FEBRUARY 7, 1940 Wednesday |
Columbia Recording Studios, NYC |
|
12-BAR BLUES |
Key of |
|
C |
Quarter Note = |
|
176 |
Time: |
|
3:10 |
|
4-Bar Intro
+ 9 CHORUSES + 4-Bar Break + 2 CHORUSES: |
|
|
12 bars ensemble |
(Theme) |
|
• |
12 bars – bass |
with CC chord accents |
|
|
24 bars – ensemble |
(collective improvisation) |
Composed by: |
“Randy Mergentroid” (George T. Simon) |
C&A:
This was the first time Charlie Christian participated in the annual
Metronome All Star sessions; the following January he would be in his final one.
Metronome Magazine sponsored these recording sessions with jazz musicians
selected based on its readers’ poll. Thirteen sessions were held intermittently
for 18 years – this February 1940 date was the second one.
ALL STAR STRUT 7 February 1940
WCO 26490 x breakdown:
The assembled nonet (each of the nine members would get a one-chorus solo) seems
to be in fairly good form for the session. Even so, Charles’ typical blues solo
makes the adjoining (Benny Carter precedes on alto, Teagarden follows on
trombone) eminent soloists sound a bit archaic. Carter, incidentally, was the
most modern arranger of the era.
This unfinished first take was not released until 1983, on a Blu-Disc LP.
☊ LISTEN Guitar Solo – breakdown
WCO 26490 A master take:
The next two takes were slowed down a bit from the initial try. A most
refreshing solo by CC is on this released take. Anyone casually listening to this
ragtime-ish swing blues on the radio would definitely perk up and take full
notice of the guitar solo. The opening phrase in Charles’ solo here became a
prominent part of the out-chorus riffs on Good Enough to Keep four months later.
This take was promptly released later in the month on Columbia 78. Nine
years later it was reissued exclusively to U.S. military troops on V Disc.
☊ LISTEN Guitar Solo / Chords behind bass – master take
WCO 26490 B alternate take:
The best of these one-chorus solos may have been on the last take where it
sounds like Charles is really hitting full stride with a superb F7-C run (mm
5-7). Immediately following that, there’s an especially notable, and
unique, G9/13
sequence at mm 8-9 capped by a brilliant ending. Unfortunately for
listeners of that time, it remained in the Columbia vaults.
This last take remained unreleased for over three decades; it appeared on LP in 1972.
☊ LISTEN Guitar Solo / Chords behind bass – alternate take
|
|
[ 78 ] |
Columbia |
35389 |
(b/w King Porter Stomp) |
|
|
V Disc |
VD 879B |
(p/w M. Bailey’s The Love I Long For) |
|
[ 10 ] |
Columbia |
CL 2528 |
(side A, track 2) |
|
[ LP ] |
Astan |
20085 |
(side A, track 5) |
|
|
Astan |
20121 |
(side B, track 5) |
|
|
CBS / Sony |
SONP-50419 |
(side A, track 2) |
|
|
CBS / Sony |
SOPM 188 |
(side A, track 2) |
|
|
Harmony |
HL 7044 |
(side A, track 2) |
|
|
Queen Disc |
Q-009 |
(side B, track 2) |
|
|
Tax |
m-8039 |
(side A, track 2) |
|
[ CD ] |
Best of Jazz |
4032 |
(track 7) |
|
|
Columbia/Legacy |
AC4K 65564 |
(disc 4, track 1) |
|
|
Columbia/Legacy |
C4K 65564 |
(disc 4, track 1) |
|
|
Definitive |
DRCD11176 |
(disc 2, track 6) |
|
|
Frémeaux |
FA 5050 |
(disc 1, track 5) |
|
|
Le Chant du Monde |
274 1459.60 |
(disc 1, track 15) |
|
|
Masters of Jazz |
MJCD 40 |
(track 5) |
|
|
Masters of Jazz |
MJCD 9004 |
(disc 3, track 5) |
|
|
Membran |
232094 |
[see Album Index] |
|
|
Membran |
232568 |
[see Album Index] |
|
|
Memoir |
CDMOIR 591 |
(track 4) |
|
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Proper |
P1489 |
(track 12) |
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Proper |
PROPERBOX 98 |
(disc 1, track 12) |
|
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Sony/Legacy |
93035 |
(disc 4, track 1) |
|
|
Sony Music Media |
SMM 517115 |
(track 12) |
|
|
Universe / Comet |
UV 129/2 |
(disc 2, track 12) |
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