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Charlie Parker session details

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August 28, 1950 (14 items; TT = 25:09)
Rainbow Inn, New Brunswick NJ
Private recording (Tape) (C+)

Charlie Parker (as); Unknown (tpt); Jimmy Knepper (tb); Al Haig (p); Tommy Potter (b); Roy Haynes (d)

1 Hot House (T. Dameron) 1:40
2 What is This Thing Called Love? (C. Porter) 2:10
3 I May Be Wrong, But I Think You're Wonderful (H. Ruskin-H. Sullivan) 3:02
4 Parker's Mood (C. Parker) 3:23
5 'S Wonderful (G. Gershwin-I. Gershwin) 3:11
6 Indiana (J.F. Hanley-B. McDonald) 4:31
7 Everything Happens to Me (incomplete) (M. Dennis-T. Adair) 0:41

closing theme + applause
8 Ornithology (incomplete) (C. Parker-B. Harris) 2:35

piano intro, opening them, Parker solo ("Country Gardens" at 2:11-2:15), beginning of tpt solo
9 Ornithology (incomplete) (C. Parker-B. Harris) 0:51

Parker solo into closing theme
10 The Lady in Red (fragment) (M. Dixon-A. Wrubel) 0:07

Parker solo
11 The Lady in Red (incomplete) (M. Dixon-A. Wrubel) 0:56

Parker solo, beginning of piano solo
12 The Lady in Red (fragment) (M. Dixon-A. Wrubel) 0:05

Parker + tb
13 The Lady in Red (fragment) (M. Dixon-A. Wrubel) 0:04

closing cadence + applause
14 Anthropology (incomplete) (D. Gillespie-C. Parker) 1:53

Parker solo, beginning of tpt solo


1 Hot House
12" LP: Stash ST 280
CD: Stash STCD 10, STCD 582, Philology Volume 49 (W 880), Rare Live Recordings RLR 88634

2 What is This Thing Called Love?
12" LP: Stash ST 280
CD: Stash STCD 10, STCD 582, Philology Volume 49 (W 880), Rare Live Recordings RLR 88634

3 I May Be Wrong, But I Think You're Wonderful
12" LP: Stash ST 280
CD: Stash STCD 10, STCD 582, Philology Volume 49 (W 880), Rare Live Recordings RLR 88634

4 Parker's Mood
12" LP: Stash ST 280
CD: Stash STCD 10, STCD 582, Philology Volume 49 (W 880), Rare Live Recordings RLR 88634

5 'S Wonderful
12" LP: Stash ST 280
CD: Stash STCD 10, STCD 582, Philology Volume 49 (W 880), Rare Live Recordings RLR 88634

6 Indiana
12" LP: Stash ST 280
CD: Stash STCD 10, STCD 582, Philology Volume 49 (W 880), Volume 60 (W 891), Rare Live Recordings RLR 88634


This is Parker's only extant performance of "I May Be Wrong", and his only performance on the changes of "'S Wonderful" since leaving California in 1947. The rhythm section is probably Haig, Potter, and Haynes -- the introductory piano statements on "I May Be Wrong" and Parker's Mood" sound like Haig, and his accompaniment is tasteful and understated. The trombone player may be Jimmy Knepper (who may also be the source of the recording); but whoever he is, his playing is clumsy throughout. The trumpet player is audible only on "'S Wonderful," "Indiana," and the fragments of "Ornithology" and "Anthropology." His identity is unknown. Parker was on the bill at the Rainbow Inn with the Eddie Shanholtz Quintet, and it is possible that Parker enlisted the trumpet player from Shanholtz's group, since his usual trumpet player, Red Rodney, had been arrested on drug charges and confined to a rehabilitation center.

Thanks to Joe Medjuck, James Accardi, Dean Chambers, and Leif Bo Petersen for help with this session.

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