Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt, Sonny Rollins – Sonny Side Up

Dizzy Gillespie’s Sonny Side Up, featuring tenor saxophonists Sonny Rollins and Sonny Stitt, bursts with energy and playful competition. Recorded in 1957, the session brings together three giants in a spirited showcase of contrasting improvisational voices. Rollins delivers muscular, thematic lines while Stitt counters with rapid, Parker-inspired runs, all anchored by Gillespie’s ebullient trumpet. The result is an album that feels alive, urgent, and endlessly engaging.

From the fiery exchanges on “The Eternal Triangle” to the relaxed charm of “On the Sunny Side of the Street,” the record offers both technical brilliance and an infectious sense of fun. Backed by Ray Bryant on piano, Tommy Bryant on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums, the rhythm section provides a swinging foundation that allows the soloists to soar. Sonny Side Up is more than a jam session—it’s a joyful dialogue between masters, brimming with creativity and drive.