St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1960-12-16
THE WEEK IN
RECORDS
By Albert Anderson
More Special Entries

ASSoclated negro Press pre-
Christmas review Of outstanding
discs just released.
Sonny Sitt
"Saxophone Supremacy: Argo
LIP: Personnel: Sonny Sttt and
all-star group. Tunes: The Cool
One" Blue On Down." "Eh-Fly,"
MY Funny Valentine" Side 2"
Wonder Why" Con Alma"
Lament" Bean Bag" and Five
Spot After Dark:
Although yet young man, Son.
ny Shtt, the brilliant alto saxist,
has been upon the jazz scene for
some time. He and Gene Ammons
are. perhaps the seniors of the
current crop of young jazz music
ians, as both started out about
the same time, survived their own
Battle Of the Bands" the demise
of swing, and now are in the main
stream Of progressive jazz
Yet, for all his seniority, Stitt
always has something new to say
on the born, stylistically and 9TH
erwise, and "Saxophone Suprem-
acy," his latest disc, is undeniable
proof of this. This record is the
Most, both from the standpoint of
performance and material A
natural improviser and phraseol-
gist, Shtt's performance on the re-
cord is just what the title implies
"a supreme saxophone effort. For
here he not only exhibits a mind
that is facile, imaginative and re-
Taxed, but he succors the melody
as we'll as evidenced by his treat
ment of MY Funny Valentine
and Wonder Why" At the
same time, he has much to say
progressively on such tunes as
Bean Bag" and Five Spot After
Dark"
This disc also serves another
purpose. 1t spikes the frequent
cries of unfair critics that Stitt
apes the late Charlie "Yardbird''
Parker, or is little more than a
carbon copy of him For while
this review does not deny that,
coincidentally or otherwise, Sttt
sounds like The Bird" he is GER
tain that Sonny has a mind and
finished style of his own, and that
the text of this record proves that
point conclusively.
George Shearing
The Shearing Touch: Capitol
LIP: Featuring George Shearing
with a string ensemble conducted
by Billy May. Tunes: Autumn
Nocturne," "Nola," Misty" Can
adam Sunset" Autumn Leaves, u
Like Young" Sunrise Serenade, u
"Honeysuckle Rose" Snowfall, u
Tonight" "Bewitched": and lone
O'Clock Jump"
This record is a fine follow-uE
to Shearing's white Satin" Like
90. Satin" it is another floater
That is, it combines all the mel
odious elements of mood and JAZZ
with his own piano artistry in 6
setting of velvety strings and NUT
ed trumpets. Adding to the delight
of the fare, are imaginative anC
lively arrangements (for the string
choir by maestro Billy May
Fans will especially like Shearing''
treatment of the old Fats Waller
immortal, "Honeysuckle Rose" anc
Enroll Gamers Misty: A BIC
BUY.
Brook Benton Sings
Songs 1 Love to Sing: Mercury
LIP: Singer Brook Benton, backed
up by orchestral group directed by
Clyde Otis. Tunes: IT'S Been A
Long, Long Time" They Cam
Take That Away From Me-
Baby, Won't You Please Com'
Home" II Don't Know Enough
About You" why Try to Chang,
Me Now" and "Oh What 1t Seemed
To Be-" Side 2: September Song,
Moonlight In Vermont" "T'n B,
Around" Fools Rush In" Love
Come Back To Me" and IF Yol
Are But A Dream"
For this his fourth (all success
full album, the romantic singing
Benton chose repertoire of song
which he considers "the creates
he's ever heard. All are favorites
and all are based on the low
theme One of the most excit
ing singers (from a romanti
standpoinD to come along in years
Benton is also one Of the few art
lists with "a special voice "a Il
King Cole), Billy Eckstine, Franl
Sinatra). 1t is not easy to cop!
him. But he is also versatile ant
talented. A writer as well as {
singer, he arranged the tunes OIL
this disc in such a way that hi
voice reproduction on the recorC
also represents another high mari
for Mercury technicians and pro
ducers Benton Records Ar
Always Best Sellers, And This On,
Should Be No Exception.
Assorted Singles
Singlewise, Broadway Recor,
Co. is out with a new release titlet
THE Famous Standards of Mace,
Pinkard," featuring the compost
lions of the talented Negro com