Christiern Posted January 16, 2005 Report Share Posted January 16, 2005 (edited) If any of my esteemed fellow posters happen to have the June 25, 1956 Clef recording (or a reissue) of Ella/Joe Williams/Basie doing "Every Day I Have the Blues," I would be very grateful if you would give it a listen and tell me what happens just before Ella starts the vocal. What I hear is the premature, surrealistic entry of a tenor. I don't have any releases of this recording (they were stolen), but I don't recall hearing this peculiar passage before. I am working from CD-Rs and I have a feeling that something went wrong when they burned this one--either that or it is an alternate no one knew about (not likely). BTW I'd call Mosaic, but it's a long weekend and I have to get these notes finished. Thanks Edited January 17, 2005 by Christiern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 Chris, the liner notes by Bill Coss to the Verve 'Metronome All Stars 1956' vinyl I have describe the proceedings rather accuratedly: 'Then Joe Williams entered the picture. Confusion reigned for almost an hour, because no one could decide what Joe and Ella should sing together. All of them ran through Too Close For Comfort, Salty Lips and a number of blues, none of which satisfied us, finally coming back to the original choice of Everyday, the band playing with a fantastic, whip-snapping quality, Frank Wess noodling wonderfully through the first chorus.' Does not sound premature but pretty well planned and very nicely done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 Is it possible that Ella's vocal was a splice from another take that captured the end of a Wess phrase, thus the seemingly "premature, surrealistic entry of a tenor."? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 The Frank Wess opening phrase sounds to me rather more an extrapolation from him on the riff played by the band. It's true that this entrance is a bit abrupt but I do not hear anything really doctored. The take number on that 'Every Day' is -2. They did not seem to have too many problems recording this. The next number on that date 'Party Blues' (with Ella, Williams again) bore take -5... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christiern Posted January 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 Thanks to both of you. It does not sound like a splice, Wess comes out of nowhere and starts noodling before picking up the riff. It actually sounds as if someone had superimposed Wess in the wrong place. I know that's not what happened, but I wonder why this became an acceptable take. Gues I'll discuss this with Scott W. tomorrow. I'll report back. In the meantime, if anyone has a different explanation/theory/thought, please post it. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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