DB Hall of Fame

SOLO  FLIGHT

THE  CHARLIE  CHRISTIAN  LEGACY

DB Hall of Fame


 

 

BENNY’S BUGLE
 
mx  CO 29030-y
 
NOVEMBER  7,  1940     Thursday Columbia Studios,  NYC
 

 
  12-BAR  BLUES Key of   B Quarter Note =   190 Time:   0:38
 
 
  4-Bar  Intro  +  1  CHORUS  +  10 Bars     (Breakdown):
 
    4 bars  –  trumpet (Intro)
 
    1 chor  –  CC & ensemble (theme riffs)
 
  10 bars  –  CC
 
  [ breakdown ]
 
 

 
Personnel:
 
  Benny Goodman and his Sextet
  CHARLIE CHRISTIAN Guitar
  GEORGIE AULD tenor sax
  BENNY GOODMAN clarinet
  COOTIE WILLIAMS trumpet
  COUNT BASIE piano
  ARTIE BERNSTEIN bass
  HARRY JAEGER drums
 
 

Composed by: Count Basie - Benny Goodman
 
©   VALDÉS   2/25/19


 

Take Four:     Benny’s Bugle    CO 29030-y

 



C&A:

On 7 November 1940, six takes (including two incomplete takes) of Benny’s Bugle were recorded at the end of one of the sextet’s long Columbia studio sessions.  Charlie Christian was allocated two 12-bar blues choruses for his solo to follow right after the trumpet intro and one-chorus theme.

As the Benny’s Bugle session progressed the length of the takes increased from 10 choruses on the initial complete take, to 11, then to 12 choruses for the master take.  There’s also a general increase in the tempo as each take is brought forth.

The master (take 6) was released on 78-rpm on March 3, 1941 along with another of the tunes recorded at the same session.  Thirty-some years later, four of the other takes (2 thru 5) were released on LP in 1973 showcasing the guitar solos but spliced and incomplete.  In 1980, a Swedish label released an LP that included one track with four takes (1 thru 4) recorded continuously with all the between-takes aural activity.  Finally, in 2002, Columbia collected and released all the material in their 4-CD, guitar-amp box.

CO 29030-v   (take 1)          – partial –
This isn’t actually a false start or breakdown but a short try-out of the beginning.  Still, it’s an interesting interrupted guitar solo.

CO 29030-W   (take 2)          – 10 choruses –
The tempo has been increased a bit and even knowing this is just a run-though, Charles continued to be just as creative as ever.  He has now adjusted his solo to start on the second beat of the first measure for the remainder of the session.  Do note the unexpected dyad exclamation tossed in on the penultimate bar of his solo.

CO 29030-X   (take 3)          – 11 choruses –
The tempo picks up a little more. Charles plays a strikingly exquisite, long run on mm 6-11 of his second solo chorus ... crested with an octave exclamation point of satisfaction.  Even though there’s an unexpected request for a time check at the start of the following piano solo the sextet continues to the end of the tune.

CO 29030-y   (take 4)          – partial –
This guitar solo on this breakdown doesn’t quite get off to as good a start as the other takes but it’s different and of interest until it’s abruptly brought to a halt.

  LISTEN   Guitar Solo   fourth take    


CO 29030-Z   (take 5)          – 11 choruses –
A swingin’ guitar solo with mostly familiar sequences.  There’s a long, tormented blues note at bar 8 of the first chorus.  Another one of those wonderful, long runs by Charles begins at bar 8 of the second chorus to end the solo.

CO 29030-1   (take 6)          – 12 choruses –
This is a good choice for the master take if one appraises it by the guitar solo – it’s well-paced, well-balanced, well-versed.


Every one of Charles’ Benny’s Bugle solos is quite engaging on this session.  Each solo begins with the same apropos phrasing, then promptly branches off in interesting journeys of their own uniqueness.

 


 
Issued Recordings:
 
  [ LP ] Jazz Document va-7997 ** (side B, track 3d)
 
  [ CD ] Columbia/Legacy AC4K 65564 ** (disc 4, track 21d)
    Columbia/Legacy C4K 65564 ** (disc 4, track 21d)
    Dreyfus Jazz FDM 36715-2 *** (track 9c)
    Frémeaux FA 218 ** (disc 2, track 1d)
    Jazz Unlimited JUCD 2013 * (track 1d)
    Masters of Jazz MJCD 67 ** (track 6d)
    Masters of Jazz R2CD 8004 *** (disc 2, track 2c)
    Proper / Musisoft EMCD 21 *** (track 6c)
    Sony/Legacy 93035 ** (disc 4, track 21d)
    Sony Music Media SMM 517115 2 ** (track 16d)
 
  *    [CD]  JUCD 2013  contains the complete rehearsal session from takes CO 29030-v through CO 29030-1 including talk, practice, and tryouts between takes.  Charles’ voice can be heard several times between takes CO 29030-Z and CO 29030-1.

**   [LP]  va-7997  &  [CD]  93035,  (A)C4K 65564,  FA 218,  MJCD 67,  SMM 517115  contain takes CO 29030-v through CO 29030-y  including talk, practice, and tryouts between takes.

***  [CD]  EMCD 21,  FDM 36715-2,  R2CD 8004  contain takes CO 29030-W through CO 29030-y inclusively.

 
 

 



Home ] Up ]

 

 


This Web site is designed and managed by

LEOVALDES

soloflight.cc

 

Copyright © LeoValdes 1998

All text and images in this site protected by copyright laws.
No text or images (including transcriptions) may be copied, reused, or altered without written permission from the owner of this site.