Blues After Dark

Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt

Filmed in 1958

This is the first tune of an hour and a half long concert which you can find both in its entirety and in bite-sized pieces on Jazz on the Tube.

Sonny Stitt on tenor saxophone on this one.

And as if we needed reminding, this performance is a demonstration of why Dizzy is considered one of the greatest players to ever pick up a trumpet.

These two jazz legends go way back.

Gillespie picked Stitt to take over Charlie Parker’s place in his band in 1945. How would you like to try to fill those shoes?