Sonny Stitt, the legend on alto and tenor saxophone. Accompanying band: Mixed Bag, with an album on Tribe and musicians from the haze of the obscure Strata label. With this, an extraordinarily funky jazz session is virtually pre-programmed. The 1974 LP ‘Tornado’ should have been released on Prestige. Then the liner notes would certainly have turned out differently, definitely cooler.

On the rather short-lived Jazz Masters label, however, it was considered necessary to bring jazz closer to young people in small pieces. Just as one has to be slowly introduced to a T-bone steak from a hamburger (is that the case?), the detour via the Mixed Bag to a straight-ahead jazz setting for Mr. Stitt should help in the education for young ears. What nonsense!

Never mind, because the music speaks for itself: Sonny Stitt! Mixed Bag!

Stefan Mohr