“Not A Word” alternate take from motion poet

Description

ALTERNATE TAKE OF “NOT A WORD”

(audio sample here only a portion of the alternate rhythm & solos take; download = complete alternate version with brass overdubs, etc.)

The album “Motion Poet” has remained one of my favorite recording projects of all time … and it’s a favorite of many fans and listeners as well. With a cast of players like Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Bob Mintzer, John Abercrombie, Marc Johnson, Eliane Elias, Jim Beard, Will Lee, Jeff Mironov, and Lew Soloff leading an incredible horn section, arranged by Vince Mendoza and produced by Don Grolnick, this album was nothing less than “noble,” to quote one of the French horn players on the date. As incredible as it was to record all of that music in so short a time, there was time enough indeed for alternate takes to be tracked … music that’s never seen the light of day until now.

Thanks to an archivist engineer’s skills, we were able to pull the performances off a digital multitrack reel-to-reel tape and create ProTools files, where the music was listened to remixed. What a treasure trove of playing we found! (Musical / technical note: we have used the earlier/alternate rhythm section & solo take while incorporating the overdubbed horn sections.)

If you’re a fan of the album, you need to hear these takes. If you’re a Mike Brecker fan (and who isn’t?), you need to hear these takes. And, if you’re a fan of my drumming, well there’s a lot of very cool and very dummy things going on in these alternate takes of several tunes, including “A New Regalia,” “Erskoman,” “Not A Word” plus an off-the-charts Brecker first take reading on “Hero With A Thousand Faces” (we also include a partial take / alternate rhythm track that’s quite fascinating to listen to).

16 bit 44.1k WAV files.

Here are some photos from the album’s recording sessions …