[Dixielandjazz] Awful Sad and other Alternat(iv)e Takes

[Bill Haesler]

> Ken Mathieson <ken at kenmath.free-online.co.uk> wrote:
> I've got a theory about the matter of mutiple takes in one session and all rejected. I pondered this with Jelly Roll Morton's attempt to record Honey Babe on 11 June 1928. It was a packed schedule that day with 7 other titles successfully recorded (among them Sidewalk Blues and Shreveport). Fatigue alone might be enough to result in multiple rejection, but there's also the real possibility of *stimulants* playing a part.

Dear Ken,
I agree wholeheartedly.
However, a minor correction. The two takes of "Sidewalk Blues" from that Morton session were also rejected and destroyed.  

> How many other titles were recorded at the same session as Awful Sad and were there mutiple takes of each?

Oddly, for the Brunswick morning session it was the only tune recorded by Ellington on 2 October 1928. Two takes.
But we do not know which was used, as Brunswick did not include take designations in the runoff groove at that time or document what takes were issued.

For the 3 rejected Victor takes recorded on 4 December 1933 the tune was sandwiched between the successful "Dear Old Southland" and "Daybreak Express".
Cheers,
Bill.