|
| DECEMBER 31, 1939
Sunday |
“FITCH BANDWAGON” |
| WALDORF-ASTORIA HOTEL, NYC |
| |
32 BARS (AABA) |
Key of |
|
Fm |
Quarter Note = |
|
182 |
Time: |
|
2:56 |
| |
2-Bar Intro +
4 CHORUSES + 4-Bar Tag: |
| |
|
2 bars
– piano |
(Intro)
< intro garbled on original recording > |
| |
• |
16 bars
– CC & ens |
(Theme) |
| |
• |
8 bars
– CC & ens |
(Theme) |
| |
• |
16 bars – vibes |
(over CC
& clt “Topsy” riffs) |
| |
• |
8 bars – vibes |
(over CC
& clt “Topsy” riffs) |
| |
• |
16 bars
– CC & ens |
(riffs)
< mm 2 & 3 skip out on original recording > |
| |
• |
8 bars
– CC & ens |
(riffs) |
| |
• |
4 bars
– CC & ens |
(Tag – “Topsy” riffs) |
| Composed by: |
Lionel Hampton |
|
C&A:
New Year’s Eve, a day after the band’s final “Camel Caravan” radio
broadcast, the band appeared on the “Fitch Bandwagon” radio program which
featured the popular big bands of the day on location – before it became a
comedy-variety show a couple of years later. It was sponsored by the
F.W.
Fitch hair-care company every Sunday on the NBC network. This one took place
at their gig in the Waldorf-Astoria ballroom.
Just a single item survives from this date: the sextet playing their first
of only two versions of Till Tom Special. In the key of F-minor. Charlie
Christian gets a full chorus on this edition of the tune. The sextet would
record it again for Columbia Records about five weeks later in which Charles
relinquishes the bridge to the pianist, Basie.
We are indeed privileged that Charles plays the bridge on this version:
his entrance is absolutely amazing. The execution is impeccable.
The rest of the bridge is just as wondrous. Marvelous work.
OHD – we live rejoicing.
The entire solo is beautifully done. Minor keys suited CC just fine, witness
Topsy at Minton’s.
|
| |
The complete recording has never been commercially released due to areas of very poor quality. |
| |
All releases are
missing the piano intro and the first 12½ bars of the first chorus. |
| |
[ LP ] |
Jazz Archives |
JA-42 |
(side 2, track 2) |
| |
[ CD ] |
Definitive |
DRCD11177 |
(disc 2, track 12) |
| |
|
Frémeaux |
FA 5221 |
(disc 1, track 16) |
| |
|
Fuel 2000 |
302 061 755 2 |
(track 8) |
| |
|
Jazz Classics |
JZCL-5005 |
(disc 1, track 6) |
| |
|
JSP Records |
JSP909 |
(disc 2, track 12) |
| |
|
Masters of Jazz |
MJCD 40 |
(track 3) |
| |
|
Masters of Jazz |
MJCD 9004 |
(disc 3, track 3) |
| |
|
Masters of Jazz |
R2CD 8004 |
(disc 1, track 11) |
| |
|
Mr. Music |
MMCD-7040 |
(track 17) |
| |
|
Music Memoria |
87998 2 |
(disc 1, track 14) |
| |
|
Proper |
PROPERBOX 98 |
(disc 3, track 17) |
| |
|
Vintage Jazz Classics |
VJC-1021-2 |
(track 6) |
| |
|
Warner Music France |
3007-2 |
(track 13) |
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