The Rejected Sessions

[andybleaden]

Have to say that ther's nothing on the BN Lost Sessions that made a real difference in my life. The sessions may have looked good on paper before I heard them, but reality was a whole different deal. I'm sure that Michael Cuscuna has listened to everything that's available to be issued, and probably everything that's worth hearing has already come out. That said, I think that the artists, if they're still living - unfortunately, most are not - should have the final say.

I guess that BN completists will think differently.

Yes, nothing that changed my life, but it is nice to finally have gotten a chance to hear the Dameron session!

Hmm I picked it up...was not the best Blue Note LP I ever bought but was a really nice idea...wish there had been a few more of them. I would of course flock to get anything that did surface for that reason...its new...I ain't heard it.....its got x and y on .

I remember hearing other unreleased stuff via friends...ok it was not a revelation but certainly in the case of the Kenny Dorham set mentioned it was worth a release ...sounded good...cooked etc

[david weiss]

Various rejected organ sessions/tracks were on that other list, but if we look at non-organ sessions, there is even more. Here are the more notorious ones:

Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers

Lee Morgan (tp) Hank Mobley (ts) Bobby Timmons (p) Jymie Merritt (b) Art Blakey (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, March 8, 1959

tk.5 Jimerick Blue Note rejected

tk.10 Quick Trick -

tk.14 Hipsippy Blues -

tk.15 M And M -

tk.19 Close Your Eyes -

tk.21 Just Foolin' -

[This session is not that bad according to those who have heard it]

Grant Green Quartet

Wynton Kelly (p) Grant Green (g) Paul Chambers (b) Philly Joe Jones (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, November 26, 1960

A Night In Tunisia rejected

Jordu -

[Cuscuna first said that this was a bad day for all involved, but then changed his mind and said that the rhythm section was cooking and Green just a bit nervous. Most of the tracks made it to the “"First Session" CD, but these two were left in the can]

Kenny Dorham Sextet

Kenny Dorham (tp) Charles Davis (bars) Kenny Drew (p) Grant Green (g) Wilbur Ware (b) Kai ??? (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, March 19, 1961

tk.9 Mason Dixon Line Blue Note rejected

tk.20 Blues Lament -

tk.24 Cross "D" Tracks -

tk.26 Blue Ching -

tk.27 Spadesville -

tk.31 9 1/2 Street -

[Grant Green is good on this one, some others less so, according to those who have heard it. There have even been fake covers posted for this session. It looks great on paper.]

Fred Jackson Quintet

Fred Jackson (ts, cowbell) "Big" John Patton (p) Grant Green (g) Herbie Lewis (b) Ben Dixon (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, June 21, 1962

tk.5 'T Ain't No Big Thing rejected

Peace Pipe -

Jacksonville -

[one track from this session with Patton on piano eventually made it to the "Lost Sessions" Connoisseur]

Horace Silver Tentet

Kenny Dorham, Blue Mitchell (tp) Grachan Moncur III (tb) Julius Watkins (frh) Junior Cook, Jimmy Heath (ts) Charles Davis (bars) Horace Silver (p) Gene Taylor (b) Roy Brooks (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, April 11, 1963

Silver's Serenade Blue Note rejected

Sweet Sweetie Dee -

Nineteen Bars -

Next Time I Fall In Love -

Horace Silver Tentet

same personnel

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, April 12, 1963

The Dragon Lady Blue Note rejected

Let's Go To The Nitty Gritty -

Nineteen Bars -

[The lost Horace Silver tentet album.]

Grant Green Sextet

John Gilmore (ts) Bobby Hutcherson (vib) Duke Pearson (p) Grant Green (g) Butch Warren (b) Billy Higgins (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, February 12, 1964

1299 Untitled Grant Green Tune, No. 3 Blue Note rejected

1300 Minor League -

1301 Grant's Tune -

1302 Un Poco Loco -

1303 Ezz-Thetic -

[some of the tunes were rerecorded four months later for the “Solid” album (which also wasn't released at the time), but with completely different sidemen. This session is particularly noteworthy for the presence of John Gilmore.]

Horace Silver Quintet

Carmell Jones (tp) Joe Henderson (ts) Horace Silver (p) Teddy Smith (b) Roger Humphries (d)

"Pep's", Philadelphia, PA, August 15, 1964

1413 The Natives Are Restless Tonight Blue Note rejected

1414 Que Pasa -

1415 Pretty Eyes -

1416 The Kicker -

tk.1 I'll Remember April -

tk.2 The Kicker -

tk.3 Pretty Eyes -

tk.4 Que Pasa -

tk.5 Skinny Minnie -

tk.6 Mexican Hip Dance -

tk.7 The Natives Are Restless Tonight -

tk.8 Que Pasa -

tk.9 The Kicker -

tk.10 Mexican Hip Dance -

tk.11 The Natives Are Restless Tonight -

tk.12 Skinny Minnie -

tk.13 Pretty Eyes -

tk.14 Que Pasa -

tk.15 Mexican Hip Dance -

tk.16 The Kicker -

tk.17 Pretty Eyes -

tk.18 The Natives Are Restless Tonight -

tk.19 Que Pasa -

tk.20 The Kicker -

tk.21 The Natives Are Restless Tonight -

tk.22 Que Pasa -

tk.23 The Kicker -

[Cuscuna gave the tapes to Horace and who knows what happened to them. How could this all be bad?]

Charlie Rouse Quintet

Charlie Rouse (ts) Joe Zawinul (p) Grant Green (g) Sam Jones (b) Frankie Dunlop (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, April 17, 1963

tk.4 Clo-E Blue Note rejected

tk.13 Little Sherri -

tk.17 What Kind Of Fool Am I? -

tk.24 I Left My Hart In San Francisco -

Charlie Rouse Quintet

Freddie Hubbard (tp) Charlie Rouse (ts) McCoy Tyner (p) Bob Cranshaw (b) Billy Higgins (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, January 22, 1965

1506 tk.9 Little Sherri rejected

Untitled Original -

Untitled Minor Blues -

1507 I'm Glad There Is You -

[Charlie Rouse had two rejected sessions and “Little Sherri” was played on both. The latter version is from the same session that yielded One For Five, and according to Cuscuna it has a bad trumpet solo. If that is the only problem, it could have been edited and released as a perfectly fine Rouse track, and maybe the others too.]

Herbie Hancock Nonet

Melvin Lastie (cor) Julian Priester (tb) Stanley Turrentine (ts) Pepper Adams (bars) Herbie Hancock (p) Billy Butler, Eric Gale (g) Bob Cranshaw (b) Bernard Purdie (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, July 19, 1966

1770 tk.12 Untitled Ballad rejected

1771 tk.14 Untitled Blues -

1772 tk.15 Soul Villa -

1773 tk.17 Untitled Blues, No. 2 -

1774 tk.21 Don't Even Go There Blue Note CDP 7243 4 95569-2

1775 tk.26 You Know What To Do rejected

* Herbie Hancock - The Complete Blue Note Sixties Sessions (Blue Note CDP 7243 4 95569-2)

[one track eventually released on the BN box; what about the rest?]

Jackie McLean Sextet

Woody Shaw (tp) Jackie McLean (as) Tyrone Washington (ts) Bobby Hutcherson (vib) Scott Holt (b) Norman Connors (d)

Plaza Sound Studios, NYC, July 5, 1968

3054 In Case You Haven't Heard Blue Note rejected

3055 Hymn To Rap -

3056 One For Jeru -

3057 Kupenda -

3058 Abrasion -

[McLean’s last Blue Note album and not released because he didn’t like the drummer. If that’s the only problem, this could probably be released.]

Tyrone Washington Quartet

Tyrone Washington (ts) Herbie Hancock (p) Herbie Lewis (b) Jack DeJohnette (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, August 16, 1968

3085 tk.2 or tk.4 Untitled (medium tempo) Blue Note rejected

3086 tk.6 or tk.8 Untitled (3/4) -

3087 tk.9 or tk.10 Rene -

3088 tk.11 or tk.12 T -

3089 tk.14 or tk.15 Untitled (9/4) -

[The most famous of them all, the “Train Wreck”! According to Belden or Evered (I forget who) this is not so bad, and at least some of it could be released. That points to one of the problems with these sessions; they are usually listed as rejected because Cuscuna thinks so. Someone else could (and have) come to a different conclusion.]

Lee Morgan Quintet

Lee Morgan (tp) Frank Mitchell (ts) Harold Mabern (p) Mickey Bass (b) Billy Higgins (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, September 13, 1968

4007 tk.4 Blues For Mr. Tatum rejected

4008 tk.8 The Sleepwalker -

4009 tk.11 Mickey's Tune Blue Note CDP 7243 5 22467-2

4010 tk.16 The Chief rejected

4011 tk.21 Leebop Blue Note CDP 7243 5 22467-2

4012 tk.29 Extemporaneous -

* Lee Morgan - The Sixth Sense (Blue Note CDP 7243 5 22467-2)

[Cuscuna first said that this session should be burned, then he released half of it as bonus tracks to “The Sixth Sense”. According to those who have heard the other tracks, they are not noticeably worse.]

Grant Green Sextet

Claude Bartee (ts) Willie Bivens (vib) Clarence Palmer (el-p -1/4,6,7) Earl Neal Creque (el-p -5) Grant Green (g) Jimmy Lewis (el-b) Leo Morris (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, October 3, 1969

6. tk.26 or 27 Wichita Lineman unissued

7. 5250 tk.30 By The Time I Get To Phoenix -

[From the “Carryin’ On” session. I mention this because when “Alive” was first released on CD it didn’t have any bonus tracks. Then it was rereleased on CD with three bonus tracks. Apparently the producer missed them the first time, and since "Carryin' On" was released in the same series, it could be the same with these two extra tracks.]

Wayne Shorter Quintet

Wayne Shorter (ts) Barbara Burton (vib, bells, per) McCoy Tyner (p) Miroslav Vitous (b) Alphonse Mouzon (d, per)

A&R Studios, NYC, October 13, 1970

tk.3 Pt. 1: The Creation Blue Note rejected

tk.4 Pt. 2: B. Because -

tk.5 Pt. 3: Cee -

tk.7 Pt. 4: Dee -

tk.8 Pt. 5: Effe -

[This is also not so bad according to Belden or Evered]

I can comment on some of these....

It looks like what I've said about the Wayne and Tyrone Washington stuff is quoted here and I can't think of anything to add.

I've asked about the Silver material. The Live at Pep's and Tentet stuff was given back to Horace I'm told and I also asked Horace about it and he said the tentet stuff was quite sloppy, the ensembles a mess etc etc. I think I was told the Pep's stuff was rejected because Carmell Jones was having chop problems on this, can't remember for sure though.

I picked the tracks from the Lee Morgan session that were included on the Sixth Sense. I thought I used everything that should see the light of day. The other stuff really wasn't happening and I love this stuff so it would take a lot for me not to include it. The tracks I didn't choose were quite sleepy and Lee's solos were really off.

I heard a little of the Herbie stuff and again there were some ensemble issues here. Bob Belden is about the biggest Herbie fan on earth so if there was something else close to being suitable for release, I'm sure he would have included it.

I'd love to hear the Grant Green with Gilmore and the KD stuff but never have.

I'm doing the WKCR musician's show tonight (6-9 pm) and while I can't play this stuff, I might be able to sneak in a couple of things you've never heard.....

[david weiss]

I have no new news about any of these sessions, but I do want to report that a couple of CDs that are being reissued yet again (in Japan in conjunction with Blue Note's 75th Anniversary) will have new bonus tracks (alternate takes).

Wayne Shorter's Speak No Evil will have an alternate takes of Fee Fi Fo Fum and Witch Hunt which are both very good.

Eric Dolphy's Out To Lunch will have an alternate take or two as well but I haven't heard these.

I think there will be an additional alternate take from Blue Trane as well this time around.

These will be released in Japan, no word yet if these will be released in the US.

[Rooster_Ties]

There was a previously unreleased alternate on the recent Japanese issue of Hank Mobley's "Slice of the Top" (which I bought for the sole reason that "Slice..." and "Third Stream" are my two favorite Hank leader-dates).

I think that might have been the only one, or were there any others?

[bertrand]

I totally missed the new Mobley alternate - damn.

Still no word on the Unity alternates?

Bertrand.

Edited October 21, 2013 by bertrand

[romualdo]

I totally missed the new Mobley alternate - damn.

Still no work on the Unity alternates?

Bertrand.

I think the alternate take (Don' Cry, Just Sigh) is on the Third Stream CD, not Slice Of The Top

The CD is still available (CD Japan still has it listed)

[Chuck Nessa]

Third Season is the title.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

re- third season/alternate......how is this possible? was the alternate on the master the whole time, and this reissue is actually cut from the real master tape, so they found it? and blue note signed off on them using it? i would definetly like to aquire this edition, slice is a top is a mobley fave of mine. is the mastering of this new cd any good though, have any of you heard this

Edited October 21, 2013 by chewy

[romualdo]

Third Season is the title.

Oops!! - Should have pre read before I posted - That's what I meant

[david weiss]

I missed the Slice of the Top track as well and I was looking at this series at Disk Union when I was in Japan a few months back....oh well......

Bertrand, I pushed for the Unity tracks but they had already chosen the CDs for this series by the time they talked to me about the Speak No Evil alternates.....they said maybe the next batch.....

On another subject, wasn't there thread a while back about Lee Morgan's bandaged head at a session or something? Can someone bring that thread up so I can see it as I have something to add to that one as well......

[colinmce]

Out to Lunch alternates?!?

[bertrand]

I'll have to try to find the thread later (I'm bad at searching), and I can't remember if we discussed this in the thread, but in Jeff McMillan's Morgan bio he relates a story where Lee fell asleep on a radiator in his hotel room. Wayne Shorter noticed the pungent smell and rushed over to wake him up and save him.

I assumed this explains the bandages, although I don't know if McMillan gives a date for this incident. The photos were from April 1964.

Bertrand.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

my #1 most want to hear reject date is the 70s grant green session with 'green acid' + 'let it rain'. missing from the bn vaults at the time when cuscana did his inventory...

[brownie]

Out to Lunch alternates?!?

Excited too!

That would be a first...

[erwbol]

There are alternates of Hat And Beard & Something Sweet, Something Tender. (http://www.cdjapan.c...?KEY=TYCJ-81013)

I put this EMI Japan webpage through Google translate, and it seems there is a new alternate take of Autumn Leaves from the Cannonball Adderley date with Miles Davis, Somethin' Else. Also new alternate take of Blues March on Art Blakey's Moanin'.

A list of the first fifty SHM-CDs in this series can be found in

Edited October 21, 2013 by erwbol

[Rooster_Ties]

Sorry for my error above (others already caught), it was "Third Season" that has the previously unreleased alternate (not "Slice...").

I knew it had to be one of those two Mobley dates, since those are probably the only two Mobleys (Moblies?) where I would have ponied up another $16 just for one alternate.