Recording history and tape provenance
Hawkins and his band went into the studio that day to record three other tunes. "Body and Soul" was a last-minute addition. A fan who had heard Hawkins play it at Kelly's Stable on 52nd Street reportedly called the label to request it.
Recording supervisor Leonard Joy passed on the request, and Hawkins cut it in one take. The session had Hawkins on tenor saxophone, with Tommy Lindsay and Joe Guy on trumpets and Earl Hardy on trombone. Jackie Fields and Eustis Moore played alto saxophones, Gene Rodgers piano, Oscar Smith bass and Arthur Herbert drums.
Hawkins had spent the previous six years working in Europe and returned to the United States ahead of the war. The record was cut as he was re-establishing himself in New York.
His move from melodic paraphrase to harmonic improvisation influenced later saxophonists, including John Coltrane by his own account.
Which "Body and Soul" is which
Wikipedia notes that the 1939 recording's standing has led several compilations to use the same title with overlapping but different contents. Those include a Topaz Jazz and Pearl CD, a 1996 RCA CD produced by John Snyder, and a Proper Records box.
RCA Victor LPV-501 covers sessions from January 1940, December 1947 and several in January 1956, alongside the 1939 side. The 1956 material includes Hawkins re-recording "Body and Soul," which puts two versions seventeen years apart on one record.
Anyone chasing a specific vinyl edition should confirm the track list rather than the title. The Discography of American Historical Recordings documents LPV-501's contents.
The 1939 Bluebird 78
Bluebird B-10523 was pressed at several RCA plants, including a documented Indianapolis pressing with its own label-ring characteristics. Condition on shellac of this age varies widely.
A 78 needs a turntable that runs at that speed and a suitable stylus. Without that equipment, a later compilation is the only way to hear the performance.
Buyer's guide by budget
$$: Any reissue compilation containing the 1939 side, with the track list checked first.
$$$: RCA Victor LPV-501, or a reissue with an equivalent documented track list, for the full 1939 to 1956 program.
$$$$: An original Bluebird B-10523 78rpm pressing, for the historic artefact rather than for sound.
Pressing tier summary
| Tier ⇅ | Pressing | Cat# | Year ⇅ | Format | Source / Mastering | Notes | Market ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | RCA Victor Vintage Series LP | LPV-501 | 1961 | Mono, 33⅓ | RCA lacquer | First vinyl compilation under this title. Subtitled "A Jazz Autobiography" | – |
| – | Bluebird 78rpm original | B-10523 | 1939 | Mono, 78rpm shellac | RCA | Not rated. The original release, backed with "Fine Dinner" | – |
| – | Later compilations sharing the title | Various | Various | Mono, 33⅓ | Various | Not rated. Track selections differ. Check contents before buying | – |
References
- Wikipedia, "Body and Soul (Coleman Hawkins album)": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_and_Soul_(Coleman_Hawkins_album)
- Library of Congress, National Recording Registry essay on "Body and Soul" (1939): https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/BodyAndSoul.pdf
- Discography of American Historical Recordings, "RCA Victor LPV-501": https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/objects/refer/70664