Fabulous Fats Navarro, Volumes 1 & 2

[Big Al]

I got the Complete Blue Note Recordings of Fats Navarro and Tadd Dameron, and would like to program the CDs (and probably burn a CDR for car listening) to the running order of the original LPs. I've been searching the web, and can't find anything, so if anyone has the list or can post a link where I could find 'em, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

[Big Al]

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?

[couw]

I only have Fab Navarro Vol. 1 in its TOCJ BNW incarnation. Here's the tracklisting:

The Fabulous Fats Navarro Vol. 1:

1947.09.26. Fats Navarro, tp; Ernie Henry, as; Charlie Rouse, ts; Tadd Dameron, p; Nelson Boyd, b; Shadow Wilson, ds;

1 Our delight T. Dameron

2 Our delight T. Dameron

3 The squirrel T. Dameron

4 The squirrel T. Dameron

5 The chase T. Dameron

6 The chase T. Dameron

1949.08.08. Fats Navarro, tp; Sonny Rollins, ts; Bud Powell, p; Tommy Potter, b; Roy Haynes, ds;

7 Wail B. Powell

8 Bouncing with Bud B. Powell

9 Double talk H. McGhee-F. Navarro

1947.09.26. Fats Navarro, tp; Ernie Henry, as; Charlie Rouse, ts; Tadd Dameron, p; Nelson Boyd, b; Shadow Wilson, ds;

10 Dameronia T. Dameron

11 Dameronia T. Dameron

This should correspond to following tracks from the 2CD set:

Disk Track

1 5

1 6

1 3

1 4

1 1

1 2

2 10

2 8

2 5

1 7

1 8

The tracklisting at AMG seems to be correct for the Fats disks. As you see it doesn't do much for pulling alternate takes apart. (If that was your objective.) Of course the 12" LPs were already reissues of previously issued 10" LPs. (And they are listed accordingly as compilations at AMG.) I wouldn't know the tracklistings of those original original issues.

[mikeweil]

Here's the track listing for Blue Note 10" LP 5004, Fats Navarro Memorial Album:

1. The Chase

2. The Squirrel (Dameron)

3. Our Delight (Dameron)

4. Dameronia (Dameron)

5. Lady Bird (Dameron)

6. Double Talk (Navarro)

7. 52nd Street Theme (Monk)

which is an incomplete selection from several sessions, I don't know if these were master or alternate takes, but I guess it was master takes, as this was the first and only 10" LP release of this material on Blue Note. The next issues with additional material were Blue Note LPs 1531 and 1532.

This is a very good example to explain the contradictions in the hunt for the "original issue track order" of such material. The first issues were 10" 78" rpm records, so these in A/B order should give the first issue order. All others, 10" LPs, 12" LPs, CDs and whatever is to come, are reissues, so if one looks only for the 12" LP track order it is arbitrary and nostalgic - because most of first heard this music in 12" LP format. In the case of the Miles Davis Blue Note material the 10" LPs were the first issues, with complete sessions (!), whereas the 12" LP reissues had to tear sessions apart and change track order to make it fit to the new format. This is what most collectors seem to forget. 12" LPs of older material always were reissues with often questionable choice of material and track order, sometimes exchanging originally issued takes etc. etc.

[mikeweil]

Okay, I did some further research on Blue Note 10" LP 5004, it had the following (all master) takes, the same takes that had been issued on 10" 78 rpm shellac records before (in brackets):

1. BN 304-2 The Chase (BN 541)

2. BN 305-1 The Squirrel (BN 540)

3. BN 306-5 Our Delight (BN 540)

4. BN 307-2 Dameronia (BN 541)

These are the complete master takes of the September 26, 1947 session.

5. BN 333-0 Lady Bird (BN 559)

This is one of four titles recorded at the September 13, 1948 session.

6. BN 338-B Double Talk (BN 557 in two parts)

This is from the October 11, 1948 Howard McGhee session.

7. BN 363-1 52nd Street Theme (BN 1568)

This is from the August 8, 1949 Bud Powell session, where Navarro played on 4 of the 6 titles recorded.

The issue history of any of these sessions from the 78 rpm era is a rather complictaed affair - and this is why I do not believe in any of these "original issue" philosophies: with every new format, the music was rearranged, so doing this following entirely different criteria for CD or never formats is legitimate. If the order of the first or whatever LP issue is your favourite, it is alright with me, it's a matter of taste, but please don't call it "original". B)

[Swinging Swede]

The track listings for the 12” LPs are as follows:

The Fabulous Fats Navarro, Volume 1 (BLP 1531)

1. OUR DELIGHT (alternate master)

2. OUR DELIGHT

3. THE SQUIRREL (alternate master)

4. THE SQUIRREL

5. THE CHASE (alternate master)

6. THE CHASE

7. WAIL (alternate master)

8. BOUNCING WITH BUD (alternate master #2)

9. DOUBLE TALK

10. DAMERONIA (alternate master)

11. DAMERONIA

The Fabulous Fats Navarro, Volume 2 (BLP 1532)

1. LADY BIRD (alternate master)

2. LADY BIRD

3. JAHBERO (alternate master)

4. JAHBERO

5. SYMPHONETTE (alternate master)

6. SYMPHONETTE

7. DOUBLE TALK (alternate master)

8. BOUNCING WITH BUD (alternate master #1)

9. DANCE OF THE INFIDELS (alternate master)

10. THE SKUNK (alternate master)

11. BOPERATION

Note that some of these tracks now are on Bud Powell CDs, and that the Navarro/Dameron set contains material not originally on the 12” LPs, including Capitol sessions. And as Mike mentioned, since these tracks were recorded in the late 40’s, they were neither on 12” LPs nor even 10” LPs originally, but on 78 rpm records.

[Big Al]

You guys are the best! Thanks for all the help. I didn't realize what a treasure trove I'd stumbled upon. I actually got this set because of the Tadd Dameron connection; I'd never heard any Fats before. Wow, what I've been missing!

Extra thanks to mikeweil for pointing out something I'd forgotten: that the 12" orders are rarely any kind of measuring stick to use.

So I guess, in essence, this CD of the complete works is really the best way to listen to it after all!

[Brad]

As an aside, a good example of what Mike is talking about are the RVGs of Bud Powell, Milt Jackson and I believe Monk where they didn't even include the original liner notes because they had rearranged the track listing and included or excluded songs that they believed belong to other artists.

[Noj]

Up for me! I'll take Big Al's recommendation and order this bad boy.

[Big Al]

Oh yeah, my man! You're in for a treat!