Session details: Nola Penthouse Studios (April 3, 1950)

Charlie Parker session details

April 3, 1950 (18 items; TT = 28:39)

Nola Penthouse Studios, New York NY

Private recording (Tape) (B)

Charlie Parker (as); Marty Bell (tpt); Don Ferrara (tpt); Don Joseph (tpt); Jon Nielson (tpt); Al Porcino (tpt); Sonny Rich (tpt); Red Rodney [Robert Chudnick] (tpt); Neil Friez (tpt); Eddie Bert (tb); Porky Cohen (tb); Jimmy Knepper (tb); Paul Selden (tb); Frank Orchard (valve tb); Joe Maini (as); Al Cohn (ts); Don Lanphere (ts); Tommy McKagon (ts); Zoot Sims [John Haley] (ts); Bob Newman (bs); Marty Flax (bs); Sam Herman (g); Harry Biss (p); Buddy Jones (b); Phil Arabia (d); Freddie Gruber (d); Don Manning (d); Unknown (voc); Gene Roland (arr, cond)

1	Interview	1:50
	Don Lanphere and Don Manning talk about the Roland Band session
2	It's a Wonderful World (fragment 1) (S. Romberg-O. Hammerstein)	1:35
3	It's a Wonderful World (fragment 2) (S. Romberg-O. Hammerstein)	0:47
4	It's a Wonderful World (fragment 3) (S. Romberg-O. Hammerstein)	2:14
5	It's a Wonderful World (fragment 4) (S. Romberg-O. Hammerstein)	5:48
6	It's a Wonderful World (fragment 5) (S. Romberg-O. Hammerstein)	0:30
7	Just You, Just Me (R. Klages-J. Greer)	2:17
8	Unknown Title	0:16
	Fragment of Parker solo; probably not part of "It's a Wonderful World."
9	Stardust (fragment 1) (H. Carmichael-M. Parish)	0:35
10	Stardust (fragment 2) (H. Carmichael-M. Parish)	0:22
11	Stardust (fragment 3) (H. Carmichael-M. Parish)	0:58
12	Stardust (fragment 4) (H. Carmichael-M. Parish)	3:28
	Contains a nice Parker solo
13	Down Home Blues (G. Roland)	2:50
14	Summertime (fragment) (G. Gershwin-I. Gershwin-D. Heyward)	0:29
	On Philology this fragment is spliced into "Limehouse Blues" (1:06-1:37)
15	Limehouse Blues (fragment 1) (D. Furber-P. Braham)	1:05
	In the interview accompanying this material on Philology Volume 15, Don Lanphere asks Manning, "D'you remember the time we were playing 'East Side, West Side'? Bird was playing one of his intros, and the little girl got away from her mother, and she jumped up in front of the bandstand and started dancing, and he played 'A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody'..." (Listen at 0:36-0:40)
16	Limehouse Blues (fragment 2) (D. Furber-P. Braham)	2:48
17	East Side, West Side (fragment 1) (G. Roland)	0:30
18	East Side, West Side (fragment 2) (G. Roland)	0:17


1 Interview CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
2 It's a Wonderful World (fragment 1) 12" LP: Spotlite SPJ 141 CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
3 It's a Wonderful World (fragment 2) 12" LP: Spotlite SPJ 141 CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
4 It's a Wonderful World (fragment 3) 12" LP: Spotlite SPJ 141 CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
5 It's a Wonderful World (fragment 4) 12" LP: Spotlite SPJ 141 CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
6 It's a Wonderful World (fragment 5) 12" LP: Spotlite SPJ 141 CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
7 Just You, Just Me 12" LP: Spotlite SPJ 141 CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
8 Unknown Title 12" LP: Spotlite SPJ 141 CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
9 Stardust (fragment 1) 12" LP: Spotlite SPJ 141 CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
10 Stardust (fragment 2) 12" LP: Spotlite SPJ 141 CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
11 Stardust (fragment 3) 12" LP: Spotlite SPJ 141 CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
12 Stardust (fragment 4) 12" LP: Spotlite SPJ 141 CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
13 Down Home Blues CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
14 Summertime (fragment) CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
15 Limehouse Blues (fragment 1) CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
16 Limehouse Blues (fragment 2) CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
17 East Side, West Side (fragment 1) CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)
18 East Side, West Side (fragment 2) CD: Philology Volume 15 (W 845)

This recording was made by Eddie Bert and Don Manning. All items are fragmentary, and few of the Parker solos are complete. The Philology CD contains a conversation between Bert and Manning introducing some of the previously unissued items (1:52).

Track 13 on Philology is a mess -- it begins with "East Side," then "Summertime," and then "Limehouse Blues" follows (splices are audible at 1:08 and 1:38). Track 14 continues with another fragment of "Limehouse Blues." "Stardust" sounds like excerpts from several performances of the tune, and the four fragments appear twice on the Philology CD. There is a barely-audible Billy Eckstine-like vocalist audible toward the end of the fragment of "Summertime" but this person's identity is a mystery.

According to Gerry Mulligan discographer Gerard Dugelay, the personnel in the Roland band was as follows: Marty Bell (tpt); Don Ferrera (tpt); Don Joseph (tpt); Red Rodney (tpt); Al Porcino (tpt); Eddie Bert (tb); Porky Cohen (tb); Jimmy Knepper (tb); Paul Selden (tb); Frank Orchard (valve tb); Charlie Parker (as); Joe Maini (as); Al Cohn (ts); Don Lanphere (ts); Tommy McKagon (ts); Zoot Sims (ts); Bob Newman (bs); Gerry Mulligan (bs); Sam Herman (g); Gene DiNovi (p); Buddy Jones (b); Art Anton (b); Tiny Kahn (d); Gene Roland (arr, cond). Thanks to Carlos de Rosselló for bringing this to my attention. Photos taken by Eddie Bert at this session are reproduced in Ken Vail's Bird's Diary.

I'm grateful to Bruno Leicht for help with this session.