Though some critics foolishly tried to label Sonny Stitt as a Charlie Parker clone, Stitt certainly kept them quiet on this 1959 date. Stitt’s originals, like the slow and powerful “Morning After Blues”, come off as fresh-sounding as executed by this quartet of Lou Levy, Mel Lewis and Leroy Vinnegar.

Verve’s Acoustic Sounds Series features transfers from analog tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.

Tracklist:

Side A
1.    Blue Devil Blues
2.    Home Free Blues
3.    Blue Prelude
4.    Frankie And Johnny
Side B
1.    Birth Of The Blues
2.    A Blues Offering
3.    Hymnal Blues
4.    Morning After Blues

Sonny Stitt – alto saxophone
Lou Levy – piano
Leroy Vinnegar – bass
Mel Lewis – drums