Sweet Smell of Success 60th Anniversary CD

[Teasing the Korean]

Verve has released a 60th anniversary CD edition of The Sweet Smell of Success combining both the Elmer Bernstein and Chico Hamilton albums.   This is taken from the master tapes; previous releases were sourced from vinyl.

https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Smell-Success-Anniversary-Expanded/dp/B071K8Q4LD/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506782354&sr=8-1&keywords=bernstein+Sweet+Smell

[jazzbo]

Thanks for the headsup! I didn't like this movie but I do like the Hamilton record. 

[medjuck]

I love the movie but I just ordered the cd for the Bernstein score.  The Hamilton stuff is a bonus. And yes, thanks for the heads up.  How did you find out about it? 

Edited September 30, 2017 by medjuck

[Teasing the Korean]

20 hours ago, jazzbo said:

I didn't like this movie... 

Conjugate me a verb, Jazzbo:  To Perplex. 

19 hours ago, medjuck said:

How did you find out about it? 

filmscoremonthly.com

 

Edited October 1, 2017 by Teasing the Korean

[Teasing the Korean]

My copy arrived today.  It includes the original cover art for both albums, reproduced in full on separate panels. 

Also, the Chico Hamilton tracks are integrated into the program, presumably to recreate the film order.  

The suite of themes appearing on side 2 of the Chico Hamilton album appears as the final track.

I will spin this tomorrow and report back on the sound quality. 

[medjuck]

I got mine today too and will be listening tomorrow.  Peter Bernstein's notes mention a a big band record Elmer  made.  Google led me to the name: Blues and Brass but it seems to have never come out on cd.  There's an Lp offered on Amazon for $99.  Has anyone here ever heard this? 

Edited October 3, 2017 by medjuck

[jazzbo]

I got my copy of this new release on Saturday and listened yesterday. Sound is very good. A very nice reissue.

[ghost of miles]

Wow, my thanks as well for the heads-up on this.  I have the old Cherry Red CD that combined both albums but will definitely get this reissue.  Marc Myers wrote about this movie recently, also prompted by the reissue; here's his blog post, and here's the Night Lights show I did a few years ago that included interviews with James Naremore (film scholar who wrote the British Film Institute volume for Sweet Smell Of Success) and Phil Ford:

Sweet Smell Of Success: Jazz Meets Showbiz Noir

Edited October 3, 2017 by ghost of miles

[crisp]

Instant purchase. Thanks to the OP from me too.

[Teasing the Korean]

Well, if you have the El/Cherry Red CD, don't unload it yet. 

The new Verve edition inexplicably omits the Chico Hamilton track "Jonalah," which is one of my favorites.  I compared the overall disc times on both discs to make sure that it didn't get indexed with another track, but the El/Cherry Red CD runs two to three minutes longer than the Verve.

That said, the sound on the Verve CD is an improvement.  Also, integrating both albums creates more sonic and textural variety than the individual albums offered.  I like both albums more now that I hear them together. 

Still, I wonder why that one track was left off.  

 

 

Edited October 3, 2017 by Teasing the Korean

[medjuck]

5 hours ago, Teasing the Korean said:

Well, if you have the El/Cherry Red CD, don't unload it yet. 

The new Verve edition inexplicably omits the Chico Hamilton track "Jonalah," which is one of my favorites.  I compared the overall disc times on both discs to make sure that it didn't get indexed with another track, but the El/Cherry Red CD runs two to three minutes longer than the Verve.

That said, the sound on the Verve CD is an improvement.  Also, integrating both albums creates more sonic and textural variety than the individual albums offered.  I like both albums more now that I hear them together. 

Still, I wonder why that one track was left off.  

 

 

There are  two versions (one listed as "alternate" ) available for download on Amazon and they seem to be from a previous release of a soundtrack album. There's also a version on a non-soundtrack album.

Edited October 4, 2017 by medjuck

[medjuck]

I was going crazy trying to figure out where I'd heard the  cue "Susan (The Sage)" before.  I eventually discovered that it was on an early (the first?) Chico Hamilton Quintet Lp under the title "The Sage" and credited just to Fred Katz.  Hamilton's name is added as co-composer for the film.   BTW There's also an alternate and longer version of this available for download on Amazon.  I think these downloads are from the EL/Cherry Red cd.

[Teasing the Korean]

14 hours ago, medjuck said:

I was going crazy trying to figure out where I'd heard the  cue "Susan (The Sage)" before.  I eventually discovered that it was on an early (the first?) Chico Hamilton Quintet Lp under the title "The Sage" and credited just to Fred Katz.  Hamilton's name is added as co-composer for the film.   BTW There's also an alternate and longer version of this available for download on Amazon.  I think these downloads are from the EL/Cherry Red cd.

Interesting.  "Jonalah" is on Chico Hamilton in Hi-Fi.  My LPs are in storage right now.  I wonder if the Sweet Smell of Success track is the same version?  

 

[medjuck]

They're nearly the same length.  Another anomaly:  The discography in the notes doesn't give any info on tracks 2 and 8.  They both seem to be big bands conducted by Bernstein but written by Katz-Hamilton.  Probably because of the authorship the track line-up  lists them both as being by the Chico Hamilton Quintet. They're obviously not played by a quintet and they both appear on the Lp of just Elmer's music. I would be curious to know who plays on them though track 2 (Hot Dogs and Juice) is a pretty awful attempt at Rock 'n Roll.  

[Teasing the Korean]

5 hours ago, medjuck said:

track 2 (Hot Dogs and Juice) is a pretty awful attempt at Rock 'n Roll.  

Well, every film back then a track or two representing what the teenagers were listening to. Half of Henry Mancini's "Touch of Evil" is that kind of thing.