Why did Trane do a session for Roulette?

[medjuck]

I'm listening to "Like Sony" cd and reading the liner notes: Cuscuna just says he recorded half an album for Roulette. I know anything was possible when Morris Levy was involved. Do any of the Trane bios explain it? (I admit I haven't read any.)

[BillF]

Such a good session, though! I like "Exotica", Like Sonny" and "Simple Like" as much as anything Trane did. I have what I presume was the Roulette LP on the French Swing label with a Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter and Bobby Timmons three-track session on the other side.

Edited April 23, 2015 by BillF

[Chuck Nessa]

This was originally part of a 2 lp box called The Birdland Story. It came with a booklet covering the history of the club written by Leonard Feather, IIRC. One lp side of "historical" tracks and 3 sides by "representative" groups also including a Lee Morgan/Wayne Shorter/Bobby Timmons group and another with Thad Jones/Billy Mitchell/Al Grey.

[mjzee]

Per "The John Coltrane Reference" book, a letter dated 7/28/60 from Nesuhi Ertegun of Atlantic to Teddy Reig of Roulette gave permission for Roulette to record Coltrane under these conditions:

1) Only one side of an LP could be released, and it would be part of Symphony Sid's "Birdland" series on Roulette.

2) The LP must say "by arrangement with" or "by courtesy of" Atlantic Records.

3) Roulette must allow Atlantic to record one of Roulette's artists at a future date.

[JSngry]

Would you want to get too contrary to Morris Levy?

Another Atlantic/Roulette "share" was Maynard Ferguson & Chris Connor. Who did Atlantic get in the share for Trane?

[jazzbo]

They should have gotten Pee Wee Marquette for half a motherfucker of an lp.

[Head Man]

They should have gotten Pee Wee Marquette for half a motherfucker of an lp.

[JohnS]

I don't believe I've ever heard these tracks.

[king ubu]

They should have gotten Pee Wee Marquette for half a motherfucker of an lp.

@JohnS: you should! Best you look for this CD, combining the Trane session with the Jubilee album Trane made as a sideman with Ray Draper:

It also adds an alternate of "Exotica" to the Trane date - some specifics here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Like_Sonny

[mikeweil]

They are nice and give a glimpse at the formation process of Coltrane's quartet after leaving Miles. It took a while until the Tyner/Garrison/Jones trio was together.

[JohnS]

Surprisingly hard to find now from a UK seller at a reasonable price.

[medjuck]

Easy to find cheaply on Amazon US. I got it because I'd just heard pianist John Mayer and read that he had played on the cd (on the Jubliee sessions- though his bio didn't mention that he used different name (John Maher) on the session. Which may explain why Michael Cuscuna give no info on him in the notes.

[felser]

"Exotica" and "Like Sonny" are both wonderful compositions. I've always liked that material.

[Clunky]

Surprisingly hard to find now from a UK seller at a reasonable price.

I wouldn't spend much on this disc. The sound is not the greatest. The Draper session is better bit the Roulette tracks leave something to be desired. I played it all the way through although i had to leave the room during the Draper solos which dragged more than just a bit.

[Head Man]

Surprisingly hard to find now from a UK seller at a reasonable price.

I wouldn't spend much on this disc. The sound is not the greatest. The Draper session is better bit the Roulette tracks leave something to be desired. I played it all the way through although i had to leave the room during the Draper solos which dragged more than just a bit.

Yes, the sound is very flat on the Roulette tracks but the music is suprisingly good. I can take or leave the Draper Session.