Staying on the Watch

Staying on the Watch
Staying on the Watch
Studio album by Sonny Simmons
Released	August 30, 1966
Recorded	1966
Genre	Jazz
Length	43:01
Label	ESP-Disk Cat # 1030
Producer	Bernard Stollman
Sonny Simmons chronology

Staying on the Watch is the debut album by jazz musician Sonny Simmons. It was released as ESP-1030 on the ESP-Disk label in 1966. The cover photograph is a mirror image displaying Simmons playing left handed against the NYC skyline.^[1]

The album was included in the 2005 compilation The Complete ESP-Disk Recordings.^[2]

Reception[]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[3]
All About Jazz #1	^[4]
All About Jazz #2	^[5]

Colin Larkin, writing in The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz considered the album "a masterpiece of new jazz".^[6]

In a review for AllMusic, Alex Henderson wrote: "Simmons' playing is delightfully uninhibited and free-spirited on four original compositions... That isn't to say that Staying on the Watch is an exercise in atonal chaos... This is inside/outside playing (more outside than inside) rather than absolute atonality from start to finish. But even so, there is a lot of intensity coming from Simmons and the four musicians who form an acoustic quintet with him... Simmons' recording career as a leader was off to an exciting start with Staying on the Watch."^[3]

Writing for All About Jazz, Raul D'Gama Rose commented: "Sonny Simmons embraces music with his whole body, soul, mind and spirit; that much is clear from Staying on the Watch... Simmons has always stood in the future to look back at his lonely African-ness, and he coaxed a storm to remind anyone who would listen that the harshness of life could be turned into something raw, beautiful and memorable for its beauty rather than its ugliness... Staying on the Watch is tinted with distinct shades of an approach that is more mystical and all-embracing; a wholly captivating experience."^[4]

In a separate article for All About Jazz, Jerry D'Souza wrote: "Sonny Simmons... could fathom a cry of anguish just as easily as he could herald a shout of joy, as he created an ambience that spread its wings to encompass melody and lyricism. This balance is seen to advantage on Staying on the Watch... Simmons had the perfect musical partner in trumpeter Barbara Donald, his wife at the time. She was propulsive, churning out dynamic lines that created a language of her own while complementing the outpourings of the alto sax. Pianist John Hicks was in the early stages of his career; his melodic touch is, nevertheless, in evidence and he plays a key role in the development of these compositions... Simmons stands tall as he marks his territory, with freedom and restraint, in a potent program."^[5]

Track listing[]

All compositions by Sonny Simmons

"Metamorphosis" - 11:38
"A Distant Voice" - 7:23
"City of David" - 15:03
"Interplanetary Travelers" - 9:20

Personnel[]

Sonny Simmons - alto saxophone
Barbara Donald - trumpet
John Hicks - piano
Teddy Smith - bass
Marvin Patillo - drums

References[]

^ Sonny Simmons sessionography accessed December 28, 2012
^ "Sonny Simmons: The Complete ESP-Disk Recordings". AllMusic. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Henderson, Alex. "Sonny Simmons: Staying on the Watch". AllMusic. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Rose, Raul D'Gama (August 11, 2010). "Sonny Simmons: Staying On The Watch". All About Jazz. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b D'Souza, Jerry (August 14, 2010). "Sonny Simmons: Staying On The Watch". All About Jazz. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
^ Larkin, Colin (1999) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz, p. 782 at Google Books. Retrieved 15 May 2013.

[Sonny_Simmons_sessionography-1] Sonny Simmons sessionography accessed December 28, 2012

[2] "Sonny Simmons: The Complete ESP-Disk Recordings". AllMusic. Retrieved April 19, 2021.

[allmusic-3] Jump up to: ^a ^b Henderson, Alex. "Sonny Simmons: Staying on the Watch". AllMusic. Retrieved April 19, 2021.

[aaj-4] Jump up to: ^a ^b Rose, Raul D'Gama (August 11, 2010). "Sonny Simmons: Staying On The Watch". All About Jazz. Retrieved April 19, 2021.

[aaj2-5] Jump up to: ^a ^b D'Souza, Jerry (August 14, 2010). "Sonny Simmons: Staying On The Watch". All About Jazz. Retrieved April 19, 2021.

[6] Larkin, Colin (1999) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz, p. 782 at Google Books. Retrieved 15 May 2013.

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show v t John Hicks
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
As leader or co-leader	Hells Bells (1975) Steadfast (1975) After the Morning (West 54, 1979) Some Other Time (1981) John Hicks (1982) In Concert (1984) Inc. 1 (1985) Luminous (and Elise Wood, 1985–88) Two of a Kind (and Ray Drummond, 1986–87) I'll Give You Something to Remember Me By (1987) East Side Blues (1988) Naima's Love Song (1988) Oleo (New York Unit, 1989) Rhythm-a-Ning (and Kenny Barron, 1989) Blue Bossa (New York Unit, 1990) Is That So? (1990) Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Volume Seven (1990) Power Trio (1990) St. Thomas: Tribute to Great Tenors (1991) Tribute to George Adams (1991–92) After the Morning (Dominic Sciscente Music, 1992) Blues March: Portrait of Art Blakey (1992) Crazy for You (1992) Friends Old and New (1992) Moanin': Portrait of Art Blakey (1992) Now's the Time (New York Unit, 1992) Over the Rainbow (New York Unit, 1992) Single Petal of a Rose (1992) The Missouri Connection (and Jay McShann, 1992) Beyond Expectations (1993) Lover Man: A Tribute to Billie Holiday (1993) Akari (New York Unit, 1994) Duality (and Peter Leitch, 1994) Gentle Rain (1994) In the Mix (1994) Heart Beats (Keystone Trio, 1995) Piece for My Peace (1995) Cry Me a River (1997) Newklear Music (Keystone Trio, 1997) Nightwind: An Erroll Garner Songbook (1997) Something to Live For: A Billy Strayhorn Songbook (1997) Trio + Strings (1997) Hicks Time (released 1998) Impressions of Mary Lou (1998) Beautiful Friendship (and Elise Wood, 2000) Music in the Key of Clark (2001) Fatha's Day: An Earl Hines Songbook (2003) Twogether (with Frank Morgan, 2005–6) I Remember You (2006) On the Wings of an Eagle (2006) Sweet Love of Mine (2006)
With Art Blakey	'S Make It (and The Jazz Messengers, 1964) Soul Finger (and The Jazz Messengers, 1965) Hold On, I'm Coming (1966) Child's Dance (and The Jazz Messengers, 1972)
With Arthur Blythe	Illusions (1980) Blythe Spirit (1981) Blythe Byte (2001) Exhale (2002)
With David Murray	Morning Song (1983) Sketches of Tokyo (co-led, 1985) I Want to Talk About You (1986) Ming's Samba (1988) Ballads for Bass Clarinet (1991) David Murray/James Newton Quintet (1991) Fast Life (1991) MX (1992) For Aunt Louise (1993) Jazzosaurus Rex (1993) Love and Sorrow (1993) Saxmen (1993) Like a Kiss that Never Ends (2000)
With Pharoah Sanders	Journey to the One (1979) Pharoah Sanders Live... (1981) Rejoice (1981) Africa (1987) A Prayer Before Dawn (1987)
With others	Solid! (Eric Alexander, 1998) Sunday in New York (Eric Alexander, 2005) Eby (Hamiet Bluiett, 1984) Fast Last! (Lester Bowie, 1974) Now It's My Turn (Betty Carter, 1976) The Audience with Betty Carter (1979) It's Not About the Melody (Betty Carter, 1992) Gardenias for Lady Day (James Carter, 2003) The Bassist: Homage to Diversity (Richard Davis, released 2001) Structurally Sound (Booker Ervin, 1966) Flying Colors (Ricky Ford, 1980) Interpretations (Ricky Ford, 1982) Awakening (Sonny Fortune, 1985) The Outside Within (Chico Freeman, 1978) Spirit Sensitive (Chico Freeman, 1978–79) Habana (Roy Hargrove, 1997) Again and Again (Oliver Lake, 1991) 52nd Street Themes (Joe Lovano, 1999) On This Day ... Live at The Vanguard (Joe Lovano, 2002) Streams of Expression (Joe Lovano, 2005) Hi Voltage (Hank Mobley, 1967) Taru (Lee Morgan, 1968) Staying on the Watch (Sonny Simmons, 1966) Live at the Loosdrecht Jazz Festival (Charles Tolliver, 1972) Love Remains (Bobby Watson, 1986)