Blues Waltz

[mikeweil]

While typing the Latin Jazz Quintet recordings into the BRIAN database I stumble over one tune they recorded, Blues Waltz: The Prestige releases credit it to Ray Charles, and I also have Ray Charles' live version from the Atlantic days. But I also have Max Roach's famous LP of waltz tunes (Jazz in 3/4 Time), and that also has a tune of that title, virtually identical, and credited to Roach! The BMI database has both, stating Roach recorded both tunes ... Now what is the story behind this? Has Roach copped the melody?

That tune, btw, was omitted when the stereo version of Roach's LP was issued (says the Mosaic Roach booklet).

Edited February 28, 2013 by mikeweil

[Mark Stryker]

I can tell you that Marcus Belgrave has told me that he was responsible for bringing "Blue Waltz" into the Ray Charles book because he knew it from performances/recording by Max's group. Whatever the origins of the tune, Ray didn't write it.

Edited February 28, 2013 by Mark Stryker

[mikeweil]

Thanks - the recording dates undermine this: Roach was March 1957, Charles July 1958. So Charles copped the tune? uh-oh ....

[Mark Stryker]

Thanks - the recording dates undermine this: Roach was March 1957, Charles July 1958. So Charles copped the tune? uh-oh ....

Confused a little by your response: "Undermine" means "contradict" and if those are the recording dates then they actually support the proposition that Belgrave could have introduced the tune to Ray's band, Also, entirely possible that Marcus learned ths song from live performances or personal contact rather than the recording. Finally, just because the recording credits the tune to Charles doesn't mean that Ray necessarily was trying to "steal" it (though it might). But also possible that producer or others either made a mistake or were tyring to avoid royalties or whatever ... sometimes life is complicated.

[Big Beat Steve]

Confused a little by your response: "Undermine" means "contradict" .

Hey, please cut a non-native speaker of the English language some slack, will ya? (Or write better yourself in a language that is foreign to you ;))

No doubt he meant to say "underLine".

Isn't it so, Mike?

Edited March 1, 2013 by Big Beat Steve

[Mark Stryker]

Well said, Steve.

Mike, never meant to criticize if I came off that way. I should have made the leap to what you probably meant. No doubt your impeccable English much better than my nonexistent German

Edited March 1, 2013 by Mark Stryker

[mikeweil]

No problem, folks - it was just a typo, as Steve fittingly remarked, should indeed have been "underline".

"Stealing" etc. in parentheses, of course - I'm aware of those "complications".

[JSngry]

None of this would be a problem if we all spoke Esperanto, the most widely spoken international auxiliary language, I hope you know.

I propose that going forth all posts be made in Esperanto or not at all.