(Bop) Sonny Stitt - Stitt Goes Latin (1963) - 2011, MP3, 320 kbps

Sonny Stitt goes Latin – and the results are tremendous! The set's still got all the soulful feel of the best Stitt sessions for Roost, but it brings in some nice Latin rhythms too – inflecting things with that blend of soul jazz and congas you might find over at Prestige or Blue Note, yet also taking things further, too – given the Roost/Roulette connection to the New York Latin scene! Sonny plays both alto and tenor, and gets jazzy accompaniment from Thad Jones on trumpet – but the rhythm section is the real charmer here – and features a young Chick Corea on piano, Larry Gales on bass, and the trio of Willie Bobo, Patato Valdes, and Chihuaua Martinez on percussion! Most tunes are originals – a great change from the usual Latinized standards you might find on a set like this – and Stitt's got this nicely exotic tone in his reeds which is a further highlight of the record – almost a Yusef Lateef inflection at points.

Personnel:
Sonny Stitt - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Thad Jones - trumpet
Chick Corea - piano
Larry Gales - bass
Willie Bobo - drums
Carlos "Patato" Valdes - congas, bongos
Osvaldo "Chihuahua" Martinez - cowbell, maracas, jawbone