DB Hall of Fame

SOLO  FLIGHT

THE  CHARLIE  CHRISTIAN  LEGACY

DB Hall of Fame


 

 

BREAKFAST FEUD
 
mx  CO 29512-4
 
JANUARY  15,  1941     Wednesday Columbia Studios,  NYC
 

 
  12-BAR  BLUES Key of   B♭ Quarter Note =   216 Time:   3:01
 
 
  13  CHORUSES  +  4-Bar  Tag:
 
    24  bars  –  trumpet w/ CC & ensemble (Theme)
 
    24  bars  –  trumpet (over CC & ens riffs)
 
    24  bars  –  clarinet
 
    24  bars  –  piano (over ens riffs)
 
    4  bars  –  ensemble (Refrain)
    8  bars  –  CC
  12  bars  –  CC
 
      4  bars  –  ensemble (Refrain)
      8  bars  –  tenor sax
    12  bars  –  tenor sax
 
    12  bars  –  trumpet w/ CC & ensemble (Theme)
 
    4  bars  –  CC & ensemble (improvised Coda)
 
   

[ laughter ]

 

 
Personnel:
 
  Benny Goodman and his Sextet
  CHARLIE CHRISTIAN Guitar
  GEORGIE AULD tenor sax
  BENNY GOODMAN clarinet
  COOTIE WILLIAMS trumpet
  COUNT BASIE piano
  ARTIE BERNSTEIN bass
  JO JONES drums
 
 

Composed by: Charlie Christian - Cootie Williams
 
© VALDÉS   4/16/2019


 

Transcription Page:     Breakfast Feud        first take     15 Jan 1941     CO 29512-4

 



C&A:

Five complete takes of Breakfast Feud had been recorded at the Columbia studios on 19 December 1940 – none were released.  Less than four weeks later, on 15 January 1941, the tune would be recorded again four more times.  The third take was subsequently released in April 1941.

Count Basie had now replaced pianist Kenny Kersey and Basie’s drummer Jo Jones was now at hand to provide better rhythm support than on the prior session.  The piano intro used in the initial session had been eliminated but the rest of the routine, including the four-bar coda, was the same.

The first four bars of CC’s first chorus is an ascending, lead-in refrain played by the ensemble.

    first take   CO 29512-4         ☊   LISTEN   Guitar Solo / Coda


Other than the tentative beginning (mm 5-6) this is a very interesting solo.  Nothing particularly innovative but inventive nonetheless – throughout the solo.


    second take   CO 29512-3   LISTEN   Guitar Solo / Coda


This run-down has a very nice, very long non-stop run of over 5 mm that’s the feature attraction, from bar 12 of the first chorus through bar 5 of the second chorus.  Howbeit, the solo is multifarious as a whole and an excellent effort in all respects.


    third take   CO 29512-2     (master take)   LISTEN   Guitar Solo / Coda


On this take there are a deceptively intricate first three bars and an equally labyrinthine, memorable F7 line at mm 9-11 on the first chorus of Charles’ solo.

Uncommon repeated Bb sweeps start off the second chorus followed by chromatically descending doubled notes on alternating strings.  A diminished 7 caprice closes the solo.


    fourth take   CO 29512-1     (alternate take)   LISTEN   Guitar Solo / Coda


Charlie Christian’s solo on this take of Breakfast Feud is especially interesting for the lyrical/rhythmic approach, tremendous drive, and innovative fretwork that he maintains at such a high level of creativity from start to finish…on such a simple harmonic base.

The first few opening notes of Charles’ solo are as on CO 29512-3 but within little more than four beats the line deviates into a more routine run.  The transition from the first to the second chorus contains a lot of rhythmic phrasing that seems to motivate the guitarist to full flight for the remainder of the solo.

There is little doubt that Charles was revving up for further adventures had it not been for the studio time restraints.  This is but a wee sampling of what would be heard from Charlie Christian live at Minton’s in a few short months.

This alternate take has been reissued more often than the master – presumably because it has the best version of the eleven solos that he recorded on this particular twelve-bar blues.



 
Issued Recordings: ( 3:01 )
 
  [ CD ] Columbia/Legacy AC4K 65564 (disc 3, track 15)
    Columbia/Legacy C4K 65564 (disc 3, track 15)
    Jazz Unlimited JUCD 2013 (track 14)
    Masters of Jazz MJCD 189 (track 15)
    Sony/Legacy 93035 (disc 3, track 15)
 
  Incomplete: ( 2:22 )
  These releases fade out on the refrain after CC solo.
 
  [ CD ] Definitive DRCD11176 (disc 3, track 8)
    Masters of Jazz MJCD 68 (track 10)
 
  Spliced & Incomplete: ( 2:17 )
  These releases contain only the intro thru the CC solo from this take spliced with other takes.
(refer to the second composite on The Spliced Recordings page)
 
  [ LP ] CBS 159.028/29 (side D, track 1a)
    CBS 2BP 220094 (side D, track 1a)
    CBS 67233 (side D, track 1a)
    CBS / Sony 56AP 674~6 (side E, track 4a)
    CBS / Sony SOPZ4~6 (side E, track 4a)
    Columbia CG 30779 (side D, track 1a)
    Columbia G 30779 (side D, track 1a)
 
  Spliced & Incomplete: ( 0:27 )
  These releases contain only the the 2 CC solo choruses from this take spliced with other takes.
(refer to the fourth & fifth composites on The Spliced Recordings page)
 
  [ LP ] Smithsonian/CBS P6 11891 (side F, track 3b)
 
  [ CD ] Smithsonian/CBS RD 033 (disc 2, track 24a)
   
 

 



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