Duke's 1952 "Take the A Train" w/Betty Roche

[ghost of miles]

While working on a Night Lights program about Betty Roche w/Duke Ellington, I noticed that the take of the legendary 1952 "A Train" on the 3-CD 1999 anthology 1927-1962 is noticeably shorter, by nearly a minute, than the take on the 2004 reissue of Ellington Uptown. Haven't A/B'd them yet, other than putting them in the player to make sure that the track times were correct--and they are. Yet the liner notes for both releases make no indication that they are different takes. On the 1999 release, these numbers are given:

Mx. Co 48343-1; Col ML 4639

Couldn't find any numbers on the UPTOWN reissue, but it states that all of the first five tracks, including "A Train," were released on Col 4639.

[ghost of miles]

OK, just started doing an A/B, and it does sound like a different take... much longer piano intro, and sounds a bit different to my ears (was thinking perhaps the version on 1927-62 was an edit).

1927-62 version:

Piano up to 00:48, then full orchestra

Vocal begins at 1:03

Uptown version:

Piano up to 1:33, then full orchestra

Vocal begins at 1:48

[Chuck Nessa]

From the timings I'd say they edited the intro.

[Pete B]

The New DESOR only lists 1 take for this tune on this date. I would suspect the shorter version is edited. I don't have the 1927-62 version so I can't help with the A-B.