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Porto Rico
Key Gb -Original with crack
Porto Rico
Key Gb-Resored with healed crack
Porto Rico
The restorated tune i key F
For a long time the Bunk Johnson recording of Porto Rico was listed in the jazz discographies as unissued and I kept wondering how it would sound. It was a shear joy to hear it for the first time on the LP edition of Mosaik Records a decade ago. However, due to a severe crack in the records, a small part of the tune was missing which was very frustrating. The hope to get an undamaged tune was lit by the CD edition on Blue Note Records just recently. Money was invested in the record – but the disappointment was total when the same crack appeared again.
The project of making a restoration of the record started when the prominent member of the Bunk Johnson Society, Tom Pauli, published the excellent transcription of the tune in Bunk Johnson Information, number 7, Spring 1996. If you look up that issue you will find the scores seen below. The crack appears in bar 43 and 44 and Tom filled the space with a pause. Listening to the tune it became obvious to me that the missing phrase must be the same as that in bars 59 and 60. In theory, what could be simpler than copying the missing phrase and insert it on the right place. In practice, it took me a several hours by the use of a sound editing program to fine-tune the restoration so that everything sounded natural. Now I can enjoy the tune Porto Rico just the way it was meant to be played.
Porto Rico
The restorated tune in key G
NOTE: It is not likely that the tune was played in the key of Gb as shown on the CD.
More likely the tune was played in the key of F, judging from Bunk´s phrasing.
The tune was written in the key of G, as shown on the following page.
We have decided to display all three keys, for your judgement.
I am listening to the great music of Sidney Bechet and Bunk Johnson. A particular tune have interested me for a long time, Port Rico. The sheet music to the tune was originally written in the key of G. In the recording, the key is Gb. Although the musicians are highly experienced and excellent readers it seems unlikely to me that they would play a tune in the key of Gb. More likely they want to make a nice recording and stick to well-known territory. Probably the record was cut 1/2 key too slow or too fast, resulting in either the key of F or G. Based on Bunk´s phrases I (Fellers) would bet on the key of F. The tune also sounds more relaxed in this key.
The sheetmusic and the tune in different keys is shown below.