The Eternal Triangle

The Eternal Triangle is a bebop composition by Sonny Stitt, written for the landmark 1957 Verve session that produced the album Sonny Side Up. The tune is a contrafact based on I Got Rhythm changes, with the A sections following the familiar rhythm changes framework and the bridge built from chromatic II-V progressions that move through less common keys, demanding strong bebop fluency from improvisers. Stitt composed it as the vehicle for one of jazz history's most celebrated tenor saxophone battles, pitting himself against Sonny Rollins with Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Ray Bryant on piano, Tommy Bryant on bass, and Charli Persip on drums. The resulting performance, recorded on December 19, 1957, became a defining document of competitive jazz improvisation and helped establish the tune as a bebop classic. The Eternal Triangle has since entered the broader jazz repertoire, arranged for combos and big bands alike, with notable arrangements by Don Sickler and John Clayton for the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. A 1994 Carnegie Hall tribute performance featured Pat Metheny, Roy Hargrove, and Jackie McLean among others. On AllSolos, the tune is represented by solos from the original 1957 Sonny Side Up recording featuring Sonny Rollins, Sonny Stitt, Dizzy Gillespie, and Ray Bryant, as well as a 2017 Ken Weiner Quintet performance with solos from the full ensemble.