Died On This Date (June 22, 1982) Sonny Stitt / Jazz Great

Edward “Sonny” Stitt
February 2, 1924 – June 22, 1982

Sonny Stitt was an influential jazz saxophonist who amassed an incredible catalog of over 100 albums over his career.  He is considered one of the greatest musicians of the bebop and hard bop sub genres, often compared to Lester Young and Charlie Parker.    He began his career during the early ’40s, soon working with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, and later, Billy Eckstine, Dexter Gordon, Bud Powell, and Miles Davis. His first album came out in 1950, and he continued recording right up until he died of a heart attack on June 22, 1982.

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Sonny Stitt

 

Died On This Date (November 3, 1986) Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis / Jazz Great

Edward “Lockjaw” Davis
March 2, 1922 – November 3, 1986

Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis was an influential tenor saxophonist who, over the course of a career that spanned some 40 years played with may of jazz’s other greats.  That list includes Ella Fitzgerald, Sonny Stitt, Louis Armstrong, Fats Navarro, and Johnny Griffin. As a sideman, Davis was in high demand thanks to his abilities in several different genres like hard bob, swing, Latin jazz and soul.  He also released numerous albums of his own on many of the industry’s most prestigious labels.  Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis was 64 when he passed away on November 3, 1986.

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Cookbook, Vol. 1 (Rudy Van Gelder Remaster) - Eddie