Questions regarding Slide Hampton's "My Blues"

[Jim R]

So, I was listening to the version from Dexter/Slide's "A Day In Copenhagen" yesterday, and I almost immediately wondered if I had other versions of this tune, because it sounded so familiar (and I don't play this recording all the time). I don't have any other versions under that title in my collection. Then I began to wonder if there could be any chance it was recorded (by other musicians) under a different title, which is of course not a rare thing in jazz. The tune has a quality (for me, at least), that makes if feel SO damned familiar. I actually wondered whether it had not only another title, but if it could be a fairly famous other title. Another possibility is that there's a song that's legitimately different in melody and chord structure, but very very similar (?).

I've since been searching for possibilities, but have basically come up empty. One thing I did was search Youtube for any references that might come up in people's comments, etc. I found two videos of bands playing the tune - one all-state high school band, and one UNC Summer Jazz Workshop (pretty good, I must say).

Did this tune really gain that much notoriety based on the "Day In Copenhagen" recording alone? Are there other well-known recordings under the original title (by other bands)?

I looked at Slide's discography, and the only other recording HE did was a private recording. Why does this tune sound so familiar to me, despite it appearing on only on album in my entire collection? Does it strike anybody else this way?

Edited July 15, 2014 by Jim R

[Dan Gould]

I just gave a listen Jim and while I sort of get what you're talking about I can't distinguish between familiarity with the song and familiarity with that performance. I played this CD a lot back in the day, getting an excuse to listen again was good ... but I got no clue if its well known under a different title or not ...

[Jim R]

Thanks Dan. My best guess right now is that there's another well-known tune (perhaps even from a Blue Note date) that has strong similarities.

[Michael Weiss]

Did this tune really gain that much notoriety based on the "Day In Copenhagen" recording alone?

YES

[Jim R]

Did this tune really gain that much notoriety based on the "Day In Copenhagen" recording alone?

YES

It still seems a bit odd to me that despite no other recordings of the tune by Hampton, and few (? I'm still not sure on this) recordings by others; and the fact that this album was not exactly widely circulated (neither the Prestige nor the MPS albums seemed to turn up much, and likewise for the eventual CD issue), the tune not only has a very strong ring of familiarity to me, but is a vehicle for high school and college ensembles. I guess I may just have to get over it.

Anybody else have thoughts?

[Kevin Bresnahan]

It's funny you mention this because when I first heard "A Day In Copenhagen", I was trying to figure out this very same thing. I thought it was from a Blue Note date as well but after extensive searching, I never found it.

[sonnymax]

Did this tune really gain that much notoriety based on the "Day In Copenhagen" recording alone?

YES

It still seems a bit odd to me that despite no other recordings of the tune by Hampton, and few (? I'm still not sure on this) recordings by others; and the fact that this album was not exactly widely circulated (neither the Prestige nor the MPS albums seemed to turn up much, and likewise for the eventual CD issue), the tune not only has a very strong ring of familiarity to me, but is a vehicle for high school and college ensembles. I guess I may just have to get over it.

Anybody else have thoughts?

Slide's arrangements for large ensembles are much revered and readily available. Do a search of his "charts" or "arrangements" and you'll appreciate why educational ensembles might be drawn to his work.

[Jim R]

It's funny you mention this because when I first heard "A Day In Copenhagen", I was trying to figure out this very same thing. I thought it was from a Blue Note date as well but after extensive searching, I never found it.

Thanks Kevin. Good to know that I'm not the only crazy person here.

[Jim R]

Did this tune really gain that much notoriety based on the "Day In Copenhagen" recording alone?

YES

It still seems a bit odd to me that despite no other recordings of the tune by Hampton, and few (? I'm still not sure on this) recordings by others; and the fact that this album was not exactly widely circulated (neither the Prestige nor the MPS albums seemed to turn up much, and likewise for the eventual CD issue), the tune not only has a very strong ring of familiarity to me, but is a vehicle for high school and college ensembles. I guess I may just have to get over it.

Anybody else have thoughts?

Slide's arrangements for large ensembles are much revered and readily available. Do a search of his "charts" or "arrangements" and you'll appreciate why educational ensembles might be drawn to his work.

Maybe I wasn't clear. I'm not surprised that educational ensembles would select Slide Hampton's arrangements, and I realize that he is revered for his arranging. What surprises me is that it's difficult to find any recordings of this tune, anywhere, under that title, not even by Slide himself, and yet I find the two Youtube ensembles, and as I said, this isn't exactly an album that's well known in jazz circles, and was relatively difficult to locate on LP or CD for years. It's not like we're talking about a jazz album that's relatively popular. It isn't even close to being one of Dexter's most widely circulated albums.

Then there's the feeling of familiarity of this tune, which Kevin also felt but couldn't put his finger on. Still wondering if there's something very similar on Blue Note (or another label), if not a "borrowed" version under a different title altogether (which I'll admit seems less likely).

[Larry Kart]

Isn't it very close to Coltrane's "Locomotion," which many thousands of listeners are quite familiar with?

[JSngry]

Yeah, "Locomotion" - and it sounds like it could've been a Hank tune from The Flip too.

And believe me - Slide Hampton has a cult following of sorts amongst both trombonists and jazz educators. I don't mean that he's appreciated, I mean, they dig him in ways that civilian jazz fans might not comprehend. Considering the overlap between trombonists and jazz educators, there's your coincidental vortex of likelihood emerging from the horizon, right there before your eyes.

Slide got peeps, and deservedly so, imo.

Now, many of us have heard Blue Train about all we really "need" to, but maybe not so The Flip and A Day In Copenhagen. For those of which this can be truly said, let the needful be kindly done.

[Jim R]

Thanks Larry and James. I should have mentioned that I had considered "Locomotion". My trombonist older brother, who has done his share of helping to educate me over the years (though he's not a "jazz educator" by profession), actually suggested that to me recently. I'm kind of on the fence in terms of whether that's a close enough match to explain this intriguing sensation I've been getting from "My Blues". Obviously, the head on Locomotion has a pretty strong similarity to the opening head on My Blues, but when the layered harmonies kick in (and I feel like that part is what really sounds familiar to me), we're moving away from the relative simplicity of Locomotion.

[...still scanning "The Flip"...]

Edited July 17, 2014 by Jim R

[sidewinder]

So, I was listening to the version from Dexter/Slide's "A Day In Copenhagen" yesterday, and I almost immediately wondered if I had other versions of this tune, because it sounded so familiar (and I don't play this recording all the time).

I heard another version of this tune the other day under Slide Hampton's name I think but for the life of me can't now recall it - will hopefully respond with details over the weekend.

[sidewinder]

Of course - the same tune is on Cecil Payne's 'Zodiac' on Strata-East titled 'Slide Hampton'. It can be found on disk 2 of the Clifford Jordan Mosaic set.

[Dan Gould]

And I bought that LP in June 2005 at Stereo Jack's.

[Jim R]

Of course - the same tune is on Cecil Payne's 'Zodiac' on Strata-East titled 'Slide Hampton'. It can be found on disk 2 of the Clifford Jordan Mosaic set.

Thanks for that. Interesting, especially the re-title (not surprising, though).

Anyway, I don't have this recording, and doubt I've ever heard it (even though I have a lot of Jordan recordings).

Edited July 19, 2014 by Jim R