Charlie Parker Sessionography Until 1944

Charlie Parker Sessionography

(Until 1944)

(Last modified: 5:25 PM, 15 September, 2002.)

Allan J. Sutherland

Charlie Parker Session 40-05-00 or 40-11-00:

Date: May or November 1940.

Place: Probably Kansas City.

Musicians: Charlie Parker alto sax, solo.

Recording: Personal acetate, recorded by Clarence Davis.

Alternate Issues:

Primary Source: Charlie Parker, Volumes 1 & 2, Young Bird 1940 -1944, Media 7 MJCD 78/79, for the complete version; Charlie Parker, The Complete 'Birth of the Bebop,' Stash CD 535; Charlie Parker, Bird's Eyes, Last Unissued, Philology CD Vol. 1/4 W 5/18-2, both issues are incomplete.

1. Honeysuckle Rose (Incomplete.) into

2. Body and Soul (Incomplete.) (3:40)

Notes: The discovery of this disc, labelled Honey and Body by Clarence Davis, the Kansas city trumpeter who recorded Parker, pushed the earliest known existing recording of Charlie Parker back to just before 1940, with this sole example of him playing unaccompanied. The actual date of the recording has been disputed, some placing it as early as 1937 when Parker was 16 or 17, but that is highly doubtful, May or November 1940 is the generally accepted time. Most issues end prematurely, before the bridge and final eight of Body & Soul, the result of the needle sticking when the original disc was first being transferred for commercial release. On Stash this item ends at 5:03, when it fades out and on Philology at 3:04 repeating sound produced by the stuck needle appears, continuing until it fades out at 3:10. It The longer version is now available, in the Media 7 release, which actually ends a few measures before the end of the first chorus of Body & Soul. Honeysuckle Rose is also incomplete, as the recording begins in the middle of a solo chorus, just before a bridge.

A transcription and excellent analysis of this early gem can be found on Woideck, 1996. Honeysuckle Rose is performed at 194, and Body and Soul at half that rate. is apparent that Bird is playing well, providing a good sense of melodic, harmonic and rhythmic form and direction.

Charlie Parker Session 40-08-09:

Date: 09 August 1940.

Place: Trocadora Ballroom, Wichita, Kansas.

Musicians: Jay McShann Orchestra: Buddy Anderson and Orville Minor trumpet, Bob Gould trombone, Charles Parker, & John Jackson alto sax, Bob Mabane tenor sax, Jay McShann piano, Gene Ramey bass, Gus Johnson drums.

Recording: Private recordings by Pete Armstrong and Fred Higgins, university students, on paper disc, using a portable recorder.

Alternate Issues:

Primary Source: Charlie Parker, Volumes 1 & 2, Young Bird 1940 ' 1944, Media 7 MJCD 78/79, for item 1; 'Early Bird: Charlie Parker with Jay McShann and his Orchestra,' Stash CD 542, item 2 only, time from there.

1. Walkin' and Swingin' (aka Jumpin' at the Woodside) (Incomplete.) (??:??)

2. I Got Rhythm (3:37)

3. Jay McShann Blues, title unknown. (??:??)

Notes: The Bregman, et al., discography, list Stash CD 542 as the source for items 1 and 2, but there is only item 2. Indeed, the Stash sleeve notes there state that only this item has anything like playable quality, and that as there is no audible alto saxophone on either of the others they omitted it from the release. John Burton in his internet discography contends that item 2 is not 'I Got Rhythm,' but 'Walkin' and Swingin'' by Marylou Williams, which is how it is listed on the Media 7 issue. On both the Stash and Media 7 CDs item 2 has very poor quality sound, although the Media 7 is marginally better in that respect.

(Items 1 & 3, not in my collection.)

Charlie Parker Session 40-11-30:

Date: 30 November 1940.

Place: Wichita, Kansas.

Musicians: Jay McShann Octet: Charlie Parker alto sax, Buddy Anderson and Orville Minor trumpet, Bob Gould trombone, violin on 7, William J. Scott tenor sax, Jay McShann piano, dir, Gene Ramey bass, Gus Johnson drums.

Recorded: Acetates recorded at Radio Station KFBR, by Bud Gould, a station musician.

Alternate Issues:

Primary Source: Charlie Parker, Volumes 1 & 2, Young Bird 1940 -1944, Media 7 MJCD 78/79; Charlie Parker, 'Early Bird: Charlie Parker with Jay McShann and his Orchestra,' Stash CD 542, times from there.

1. I Found a New Baby (2:59)

2. Body and Soul (2:50)

3. Moten Swing (2:47)

4. Coquette (3:08)

5. Lady Be Good (2:56)

6. Witchita Blues (3:08)

7. Honeysuckle Rose (2:57)

Notes: Transcription, in jazz, has come to have three meanings; one is the traditional one of laying out the music in written form, as in a score; the other is synonymous with the term dubbing; and the third comes from early recording techniques, whereby larger format, extended playing, recording discs were usually made for radio transmission; an extended disc was recorded and taken to the radio station where it was broadcast. The normal recording limit for discs then was under 4 minutes played at 78rpm, but these broadcast transcriptions, the full term for the extended discs, were 16 inch discs, recorded at 33¹/₃rpm, could record continuous music for up to 15 minutes.

Earlier issues identified items 3-7 as from December 2, later sources place all items on November 30.

These recordings, discovered during the 1960's by Frank Driggs, were thought to be Bird's first recordings in existence. They are well recorded and Bird's solo reveals the origins of his style in the woodshedding with Lester Young's discs; they sound like speeded up Lester Young performances, most apparent in the Lady Be good track which was one of Lester's titles that he worked on, and have more vibrato than his later work contained . Honey Suckle Rose also provides an interesting comparison with his unaccompanied version; this is played much faster, at 280, and is melodically and rhythmically more like later bebop.

Charlie Parker Session 41-02-30:

Date: 30 April 1941.

Place: Dallas, Texas

Musicians: Jay McShann Orchestra: Orville Minor, Buddy Anderson, and Harold Bruce trumpet, Joe Taswell Baird trombone, Charlie Parker, and John Jackson alto sax, Harold Ferguson, and Bob Manbane tenor sax, Jay McShann piano, Gene Ramey bass, Gus Johnson drums, Walter Brown vocal on item 2 only.

Recording: Commercial for Decca Records.

Alternate Issues:

Primary Source: Charlie Parker, Volumes 1 & 2, Young Bird 1940 -1944, Media 7 MJCD 78/79; Jay McShann Orchestra. Blues from Kansas City, featuring Charlie Parker and Walter Brown, Decca Jazz, MVCR-20009, times from there; Media 7 MJCD 78/79.

1. Swingmatism (2:38)

2. Hootie Blues (2:53)

3. Dexter Blues (2:53)

Notes: This is the first commercial recording session of Parker, with good solos that, with the benefit of hindsight, show his style was developing, although he does not solo on item 3, he did, however, write the arrangements for item 2.

Vine Street Boogie, Confessin' the Blues, and Hold 'Em Hootie, were recorded as a trio with Hootie Williams piano, Gene Ramey bass, and Gus Johnson drums, plus Walter Brown vocal on Confessin' the Blues.

Charlie Parker Session 41-11-18:

Date: 18 November 1941.

Place: Chicago, III.

Musicians: Jay McShann and his Orchestra: Buddy Anderson, Orville Minor and Bob Merrill trumpet, Lawrence Anderson, Joe Taswell Baird trombone, Charlie Parker or John Jackson alto sax, Fred Culliver, and Bob Manbane tenor sax, Jay McShann piano, Gene Ramey bass, Gus Johnson drums, Walter Brown, vcl.

Recording: Private recording.

Alternate Issues:

Primary Source: Charlie Parker, Volumes 1 & 2, Young Bird 1940 -1944, Media 7 MJCD 78/79; Jay McShann Orchestra. Blues from Kansas City, featuring Charlie Parker and Walter Brown, The Original American Decca Recordings, Decca Jazz, MVCR-20009, time from there; Affinity AFS 1006.

1. One Woman Blues (3:02)

Notes: Bregman, et al., in their discography, note 'Charlie Parker may not be in the group...' They and Burton refer to the Affinity issue only, Burton states that he neither has nor heard this the GRP release as he comments so, perhaps this GRP issue has a more cleaner, detailed sound than that issue, and the instruments more easily deciphered. Loren Schönberg wrote in the liner notes to the GRP re-issue: '....The omnipresent influence of Lester Young and Louis Armstrong surface in the horn's obligatos to the vocal before the reprise of the melody [in One Woman Blues]. It has always been assumed that the alto on this track was Parker, but jazz historian Phil Schaap reports being told by McShann on two different occasions that it definitely is not Bird. To these ears, one of the phrases is hard to imagine coming out of anyone else's horn, although the overall tone may be a little too fruity for Parker. It seems best to leave the question pending....' I am inclined to agree, it sounds like Parker's phrasing and self-confident command of the instrument to me; the alto sax solo begins at 1:34 and ends 2:04, when the trumpet comes in; ending chorus begins at 2:32. This is a very long solo for an instrument in a piece only 3:02, it was reported that Parker had a prominent spot in the McShann band.

Charlie Parker Session 42-00-00:

Date: Early 1942.

Place: Clark Monroe's Uptown House, New York City, NY., NY.

Musicians: Clark Monroe's Uptown House Band, Charlie Parker alto sax, with 8 or 9 musicians, possibly Allan Tinney piano, Ebeneazor Paul bass, the rest unknown.

Recording: Private recording on paper disc by Jerry Newman.

Alternate Issues:

Primary Source: Charlie Parker, Volumes 1 & 2, Young Bird 1940 -1944, Media 7 MJCD 78/79, item 1 only; Charlie Parker with Jay McShann and his Orchestra, Early Bird, Stash CD 542, item 1 only, time from there; Spotlite SPJ 120; LP Onyx 22.

1. Cherokee (Incomplete) (2:49)

2. I Remember You (?:??)

Notes: There is a skip 19 - 20 seconds into the piece, at the end of the first eight of the theme; some find this irritating, but I can fill with my imagination, so it does not bother me so much. This provides further evidence of the trail leading to Parker's solo the eventually created Koko, out of the chord and form structures of this piece, first recorded November 26, 1946 for Savoy. Unfortunately the piece fades out during his second solo.

According to Kloster & Bakker, I Remember You was recorded without a Bird solo, that item is not in my collection, so I cannot comment, I have included it here simply because Parker is implied to have been on the recording, this needs further research.

Charlie Parker Session 42-02-00:

Date: 13 February 1942.

Place: Savoy Ballroom, New York City, NY., NY.

Musicians: Jay McShann Orchestra: Orville Minor, Buddy Anderson, and Bob Merrill trumpet, Lawrence Anderson and Joe Taswell Baird trombone, Charlie Parker, John Jackson alto sax, Fred Culliver and Bob Manbane tenor sax, James Coe baritone sax, Jay McShann piano, Leonard Enois guitar, Gene Ramey bass, Harold West drums, Al Hibler vocal on 2 only, Bill Abernathy announcements.

Recording: Private acetate of radio broadcast by the NBC Blue Network.

Alternate Issues:

Primary Source: Charlie Parker, Volumes 1 & 2, Young Bird 1940 -1944, Media 7 MJCD 78/79, for 1, 3, 4 & ; Charlie Parker with Jay McShann and his Orchestra, Early Bird, Stash CD 542, times from there.

Announcement (0:24) into

1. St Louis Mood (3:46) into

Announcement into

2. I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good) (3:59) into

Announcement (0:07) into;

3. I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles (3:56)

Announcement (0:10) into

4. Hootie Blues (Incomplete.) (4:19)

Announcement (0:12) into

5. Swingmatism (3:50) into:

6. Love Don't Get You Nothing But the Blues (0:29)

Notes: St. Louis Mood on the Stash issue has a fade out at 4:07, becoming a gap at 4:08, abruptly recommencing at 4:10, finishing at 4:14, (of course this timing includes the announcements. Further, this piece is an AABA tune but the Stash CD 542 notes incorrectly state that it is a blues. On item 1 Parker's first solo begins at 2:22 and ends at 3:06, the second at 3:16 and 3:42. Parker's solo on Hootie Blues begins at 1:26 contains a 1 second skip at 1:54, and another at 2:14, inserted to maintain the tempo, finishing at 2:23. There is no solo by Charlie on items 2 and 6, the second being the closing theme. Overall, Parker's playing is very strong, revealing his development as a player towards his mature bebop style.

Charlie Parker Session 42-07-02:

Date: 02 July 1942

Place: New York City, NY., NY.

Musicians: Jay McShann Orchestra: Buddy Anderson, Orville Minor and Bob Merrill trumpet, Lawrence Anderson and Joe Taswell Baird trombone, Charlie Parker, John Jackson alto sax, Fred Culliver and Bob Manbane tenor sax, James Coe baritone sax, Jay McShann piano, Leonard Enois guitar, Gene Ramey bass, Harold West drums, Walter Brown vocal on 1 & 3, Al Hibbler vocal on 2.

Recording: Commercial for Decca

Alternate Issues:

Primary Source: All items issued on The Original American Decca Recordings, Blues From Kansas City. Jay McShann Orchestra, featuring Charlie Parker and Walter Brown. GRP CD MVCR-20009, times from there; Media 7 MJCD 78/79 for items 1, 2, & 4 only.

1. Lonely Boy Blues (2:53)

2. Get Me On Your Mind (3:01)

3. The Jumpin' Blues (2:59)

4. Sepian Bounce (3:06)

Notes: On item 1, the first sax solo begins at 0:14, finishing at 1:05, is Jackson, very different in attack, timbre of playing from Parker's playing which can be heard behind when the vocal, beginning at 1:43 finishing at 2:17; on 3 Parker's solo begins at 1:02, with what clearly sounds like the beginning of Ornithology, finishing at 1:19; on 4 his solo begins at 1:47 continuing to 2:00 again at 2:09 to 2:18. There is no solo by Parker on item 2.

This is the second recording session that Parker made, and last with McShann's band, as noted in Parker's Diary (Vail 1996 p. 6) when McShann's band went on tour in the late summer, Parker remained in New York.

Charlie Parker Session 42-09-00 or 41-00-00:

Date: September 1942, but possibly from 1941.

Place: Vic Damon Studios, Kansas City, Kansas

Musicians: Charlie Parker alto sax, Efferge Ware guitar, Little Phil Phillips drums.

Recording: Personal recordings on acetates.

Alternate Issues:

Primary Source: Charlie Parker, The Complete 'Birth of the Bebop,' Stash CD 535; Media 7 MJCD 78/79.

1. Cherokee (3:09)

2. My Heart Tells Me (Should I Believe My Heart) (3:17)

3. I Found a New Baby (3:39)

4. Body and Soul (3:40)

Notes:

Charlie Parker Session 43-02-15:

Date: 15 February 1943

Place: Savoy Hotel, Room 305, Chicago, Illinois

Musicians: Informal trio: Dizzy Gillespie trumpet, Charlie Parker alto sax, Oscar Pettiford bass.

Recording: Acetate made by Bob Redcross

Alternate Issues:

Primary Source: Charlie Parker: Perfect Complete Collection, Soundhills JP CD SSCD-8017-34. Vol. 1; Bird Box Vol. 1; Charlie Parker, The Complete 'Birth of the Bebop,' Stash CD 535; Media 7 MJCD 78/79.

1. Sweet Georgia Brown (7:40)

Notes:

Charlie Parker Session 43-00-00:

Date: February 1943

Place: Chicago, Illinois

Musicians: Charlie Parker tenor sax, the rest are variable probably including Billy Eckstine, Shorty McConnell and Benny Harris trumpet, Oscar Pettiford bass, Hurley Ramey g.

Recording: Acetates made by Bob Redcross.

Alternate Issues:

Primary Source: Charlie Parker, The Complete 'Birth of the Bebop,' Stash CD 535; Media 7 MJCD 78/79; Charlie Parker: Perfect Complete Collection, Soundhills JP CD SSCD-8017-34. Vol. 1, items 1, 4, & 7; Bird Box items 1, 4, & 7.

1. Three Guesses (4:12)

Conversation with Parker into

2. Shoe Shine Swing (Yardin' with Yard) (Incomplete.) (4:12)

3. Body and Soul (Incomplete.) (1:52)

4. Embraceable You (Hazel Scott record) (2:39)

5. China Boy (Benny Goodman Record) (2:31)

6. Avalon (Benny Goodman Record) (2:40)

7. Indiana (Incomplete.) (1:31)

8. Lady Be Good (Incomplete.) (1:17)

9. Boogie Woogie (3:36)

10. I Found a New Baby (Incomplete.) (?:??) (Unissued.)

11. I Can't Give You Anything But Love (Incomplete.) (?:??) (Unissued.).

Notes: Until the early 1980s of this set of recordings Shoe Shine Swing and Body and Soul were the only ones known to exist. Norman Saks was the one who traced Bob Redcross, thereby the recordings. In many of these recordings it is possible to trace the early origins of features of Parker's style and, as John Burton comments; 'Shoe Shine Swing is remarkable for Bird's close rendition of Lester Young's classic solo from the 1936 Jones-Smith session.' Lester Young's version can be heard on Count Basie Volume 3, Media 7, MJCD 13, where there is the master and an alternate take,

With item 2, we have the first recording of Parker's voice can be heard when he states: 'What tune are we going to play?'.

According to the Bregman, et al., discography item 2 is also known as Cotton Tail, and by Stash it is a variation on 'I got Rhythm' George Gershwin. There is some doubt whether Parker is actually playing on I Found a New Baby, I Can't Give You Anything But Love, and I Got Rhythm.

Norman Saks states that the tenor player on, Boogie Woogie is not Charlie Parker, but Goon Gardner; I list it here for completeness; listen for yourself and decide.

(Items 10 and 11, not in my collection.)

Charlie Parker Session 44-09-15:

Date: 15 September 1944

Place: WOR Studios, New York City, NY., NY.

Musicians: Tiny Grimes Quintet: Charlie Parker as, vocal on 11, Clyde Hart piano, Tiny Grimes guitar, vocal on 5 - 11, Jimmy Butts bass, vocal on 7 - 11, Doc West drums.

Recording: Commercial for Savoy Records

Alternate Issues:

Primary Source: Charlie Parker, The Complete Charlie Parker on Savoy Years, Nippon Columbia Savoy COCY-75791 - 8, Disc 1, times from there; Savoy Jazz Records CD ZDS 5500-1.

1. Tiny's Tempo (Take 1) (3:01)

2. Tiny's Tempo (Take 2) (2:58)

3. Tiny's Tempo (Take 3) (Master Take) (2:52)

4. I'll Always Love You Just the Same (Take 1 (False start) (0:04)

5. I'll Always Love You Just the Same (Take 2) (2:56)

6. I'll Always Love You Just the Same (Take 3) (Master Take) (2:59)

7. Romance Without Finance (Take 1) (3:04)

8. Romance Without Finance(Take 2) (Incomplete.) (1:00)

9. Romance Without Finance(Take 3) (3:01)

10. Romance Without Finance (Take 4) (Incomplete.) (0:43)

11. Romance Without Finance (Take 5) (Master Take.) (3:00)

12. Red Cross (Take 1) (3:15)

13. Red Cross(Take 2) (Master Take.) (3:06)

Notes: This is the point at which Parker's recording career begins in earnest, the first official studio recording of a small group session. Some of the tunes here are not so very special in themselves, but Parker achieves the alchemist's long standing dream of making gold out of lead in his solos, and generate controversy in the process. Of particular importance here, though, is Red Cross, where the note selection in Parker solo resulted in intense debate concerning its 'correctness,' whether it was suitable and possible to use, some say the debate that was so heated that at times came to violence. (c.f., Green 1991, pp. 165 - 6, for example.)

With this Nippon Columbia issue of the Savoy material item 10 ends with Tiny Grimes voice shouting 'Wait a minute, wait!' and the musicians stopping.

(Item 4, not in my collection.)