“My Mother’s Eyes”—Saxophonist Sonny Stitt

For this Mother's Day I have selected the tune "My Mother's Eyes." It was written 90 years ago by two Tin Pan Alley songwriters: composer Abel Baer (1893-1976) from Baltimore, Maryland, and lyricist Louis Wolfe Gilbert (1886-1970) who was born in the Russian Empire town of Odessa.

This is Sonny Stitt's soulful rendering of the tune.

Edward "Sonny" Stitt (1924-1982) was a saxophonist whose self developed style bore an uncanny resemblance to that of Charlie Parker.

When Stitt was 19 he first met Parker and they jammed together in Chauncey Owenman's, a Kansas City club. When the session was over, Parker said, "You sure sound like me."

Stitt was just as surprised as Parker at the extraordinary similarity of their innovative styles.

In 1946 Stitt replaced Parker in the combo of Dizzy Gillespie. The following year he won the New Star award in the Esquire Jazz Poll.

The versatile Stitt's talents ranged wide on both alto and tenor.

Stitt originally played alto saxophone exclusively, but grew tired of charges that he was a mere Charlie Parker imitator.

Although Stitt never abandoned the alto, from 1949 on, he began to play and record on tenor.

Sonny Stitt recorded three to four albums each year, and preferably without much rehearsing.

"When you're a pro, you don't have to plan anything, you just go ahead a do it," was his opinion.

Stitt's theory was that "In order to be good, music must be creative; but more than that it should be spontaneous.

If you rehearse something too much, it becomes a bore. I hate a set routine, I want to be free to do things the way I feel them."

In May 1963 Sonny Stitt, on the tenor saxophone, recorded "My Mother's Eyes" at the Pacific Jazz Studios in Hollywood, California.

The 39-year-old saxophonist got great support during this recording session from Charles Kynard at the keyboard.

This was the recording debut for 30-year-old Kynard, who was one of the few jazz organists capable of playing the bass line with his feet.

The combo for the album was rounded out by Doug Sides on drums and Ray Crawford, a member of the original Ahmad jamal trio, on guitar.

Stitt toured Europe throughout his career, including with several "Jazz at the Philharmonic" groups.

He was also noted for playing with the Billy Eckstine band and the Miles Davis Quintet.

When Sonny Stitt couldn't get the payrise he requested from Davis he said "No money, no Sonny!" and left the Davis group.

Sonny Stitt was a master of cool jazz who learned from the reedmen of stature. He didn't like the abstract playing that developed in the early sixties. "They're trying to find something that isn't there," he said. "Don't be in the middle of the thing -- be on the black keys or the white keys but don't be in the cracks!"