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Let us know what you think! (Was the harpsichord necessary?) I think Ben's in great form on this record. I don't like that the GRP compact disc issue (though it offers three valuable bonus tracks) sequences the tracks out of LP order. But that's easy enough to fix.

For a one-disc Dial collection, this one's actually pretty good: It's one of Peter Pfister's last master jobs for Hat.

Certainly, and agreed about a set made up ONLY of one alternate of each would not mean a loss of quality overall (and no loss of listening enjoyment, particularly to newbies with "fresh ears"). But taking this idea one step further, this would require identifying them as such anyway. Because the MASTER takes still are out there. So what would we have, then? - A potential set of master takes (which already exists but will continue to exist) - A potential set of alternates (ie. one alternate of each). Certainly an interesting package. But how to call this? "Bird - The complete preferred alternates"?? Hmmm ... (Because like I said I see no way of not labeling them as alternates at all, unless you're fine with muddling it all up ...) I'd not venture a guess about what the "typical suspects" among the Birdophiles would reply. Particularly those who'd clamor again to go the whole way when digging into the alternates. And as the discographies tell us that NOT EACH Bird tune recorded on Dial and Savoy has at least three alternates, what would be next? How to label them NOT as something like "The complete alternate alternates" if you want to avoid resorting to something like "The connoisseur leftovers" or "Scraping the Bird barrel" or ...? (A fun thought, but also food for thought ...)

Point just being that a person who buys the complete sets but doesn't want to listen to consecutive takes of the same song doesn't have to, and at no loss of quality. Bird is kinda special that way.

Bump.

I would not wager against this. But I would NOT wager either that the discographically inclined among the reviewers, in particular, or other more knowledgeable ones would not cry out scandal for "upsetting the commonly accepted wisdom". "Hey, that's an alternate, not the master, and it doesn't say so in the notes. Sloppy compiling! Horror of horrors!" Has happened often enough, hasn't it?

I would wager that an album assembled in such a way would, for Parker novices, in no way betray the takes as alternates (at least on Parker's part).

Along the lines of "The Alternate Goodman" on Phontastic? Except that this time there should be an alternate of EVERY master take ever released?

With Joe Bonner, Cecil McBee and Norman Connors.

Dave Brubeck - My Favorite Things (Columbia). I found a Sony CD (SRCS 9369) in a cheapie bin so I'm giving it a try. What an odd stereo image. Piano all alone in the right channel and the bass/drums in the left, with Desmond split equally when he plays. When Desmond is playing, it sorta sounds OK, but when it's just the trio, the sound it's not good.

Didn´t know this one. Somewhat obscure. But nice set and Bill Frisell on board! And 1979 was a very good year for Chet. Thanks for recommendation

Make a Bird compilation of only alternates, one per tune. Pretty good record!

RIP Steve Houben, 19 March 1950 – 21 March 2026

Kurt Elling “Super Blue”

I have a lot of the dates mentioned in this thread but it's hard to sort them all out sometimes. Sessions overlap on different CD releases and it's gotten very difficult to avoid buying music you already have. I recently picked up the Ensayo CD of "Gentle Ben" in a cheapie bin & I was worried that I already had the material on another CD.

+1

If you are in an analyzing and exploring mood, no doubt about the usefulness of alternate takes for direct or successive comparison. But there ARE other moments in someone's listening experience, just like there are those (apparently quite numerous) out there who seem to be more and more dissatisfied with the chronological "complete" reissue packages that abound these days and re-burn themselves their own CDs in the exact programming order of the original LPs ...

A fascinating set - thanks for the reminder.

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