Sonny Fortune Catalog

1974 (age 35)

Sonny Fortune - Long Before Our Mothers Cried  (Strata-East SES-7423)

Charles Sullivan, trumpet; Sonny Fortune, alto, soprano sax, flute; Stanley Cowell, electric, acoustic piano; Wayne Dockery, bass; Chip Lyle, drums; Mario Munoz, bass drum, timbales; Angel Allende, congas, triangle, tambourine; Richie Pablo Landrum, cowbell, shakery.

Minot Sound, White Plains, NY, September 8 and 15, 1974

Long Before Our Mothers Cried
A Tribute To A Holiday (Billie)
Sound Of Silents
Five For Trane
Wayneish

1975

Sonny Fortune - Awakening  (A&M/Horizon SP-704)

Sonny Fortune, alto sax; John Hicks, piano; Wayne Dockery, bass; Chip Lyles, drums.

Sound Ideas Studios, NYC, August 28, 1975

For Duke And Cannon

Charles Sullivan, trumpet; Sonny Fortune, alto sax; Kenny Barron, piano; Wayne Dockery, bass; Billy Hart, drums.

Sound Ideas Studios, NYC, September 8, 1975

Triple Threat

Charles Sullivan, trumpet; Sonny Fortune, alto sax, cowbell, chimes, small percussion; Kenny Barron, piano; Reggie Workman, bass; Billy Hart, drums; Angel Allende, congas, percussion.

Nommo

Charles Sullivan, flugelhorn; Sonny Fortune, flute, shaker, small percussion; Kenny Barron, Fender Rhodes electric piano; Wayne Dockery, bass; Billy Hart, drums; Angel Allende, congas, percussion.

Awakening

Sonny Fortune, alto sax, flute, claves, shaker; Kenny Barron, piano; Wayne Dockery, bass; Billy Hart, drums.

Sound Ideas Studios, NYC, September 9, 1975

Sunshower

1976

Sonny Fortune - Waves Of Dreams  (A&M/Horizon SP-711)

Charles Sullivan, trumpet; Sonny Fortune, soprano sax, tambourine, shaker, handclaps; Michael Cochrane, piano; Buster Williams, bass; Chip Lyle, drums; Angel Allende, conga shell.

Generation Sound Studios, NYC, March 22, 1976

Seeing Beyond The Obvious

Sonny Fortune, alto sax; Michael Cochrane, piano; Buster Williams, bass; Chip Lyle, drums.

A Space In Time

Charles Sullivan, trumpet; Sonny Fortune, alto sax, shaker, Ocean; Michael Cochrane, Fender Rhodes electric piano; Buster Williams, bass; Chip Lyle, drums; Angel Allende, triangle; + Clifford Coulter, Minimoog synthesizer.

Generation Sound Studios, NYC, March 23, 1976

In Waves Of Dreams

Charles Sullivan, flugelhorn; Sonny Fortune, flute, triangle, claves; Michael Cochrane, Fender Rhodes electric piano; Buster Williams, bass; Chip Lyle, drums; Angel Allende, bombo.

Revelation

Charles Sullivan, trumpet; Sonny Fortune, alto sax, claves, Minimoog synthesizer; Michael Cochrane, Fender Rhodes electric piano; Buster Williams, bass; Chip Lyle, drums; Angel Allende, congas; + Clifford Coulter, Minimoog synthesizer, ARP Odyssey synthesizer.

Thoughts

1977

Sonny Fortune - Serengeti Minstrel  (Atlantic SD 18225)

Sonny Fortune, flute, alto flute; Kenny Barron, Fender Rhodes electric piano; Gary King, electric bass; Jack DeJohnette, drums; Sammy Figueroa, congas, bongos; Rafael Cruz, percussion.

Generation Sound Studios, NYC, April 6, 1977

33798Bacchanal

Sonny Fortune, alto sax, flute; Kenny Barron, Fender Rhodes electric piano; Gary King, electric bass; Jack DeJohnette, drums; Sammy Figueroa, congas; Rafael Cruz, percussion.

33801Not All Dreams Are Real

Sonny Fortune, soprano sax, piccolo, flute, alto flute; Kenny Barron, Fender Rhodes electric piano; Gary King, electric bass; Horacee Arnold, drums, celeste, bass marimba, gong, handclaps; Sammy Figueroa, congas; Jack DeJohnette, handclaps; Rafael Cruz, percussion.

Generation Sound Studios, NYC, April 6 and 7, 1977

33803Serengeti Minstrel

Woody Shaw, cornet; Sonny Fortune, alto sax, handclaps; Kenny Barron, Fender Rhodes electric piano; Gary King, electric bass; Jack DeJohnette, drums; Sammy Figueroa, congas; Rafael Cruz, percussion.

Generation Sound Studios, NYC, April 7, 1977

33799The Afro-Americans

Woody Shaw, flugelhorn; Sonny Fortune, soprano sax; Kenny Barron, Fender Rhodes electric piano; Gary King, electric bass; Jack DeJohnette, drums; Sammy Figueroa, congas, whistle; Rafael Cruz, cuica, percussion.

33800There's Nothing Smart About Being Stupid

Sonny Fortune, flute; Jack Wilkins, electric guitar.

Generation Sound Studios, NYC, April 8, 1977

33802Never Again Is Such A Long Time

1978

Sonny Fortune - Infinity Is  (Atlantic SD 19187)

Tom Browne, trumpet; Sonny Fortune, soprano, alto sax, flute; Larry Willis, acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes; Allan Zavod, organ, synthesizer; Ray Gomez, rhythm guitar, lead guitar; Anthony Jackson, bass; Mark Egan, solo bass #2; Steve Jordan, drums; Sammy Figueroa, congas; Rafael Cruz, percussion.

Mediasound, NYC;
additional recording: Atlantic Studios, NYC, released 1978

1.Turning It Over
2.A Ballad For The Times
3.This Side Of Infinity
4.Perihelion
5.The Blues Are Green
6.Samba Touch
7.Make Up

1979 (age 40)

Sonny Fortune - With Sound Reason  (Atlantic SD 19239)

Sonny Fortune, soprano, alto sax, flute; Larry Willis, keyboards; Ray Gomez, rhythm guitar, lead guitar; Willie Weeks, bass; Mark Egan, bass #4,5; Steve Jordan, drums; Sammy Figueroa, congas, percussion #3,6; Raphael Cruz, percussion; Manolo Bachena, percussion #2.

Atlantic Studios, NYC, released 1979

1.Igbob's Shuffle
2.Boy From Witbank
3.Francisco
4.Come In Out Of The Rain
5.Georgiana
6.Loneliness Returns
7.Afortunado

1980

Sonny Fortune Quartet - Sound Of Sounds  (Live At e.j.'s (Portuguese) JLR 103.613)

Sonny Fortune, alto, soprano sax, flute; Charles Eubanks, piano; Ben Brown, bass; Ronnie Burrage, drums.

"e.j.'s", Atlanta, GA, June, 1980

Diabolo
Big Bop Shuffle
Turning It Over
Come In, Come Out Of The Rain
Sunshower

same session.

Paravillion
Invitation
Sound Of Sounds
Caravan

1984

Sonny Fortune - Laying It Down  (Konnex Records (G) KCD 5030)

Sonny Fortune, alto sax, flute; Kenny Barron, piano; Cecil McBee, bass; Billy Hart, drums; Steve Berrios, percussion #4-6.

January and February, 1984

1.It's A Bird
2.Mind Games
3.Laying It Down
4.Tribute To A Holiday
5.Real Knowing
6.From Now On

Sonny Fortune, alto sax, flute; Mulgrew Miller, piano; Santi DeBriano, bass; Billy Hart, drums.

Baby Monster Studio, NYC, December, 1991

Pent Up House
Blue And Green

1986

Sonny Fortune, Billy Harper, Stanley Cowell, Reggie Workman, Billy Hart - Great Friends  (Black And Blue (F) 233220)

Sonny Fortune, alto sax; Billy Harper, tenor sax; Stanley Cowell, piano; Reggie Workman, bass; Billy Hart, drums.

Sysmo Studio, Paris, France, July 7, 1986

Cal Massey
It Is Not True, Simply Because You Cannot Believe It
Thoughts
Equipoise
Synapse
East Harlem Nostalgia
Insight
Awakening

** also released on Evidence ECD 22225-2.

1987

Sonny Fortune - Invitation  (WhyNot (J) 32ED-5031)

Sonny Fortune, alto sax, flute; Renee Rosnes, piano; Kenny Davis, bass; Ronnie Burrage, drums.

October, 1987

It's A Bird
Space In Time
JAMF
5/4 Train
Invitation
Real Knowing
Mr. P.C.

** also released on WhyNot (J) MTCJ-2013, (US) 79420.

1991 (age 52)

Sonny Fortune - It Ain't What It Was  (Konnex Records (G) KCD 5033)

Sonny Fortune, alto sax, flute; Mulgrew Miller, piano; Santi DeBriano, bass; Billy Hart, drums.

Baby Monster Studio, NYC, December, 1991

It Ain't What It Was
Gentle Rain
Wayne-Ish
Lush Life
Straight Street
With Sound Reason
A Swing Touch

1993

Sonny Fortune - Monk's Mood  (Konnex Records (G) KCD 5048)

Sonny Fortune, alto sax; Kirk Lightsey, piano; David Williams, bass; Joe Chambers, drums.

Baby Monster Studio, NYC, January 25 and 26, 1993

Little Rootie Tootie
Nutty
Monk's Mood
In Walked Bud
Misterioso
I Mean You
Ruby, My Dear
Off Minor

1994

Sonny Fortune - Four In One  (Blue Note CDP 7243 8 28243 2 9)

Sonny Fortune, alto sax, flute #8; Kirk Lightsey, piano #1-7,9; Buster Williams, bass #1,2,4-7,9; Santi Debriano, bass #8,10; Billy Hart, drums #1,2,4-7,9; Ronnie Burrage, drums #10.

Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, January 17, 18 and 27, 1994

1.Four In One
2.Criss Cross
3.Reflections
4.Monk's Dream
5.Hornin' In
6.Coming On The Hudson
7.Trinkle Tinkle
8.Pannonica
9.Hackensack
10.Ask Me Now

1995

Sonny Fortune - A Better Understanding  (Blue Note CDP 7243 8 32799 2 0)

Jerry Gonzalez, flugelhorn #3, trumpet #7,9, congas #9; Robin Eubanks, trombone #3,7,9; Sonny Fortune, flute #1,5, soprano sax #1,9, alto sax #2,4,6-8, alto flute #3; Kenny Barron, piano; Wayne Dockery, bass; Ronnie Burrage, drums #1,9; Billy Hart, drums #2-4,6-8; Steve Berrios, percussion #3,9.

Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, February 20 and 21, 1995

1.Mind Games
2.Laying It Down
3.Awakening
4.A Swing Touch
5.Never Again Is Such A Long Time
6.It Ain't What It Was
7.It's A Bird
8.Tribute To A Holiday
9.Long Before Our Mothers Cried

1996

Sonny Fortune - From Now On  (Blue Note CDP 7243 8 38098 2 0)

Eddie Henderson, trumpet; Sonny Fortune, alto sax; Joe Lovano, tenor sax; John Hicks, piano; Santi Debriano, bass; Jeff "Tain" Watts, drums; Steve Berrios, percussion.

Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, March 11 and 12, 1996

Glue Fingers
This Side Of Infinity
From Now On
Come In Out Of The Rain
Suspension
On Second And Fifth
Gift Of Love
Thoughts

1999 (age 60)

Sonny Fortune - In The Spirit Of John Coltrane  (Paddle Wheel (J) KICJ 377)

Sonny Fortune, soprano, alto, tenor sax; John Hicks, piano; Santi Debriano, bass; Ronnie Burrage, drums; with Reggie Workman, bass #9; Rashied Ali, drums #9; Steve Berrios, Julio Collazo, Bata drum #7.

Sorcerer Sound, NYC, July 9 and 10, 1999

1.Trane And Things
2.Hangin' Out With JC
3.Africa
4.In The Spirit
5.Mr. Jones
6.Hangin' Out With JC Again
7.Ole
8.Say What
9.For John

** also released on Shanachie (E) SHANCD5063.

2003

Sonny Fortune - Continuum  (Sound Reason SRSF001)

Sonny Fortune, alto, soprano, tenor sax, alto flute; George Cables, piano; Wayne Dockery, bass; Steve Johns, drums; Steve Berrios, congas.

NYC, June 23, 2003

Trane And Things
Wayne-Ish
Delilah
Sound's Silent
A Space In Time
Continuum
Mongo Blue
Five Four Trane
Nature Boy

2005

Ernst Bier, Matthias Batzel, Karl Schloz With Sonny Fortune - Live At The A-Trane  (Konnex Records (G) KCD 5174)

Matthias Batzel, Hammond B-3 organ; Karl Schloz, guitar; Ernst Bier, drums; with Sonny Fortune, alto sax, flute, percussion.

"A-Trane", Berlin, Germany, July 15 and 16, 2005

From Now On
Waynish
Delilah
Sunshower
Hangin' Out With J.C.

2006

Sonny Fortune - You And The Night And The Music  (18th & Vine 18V1053)

Sonny Fortune, alto, soprano sax, flute; George Cables, piano; Chip Jackson, bass; Steve Johns, drums.

Showplace Studios, Dover, NJ, December 18, 19 and 20, 2006

Sweet Georgia Brown
You And The Night And The Music
Charade
'Round Midnight
Besame Mucho
Love Song
The End Of A Love Affair
For Duke And Cannon
BeBop

2009 (age 70)

Sonny Fortune - Last Night At Sweet Rhythm  (Sound Reason 884501242455)

Sonny Fortune, alto, soprano sax, flute; Michael Cochrane, piano; David Williams, bass; Steve Johns, drums.

"Sweet Rhythm", NYC, September 12, 2009

It Ain't What It Was
The Blues Are Green
Never Again Is Such A Long Time
In Waves Of Dreams
A Tribute To A Holiday
The Joneses
Laying It Down