Outstanding Alternate Takes

[Brownian Motion]

Do you have a favorite alternate take? A take that either contrasts sharply with the more familiar first issued take, or even surpasses it?

For example: I Surrender Dear by the Chocolate Dandies, recorded for Commodore in 1940. Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge, and Benny Carter in the front line. An alternate take was issued in the 1970s on Atlantic Records that is to my ears, by virtue of its extraordinary Roy Eldridge solo, superior to the originally issued take. Still a third take of the same tune from the same session is also floating around, but, because Hawk gets lost in the middle of his solo, it is distinctly inferior to the other two takes.

[Michael Fitzgerald]

The non-robotic, almost lyrical approach that Coltrane takes on one of the Giant Steps versions in the Atlantic box was a revelation after being thoroughly familiar with both the master take and the one alternative take which came out in the 1970s. Who knew?

Mike

[Spontooneous]

Bird's alternate of "Parker's Mood." Cruel beauty.

[JSngry]

Sonny Rollins' alternates from both the Contemporary & the RCA sessions. WHOA!

One wonders what all's been going down in the studio during the Milestone years that for wahtever reason has been judged not album-worthy. I harbor fantasies/illusions/whatever of Sonny & crew just going all out and Sonny deciding that it's too whatever to release.

Call it a dream, but hey - it's my dream and I'm gonna keep dreaming it!

[JSngry]

Bird's alternate of "Parker's Mood." Cruel beauty.

Yeah, pretty much all of Bird's alternates would apply here.

And Prez on the alternate of "Shoe Shine Boy" would too. The differences between the two takes makes the stories of him in K.C. jamming endlessly on one tune w/o repeating himself totally believable and cause more than a little "wish I had a time machine" envy.

[danasgoodstuff]

I think I prefer the alt of HH's "Blind Man" to the master, the extra twist in the bass line gives it more 'kick' IMHO.

[Free For All]

Sonny Rollins' alternates from both the Contemporary & the RCA sessions. WHOA!

Yes! I was going to mention the long version of 52nd Street Theme. Sonny goes a full 12 rounds on that one.

[GregK]

I really enjoy the alternates of Limbo and Masqualero on the recent Sorcerer reissue by Miles. The piano sounds thin but I still like them both

[Big Al]

The alternate (and longer) take of Herbie Hancock's "Mimosa."

[wolff]

Sonny Rollins' alternates from both the Contemporary & the RCA sessions. WHOA!

I have the Contemporary alternates....breathtaking!!!

Can you give me any info on the RCA alternate takes. CD? Vinyl? Seperate issue of alternates or included in CD with album material? I have a few of his RCA LP's, but nothing with alternate takes.

Thanks

[Michael Fitzgerald]

I have this on a 1992 Bluebird CD called "Alternatives" - four tunes in dual takes (Four; St. Thomas; I Remember Clifford; 52nd Street Theme) plus Bluesongo and Jungoso.

The alternative takes first came out in the early 1980s on a French 2-LP set. This CD puts the master takes together with the alternatives. Other than the Complete RCA boxed set of Rollins, I don't know how this material has been subsequently issued.

Mike

[Brandon Burke]

I really like the version of "India" that appeared on The Other Village Vanguard Tapes LP (as well as disc 4 of the The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard set).

Edited July 2, 2004 by Brandon Burke

[BruceH]

Bird's alternate of "Parker's Mood." Cruel beauty.

Yeah, pretty much all of Bird's alternates would apply here.

Yes, but a particular favorite of mine is the "Embraceable You" Dial alternate. I actually prefer it to the master.

Rollins Contemporary Alternates: YOUWZA!!!!!

[A Lark Ascending]

The other 'Flamenco Sketches' on KofB. Not better but a different journey round that structure.

[couw]

Blues for Alice by Roland Kirk (We Free Kings), not better, but certainly as good as the originally issued version and, what's more, with a *very* different solo section.

[brownie]

Lester Young's first session in 1936 with the Jones-Smith Incorporated unit.

The original take of the first number played that day 'Shoe Shine Swing' is a masterpiece. The alternate take is also a masterpiece.

Lester Young plays variations on his solo from the first take for the alternate. Another masterpiece!

[medjuck]

And Prez on the alternate of "Shoe Shine Boy" would too. The differences between the two takes makes the stories of him in K.C. jamming endlessly on one tune w/o repeating himself totally believable and cause more than a little "wish I had a time machine" envy.

What's a good cd source for the alternate?

[chuckyd4]

I'm amazed nobody has mentioned either Sam Rivers "Downstairs Blues Upstairs" included in the Mosaic box, or Bud Powell's "Un Poco Loco" from the Blue Note sides. These are both absolutely essential recorded documents of incredible bands working their way through interesting/difficult material.

[JSngry]

And Prez on the alternate of "Shoe Shine Boy" would too. The differences between the two takes makes the stories of him in K.C. jamming endlessly on one tune w/o repeating himself totally believable and cause more than a little "wish I had a time machine" envy.

What's a good cd source for the alternate?

Wish I could tell you. I'm still doing the SUPER CHIEF LP thing from the previous century.

And my bad - it's "Shoe Shine Swing", not "Shoe Shine Boy".

[Chuck Nessa]

'Tis available on Neatwork 2038 "Count Basie Vol 1".

[JSngry]

Ok, I'm fucked up here. I'm doing THE LESTER YOUNG STORY VOLUME 1, not SUPER CHIEF, and it IS "Shoe Shine Boy", at least on both of the above sets.

SUPER CHIEF doesn't have the alternate. But it's one helluva album anyway!

[brownie]

I did not catch JSngry's earlier reference to 'Shoe Shine Boy'. That will teach me to not read his posts from start to finish

Anyway, it's one of the most perfect three minutes of jazz history!

[medjuck]

On the off-chance that the Apple music store might have the alternate take from some Columbia collection (OK so I'm a dreamer) I searched for "Shoe Shine Boy". Numerous versions of Chatanoogie Shoe Shine Boy, Goodman, Armstrong and Basie's KC Seven (Impulse) doing Shoe Shine Boy and what I presume is the master take (they're all 2:58 long) from 3 different cds and-- get this-- "Lester Young's Solos On Shoe Shine Boy (Takes 1 & 2)" by The Richard Tabnik Trio. I bought it. It's pretty good. Not much information. Anyone ever heard of Richard Tabnik?

Edited July 2, 2004 by medjuck

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Of course - he's an alto saxophonist of the Tristano school. Works with Connie Crothers et al.

http://www.inch.com/~rctabnik/

He was a fairly regular contributor to rec.music.bluenote and I found him to be knowledgeable and willing to share.

Mike

[ghost of miles]

I love the alternate take of Billie Holiday's "No More" that appears on her COMPLETE DECCA RECORDINGS. The audio quality is bad, as it was taken from a re-processed, multi-generational Japanese tape source, but the take is slightly slower and even moodier than the master. It has an almost-sinister spookiness about it--going to use it for my Holiday program on July 17.