Sonny Stitt on "On the Sunny Side of the Street"

Photograph of Sonny Stitt (Tom Marcello)

Greg Osby and countless other great musicians have plenty of stories to tell about Sonny Stitt, who was known for being able to play just about everything and for not being shy about it. For many tenor players, he's one of several players who come to mind as primers of bebop playing (also Dexter, Sonny Rollins, and Bird, of course).

On the topic of most-transcribed tenor saxophone solos, which I was thinking about the other day, here's a transcription of Stitt's timeless one-chorus solo on "On the Sunny of the Street," from Sonny Side Up (1957):

***Also, check out this video featuring drummer Charlie Persip, who tells the story of finding out about who the horn players were for the Sonny Side Up date. Can you imagine that? Incredible.

That double-time run over the bridge (mm. 16-20) is perfect.