Unreleased Blue Note Sessions

[Sundog]

I'm wondering how many unreleased sessions there are in the Blue Note vaults at this point? Anyone have any information on this point? If full sessions by a given artist aren't available it might be kind of cool if Blue Note would consider a compilation album(s). Or maybe a new series, Blue Note Basement Tapes, or something like that. I know, don't hold my breath.

[Ed S]

I don't have any idea how much unreleased material there is, but I think BN has done a decent job of getting this stuff out when possible. The 60th anniversary series of Conns was all previously unreleased material. Since then, they've released another Grant Green Session and this fall there will be an Andrew Hill. Is there more?

[Big Wheel]

There is more, but not much at this point. It's important to distinguish between sessions marked in the BN discography as "unissued" and those marked "rejected." Cuscuna has shown a willingness to reevaluate and often release those in the former category; those in the latter rarely, if ever, see the light of day.

One I can can think of is the Kenny Dorham/Grant Green session that a few people clamored for on the Blue Note board. Not sure if it was "rejected", though, or merely "unissued." The rejected Tyrone Washington "Train Wreck" session will probably never make it out while Cuscuna is still running the show.

Edited June 9, 2003 by Big Wheel

[connoisseur series500]

Where's Kevin when you need him? Keeevvviiinnnnnn!!!

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I'm wondering how many unreleased sessions there are in the Blue Note vaults at this point? Anyone have any information on this point? If full sessions by a given artist aren't available it might be kind of cool if Blue Note would consider a compilation album(s). Or maybe a new series, Blue Note Basement Tapes, or something like that. I know, don't hold my breath.

I don't really understand this question. I suppose the simple answer would be to tell you to order the Blue Note discography from the True Blue web site and go through it as I have. There are far too many "unissued" and "rejected" sessions listed in this book to summarize here. Suffice it to say, there are probably plenty still lying around that could be combined into another "The Lost Sessions" CD.

BTW, you did pick that CD up right? "The Lost Sessions" is a very nice CD. The great Tadd Dameron tracks alone are worth the price.

Later,

Kevin

[JSngry]

I want my Dexter/Stitt. Reactivate Manhattan if need be!

[Sundog]

BTW, you did pick that CD up right? "The Lost Sessions" is a very nice CD. The great Tadd Dameron tracks alone are worth the price.

In a word no. I guess it's a bit of a naive question, I was just wondering if there was some well known "classic" material that for whatever reason hasn't seen the light of day. Kudos to you Kevin for having the persistence to do all that research. Thanks for the tip about the "Lost Sessions" cd.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I want my Dexter/Stitt. Reactivate Manhattan if need be!

Sadly Jim, all indications are that the one track found on "The Lost Sessions" (and the DG box set) are all that we're going to hear from that session... Unless of course a couple of obviously inebriated guys playing saxophone is a "fit" for the smooth Jazz that Manhattan was known for!

Later,

Kevin

[Brad]

Maybe it's just me and I should give the Lost Sessions another listen but after listening to the cd, I could understand why they weren't issued. There were not a lot of great performances there and maybe it would have been better left in the vaults. However, I have always enjoyed the lone Dexter/Sonny session and enjoyed what the Dexter Complete BN set said about it: something like, "no harm done."

[Ed S]

Here's the list of Conns released in 1999 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Blue Note:

SERIES X (1999)

Grant Green – Blues for Lou

Bobby Hutcherson – The Kicker

Jimmy Smith – Six Views of the Blues

Art Blakey – Drums Around The Corner

Lou Donaldson – A Man with a Horn

Dizzy Reece – Comin’ on

Various Artists – The Lost Sessions

Of course Grant Green's First Session was released a couple of years ago as well.

I've got 'em all and there are good and not so good moments amongst them. I think a lot of Blue Note fans might have been expecting undiscovered masterpieces. They are not. I can certainly see why a couple were never released. But I find them all listenable with the Hutcherson, Reece and Smith very good and the rest not among the respective artist's best work, but keepers in my mind. I'm easy to please, though, so perhaps I'm the perfect customer for the next round of lost sessions.

[RDK]

The Lost Sessions is still easily found and is quite enjoyable. The Charlie Rouse tune alone is, as they say, worth the price of admission...

[Ed S]

That ROuse tune, which used to be heard as the into to the old Blue Note Radio program at BN is a killer. That song is indeed worth the price of admission - but there's enough other material of interest to make it a nice pickup, IMO

[RDK]

Y'know, Ed, I always found it interesting that they used that Rouse tune for the BN Radio theme. I mean, that's about as obscure a BN "classic" as you can get. I remember asking, shortly after I joined the BN board way back when, if anyone knew what the song was or who performed it and nobody knew at the time.

Ray

Edited June 10, 2003 by RDK

[Soul Stream]

I know I sound like a broken record , but there is some unreleased takes from the Blue John session that I'd love to hear. Extension being one(I don't have the BN disc. book).

I recognize that some of these sessions didn't quite make an album's worth of useable material. But something like Blues For Lou, though flawed at times enough to see why it wasn't released on it's own, is still one of my favorites. That said, I think 1st session by Grant Green didn't have much to offer as a whole.

These unreleased sessions are usually very subpar by Blue Note standards I think, but in the scheme of music more that make the grade for a label like Prestige.

[JSngry]

The Lost Sessions is still easily found and is quite enjoyable. The Charlie Rouse tune alone is, as they say, worth the price of admission...

As is the chance to hear Sam Rivers play a solo that I'm guessing appoximated the way he played with T-Bone Walker. Fascinating.

All told, a worthy purchase, I think. No "lost masterpieces" or anything like tha, but some good stuff and a fun listen.

[pryan]

However, I have always enjoyed the lone Dexter/Sonny session and enjoyed what the Dexter Complete BN set said about it: something like, "no harm done."

Ya wonder why Cuscuna doesn't put this out, maybe as a ultra-limited edition Conn or something like that. I mean Sonny and Dexter, even when drunk, must still have more to say, musically, than a lot of musicians. Even if it (the entire session) was released purely as a historical document, I'd jump all over it.

BTW, to those who have heard the one track, what's it like?

[Soul Stream]

Ya wonder why Cuscuna doesn't put this out, maybe as a ultra-limited edition Conn or something like that. I mean Sonny and Dexter, even when drunk, must still have more to say, musically, than a lot of musicians. Even if it (the entire session) was released purely as a historical document, I'd jump all over it.

BTW, to those who have heard the one track, what's it like?

Hell, it's even got Don Patterson on organ! The one track on the comp. is great...i'd love to hear the whole thing, but something tells me I won't anytime soon.

[brownie]

Among the unreleased BN material, there is a John Collins session that might be

interesting to hear. That date always intrigued me. Have the masters (tapes?)

disappeared?

[Ed S]

Among the unreleased BN material, there is a John Collins session that might be

interesting to hear. That date always intrigued me. Have the masters (tapes?)

disappeared?

I remember reading on the BNBB that the Collins tapes had disappeared. I'd like to hear this one as well.

[Brad]

Ya wonder why Cuscuna doesn't put this out, maybe as a ultra-limited edition Conn or something like that. I mean Sonny and Dexter, even when drunk, must still have more to say, musically, than a lot of musicians. Even if it (the entire session) was released purely as a historical document, I'd jump all over it.

BTW, to those who have heard the one track, what's it like?

I found it enjoyable plus these two titans had never met before but the liner notes indicate that as the session went on, Alfred Lion got more upset with the proceedings and was not happy that they were rehashing hackneyed standards so he put a stop to it.

[David Ayers]

However, I have always enjoyed the lone Dexter/Sonny session and enjoyed what the Dexter Complete BN set said about it: something like, "no harm done."

Ya wonder why Cuscuna doesn't put this out, maybe as a ultra-limited edition Conn or something like that. I mean Sonny and Dexter, even when drunk, must still have more to say, musically, than a lot of musicians. Even if it (the entire session) was released purely as a historical document, I'd jump all over it.

BTW, to those who have heard the one track, what's it like?

You've got more faith in drunk musicians than anybody who has ever played with one! Or been one for that matter!!