Night Train takes a Left Turn just out of the Station

    I heard a version of  the great blues standard - Night Train the other day played by a student at the U. of U. Jazz Juries, and realized that I'm not totally sure how the melody really goes --- so I did a little research. Turns out, no one else is quite sure either  ---- even Jimmy Forrest, the composer, comes at it from 2 very different directions.   The notes in question are right at the beginning and happen throughout the tune - whether to use Bb or B, and  what to put at the end of the phrase.    Check out the surprising tempo of the original recording while you're at it...

Surely, Jimmy Forrest's original 1951 release is something to use as a guide:

But wait, here's a version one and the same Jimmy Forrest playing it with the Count Basie Orchestra - pretty different notes...( notice the 2- B naturals and the E in the 3rd bar ):

But wait...... here's how James Brown's band played it:

But wait...... here's how Oscar Peterson played it ( same notes as Jimmy Forrest's second version but played with a laid-back straight eighth feel )

But wait..... here's how Buddy Morrow played it:

       I think I'm going to go with #1 next time I play this tune, the original 1951 recording - I like having the Maj 3rd and the min 3rd in the same line and I like ending on the 9th of the chord - it's a nice bluesy "jazz-chord" quality to lead into the next chord, the IV chord.  

O.Winston Link, famous Photographer of Trains at Night shot with 4x5 Graflex Camera using up to

60 Flash Bulbs, requiring up to 2 days setup.   

More of O. Winston Link's incredible black and white images HERE.