, and replaced him with fellow tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley. Stitt, later in the 1960s, paid homage to one of his main influences, Charlie Parker, on the album Stitt Plays Bird, which features Jim Hall on guitar and at Newport in 1964 with other bebop players including J.J. Johnson.
He recorded a number of memorable records with his friend and fellow saxophonist Gene Ammons, interrupted by Ammons' own imprisonment for narcotics possession. The records recorded by these two saxophonists are regarded by many as some of both Ammons and Stitt's best work, thus the Ammons/Stitt partnership went down in posterity as one of the best duelling partnerships in jazz, alongside Zoot Sims and Al Cohn, and Johnny Griffin with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. Stitt would venture into soul jazz, and he recorded with fellow tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin in 1964 on the Soul People album. Stitt also recorded with Duke Ellington alumnus Paul Gonsalves in 1963 for Impulse! on the Salt And Pepper album in 1963. Around that time he also appeared regularly at Ronnie Scott's in London, a live 1964 encounter with Ronnie Scott, The Night Has A Thousand Eyes, eventually surfaced, and another in 1966 with resident guitarist Ernest Ranglin and British tenor saxophonist Dick Morrissey. Stitt was one of the first jazz musicians to experiment with an electric saxophone (the instrument was called a Varitone), as heard on the albums What's New in 1966 and Parallel-A-Stitt in 1967.
Later life
In the 1970s, Stitt slowed his recording output slightly, and in 1972, he produced another classic, Tune Up, which was and still is regarded by many jazz critics, such as Scott Yanow, as his definitive record. Indeed, his fiery and ebullient soloing was quite reminiscent of his earlier playing. He also recorded another album with Varitone, Just The Way It Was - Live At The Left Bank in 1971 which was released in 2000.
Stitt joined the all-star group Giants of Jazz, which also featured Art Blakey, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Kai Winding and bassist Al McKibbon) and made albums for Atlantic Records, Concord Records and Emarcy Records. His last recordings were made in Japan. In 1982, Stitt suffered a heart attack, and he died on July 22 in Washington, D.C..[2]
Nevertheless
Sonny Stitt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I'd be held under your thumb
I'm like a pawn in your hand
Moved and compelled, at your command
Whether it's for bad or for good
I would never change it if I could
Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong
But nevertheless I'm in love with you
Maybe I'll win, maybe I'll lose
And maybe I'm in for crying the blues
But nevertheless I'm in love with you
Somehow, I know at a glance, the terrible chances I'm taking
Fine at the start, then left with a heart that is breaking
Maybe I'll live a life of regret,
And maybe I'll give much more than I get
But nevertheless, I'm in love with you
In spite of all I could do
I went ahead falling for you
So if I laugh or I cry
I made my bed, that's where I'll lie
For what happens there's no excuse
I put my own head in the noose
The lyrics to Sonny Stitt's song "Nevertheless" describe the inevitability and helplessness of being in love with someone. The singer knows that they will be controlled and held under the other person's "thumb" but feels compelled to love them anyway. The lyrics explore the idea that being in love with someone means accepting the consequences of that love, whether they are good or bad. The singer recognizes that they might suffer as a result of their love, and yet they cannot help being in love with this person.
The second verse adds another layer to the song's meaning. The singer knows that they are taking "terrible chances" by loving this person, but they cannot resist. They go on to acknowledge that they may regret their decision to love this person and may give more than they receive in the relationship. However, despite the potential difficulties they might face, the singer remains committed to their love.
The final verse encapsulates the singer's acceptance of the decisions they have made. They recognize that they have put their own "head in the noose" and must face the consequences of their actions. The lyrics convey a sense of fatalism, as if the singer knows that they cannot resist being in love with this person, even if they will suffer as a result.
Line by Line Meaning
I knew the time had to come
I anticipated the moment when I would be under your control
When I'd be held under your thumb
When you would have complete power over me
I'm like a pawn in your hand
I'm a powerless piece in your game
Moved and compelled, at your command
I'm forced to do your bidding
Whether it's for bad or for good
Regardless of the outcome
I would never change it if I could
I wouldn't have it any other way
Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong
Perhaps I'm correct, or perhaps I'm mistaken
Maybe I'm weak, maybe I'm strong
I'm either vulnerable or resilient
But nevertheless I'm in love with you
Regardless, I'm deeply infatuated with you
Maybe I'll win, maybe I'll lose
Perhaps I'll triumph or suffer defeat
And maybe I'm in for crying the blues
And perhaps I'll be left feeling miserable
But nevertheless I'm in love with you
Nevertheless, I'm still passionately devoted to you
Somehow, I know at a glance, the terrible chances I'm taking
Instantly, I recognize the risks I'm assuming
Fine at the start, then left with a heart that is breaking
It may begin well, but eventually it will cause me pain
Maybe I'll live a life of regret,
Possibly, I'll have a future full of remorse
And maybe I'll give much more than I get
And perhaps I'll give more than I receive
But nevertheless, I'm in love with you
Nevertheless, I still have feelings for you
In spite of all I could do
Despite my best efforts
I went ahead falling for you
I proceeded with falling in love with you
So if I laugh or I cry
Whether I express joy or sadness
I made my bed, that's where I'll lie
I have created my own circumstance and must accept it
For what happens there's no excuse
There is no justification for the consequences
I put my own head in the noose
I am responsible for my own downfall
Lyrics © MEMORY LANE MUSIC GROUP, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BERT KALMAR, HARRY RUBY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
60otaku4
gamishikoさん、コメントをありがとうございます。 これぞスティットという感じでしょうか。 大らかに吹いているのが良いですね。