Transcription Page: Breakfast Feud
fourth take 15 Jan 1941 CO 29512-1
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.
Other than the tentative beginning (mm 5-6) this is a very interesting solo. Nothing particularly innovative but inventive nonetheless – throughout the solo.
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.
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:
( 3:02 )
[ LP ]
Blu-Disc
T-1006
(side B, track 2)
CBS
177.057
(side B, track 3)
CBS
460612 1
(side B, track 3)
CBS
LSP 980 721-1
(side B, track 3)
Columbia
CJ 40846
(side B, track 3)
Phontastic
NOST 7612
(side B, track 3)
[ CD ]
Acrobat
ACTRCD 9103
*
(disc 3, track 12)
Armando Curcio Editore
DEJ-54
(track 11)
Better Music / Del Prado
JIT016
(track 8)
Catfish
KATCD196
(track 9)
CBS
460612 2
(track 11)
Columbia
501646 2
(track 11)
Columbia/Legacy
AC4K 65564
(disc 3, track 17)
Columbia/Legacy
C4K 65564
(disc 3, track 17)
Columbia
CK 40846
(track 11)
Columbia
CK 91494
(track 11)
DeAgostini
MJ 1032-1
(track 12)
Definitive
DRCD11176
(disc 4, track 2)
Definitive
DRCD11228
(track 11)
Ediciones Del Prado
GJ016
(track 8)
Ediciones Del Prado
JB016
(track 8)
Editions Atlas
WIS CD 688
(track 14)
Fabulous / Acrobat
FABCD352 *
(track 14)
Giants of Jazz
53049
(track 11)
Going for a Song
GFS561
(track 21)
History
20.1960-HI
(set 9, disc 1, track 19)
History
20.1969-HI
(disc 1, track 19)
Jazz Forever
67041
(track 7)
Jazz Greats
MC 027 **
(track 11)
Jazz Portraits
14545
(track 7)
Jazz Roots
56059
(track 7)
Jazz Unlimited
JUCD 2013
(track 17)
Jazzterdays
JTD 102410
(track 17)
Masters of Jazz
MJCD 68
(track 7)
Past Perfect
205798-203
(track 19)
Phontastic
NCD 8822
(disc 1, track 3)
SME / Sony
SRCS 9612
(track 11)
Sony/Legacy
93035
(disc 3, track 17)
Topaz Jazz
TPZ 1017
(track 18)
* [CD] FABCD352, ACTRCD 9103, incorrectly lists this as the master take.
** [CD] MC 027 incorrectly dates this take.
Spliced & Incomplete:
( 1:12 )
contain only the last 5 choruses
and the tag 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 1d)
CBS
2BP 220094
(side D, track 1d)
CBS
67233
(side D, track 1d)
CBS / Sony
56AP 674~6
(side E, track 4d)
CBS / Sony
SOPZ4~6
(side E, track 4d)
Columbia
CG 30779
(side D, track 1d)
Columbia
G 30779
(side D, track 1d)
Spliced & Incomplete:
( 0:27 )
contain only the 2 CC solo
choruses from this take spliced with other takes.
(refer to the fourth & fifth composites on The Spliced Recordings page)
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