Norvo, Farlow and Mingus: Volume 2?
A Jazz Collector reader poses a question. On eBay, there was a copy of this record: The Red Norvo Trio, Volume 1, Discovery 4005. This is a 12-inch LP featuring Tal Farlow and Charles Mingus. It includes the following tracks: Little White Lies, Move, I Get A kick Out of You, I’ll Remember April, I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, Zing Went the Strings of My Heart and September Song. These are the exact same songs that are on the 10-inch version of the LP, Discovery 3012, which has similar packaging, with the exception of an added picture (a great one of the group in action). The question is this: Is there a 12-inch Volume 2 of this series as well? There is a 10-inch Volume 2, which is Discovery 3018, so we assume there’s a 12-inch also (probably with the same pictures), but we don’t have a copy and, rather than search through eBay, we figured we’d throw it out there to see if someone knows the answer. Thanks.
According to my research on Mingus and the RN Trio I can keep you posted as follows:
1) There was never a 12-inch Volume 2 of the RN Trio. Obviously Discovery Records planned to issue the 12-inch Volume 2, but this project could not be finalized, as, eventually, the label was sold to Savoy Records instead. – I have no knowledge of any test pressings of 12-inch Volume 2.
2) Even though the 12-inch Volume 1 includes the exact same songs as on the 10-inch Volume 1, in fact there are two alternate takes on the 12-inch LP, the first 2 tracks on side 2, I Can’t Believe That You’re in Love With Me and I’ll Remember April. This was overlooked by discographers for decades!!! These two alternate takes were never released on the 10-inch Volume 1, and you will not find them on any Savoy record. – FYI, one of the alternates (I’ll Remember April) is included in the 2-CD-Album The Modern Red Norvo for the first time. The other alternate was never reissued.