Session details: Mutual Studios (September 20, 1947)

Charlie Parker session details

September 20, 1947 (18 items; TT = 29:29)

Mutual Studios, New York NY

WOR-AM radio broadcast (B)

Show chatter

Charlie Parker (as); J.B. "Dizzy" Gillespie (tpt); John La Porta (cl); Lennie Tristano (p); Billy Bauer (g); Ray Brown (b); Max Roach (d); Carl Caruso (ann)

1	Theme + introduction of Rudi Blesh's All-Star Stompers (Carl Caruso)	0:30
	"Bands for Bonds... Is this jazz? It's improvised New Orleans jazz, presided over by Rudi Blesh, and provided for by his All-Star Stompers. The All-Stars famous line-up of great jazzmen, Wild Bill Davidson [sic], cornet; Edmond Hall, clarinet; Jimmy Archey, trombone; Ralph Sutton, piano; Baby Dodds, drums; Danny Barker, guitar; and Pops Foster, bass."
2	Ko Ko + introduction of Barry Ulanov's All-Star Jazz Moderns (Caruso)	0:53
	"Or, is this jazz? Modern jazz, sometimes referred to as bebop... In the background we have the choicest collection of modern musicians gathered together by Barry Ulanov, editor of Metronome magazine. Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet; Charlie Parker, alto sax; John LaPorta, clarinet; Billy Bauer, guitar; Lennie Tristano... (Roach plays his four bars) -- Lenny Tristano, piano (that was Max Roach at the drums); and Ray Brown on the bass."
3	Introduction (Caruso, Rudi Blesh, Barry Ulanov)	1:06
	Caruso: "Yes, the stage is set for round two in the battle of jazz. Two great bands pitted together in World Series fashion, playing their own versions of the same tunes. You the listening audience will be to sole judge of this battle; if you like this type of music, let us know by dropping us a line to Bands for Bonds. We'll have less chatter and more music, so meet the jazz critic of the New York Herald-Tribune and author of the book Shining Trumpets, Rudi Blesh..." Blesh: "Thank you." Caruso: "And here's Barry Ulanov (Oo-la-noff), editor of Metronome magazine and author of the book Duke Ellington..." Ulanov: "Yoo-la-noff to you, sir." Caruso: "Yoo-la-noff, OK. Take it away, boy..." Ulanov: "And Barry to me, right? (crosstalk) Caruso: "Right you are." Blesh: "How are you... after another week? Back the real battle." Ulanov: "We think this is the purest kind of battle, here we have the pure New Orleans and the pure modern jazz." Blesh: "That's rght, and in other words the music itself is the test." Ulanov: "It really is." Blesh: "Instead of talking about it, right?" Ulanov: "And we won't talk very long." Blesh: "No, except to say that, uh, as everyone knows I think that New Orleans jazz is really modern, and you?" Ulanov: "Well, I think you have purity, we'll concede that, but not body or flavor. We think we've got all of that right here." Blesh: "That sounds like a whiskey ad. Now let's go with our first number, ah, 'On the Sunny Side of the Street' by the Stompers..."
4	On the Sunny Side of the Street (D. Fields-J. McHugh)	2:44
5	Introduction (Ulanov)	0:11
	"Thank you, Rudi, while we move over to the side of the street we think is sunny. Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker take the calls and answers, and then Lennie Tristano and Billy Bauer, 'On the Sunny Side of the Street' of jazz..."
6	On the Sunny Side of the Street (D. Fields-J. McHugh)	3:26
	Opening measures are "Two Bass Hit," then it settles into "On the Sunny Side of the Street"
7	U.S. Savings Bonds commercial (Caruso)	0:47
	"A good investment every time... Yessir, you can't go wrong when you invest your money in United States Savings Bonds. For one thing, United States Savings Bonds are safe, sound. For another, they pay your four dollars for every three invested in just ten years. So if you're the investing kind -- and who isn't? -- look into United States Savings Bonds. You can get Bonds through the Payroll Savings Plan where you work, or through the Bond a Month Plan where you bank. Both are easy, automatic, worked out for your convenience. Remember, in just ten years, every three dollars invested in Bonds brings back four -- every three hundred brings back four hundred. So buy United States Savings Bonds: they're a most solid, most profitable investment."
8	Introduction (Caruso, Blesh, Ulanov)	0:22
	Caruso: "All right, boys, are you ready for round two in the battle of New Orleans jazz versus modern jazz?" Ulanov: "We are indeed, and I think Rudi, this is up to you." Blesh: "Well, Barry, us, that was the end of, uh... that was the end of round one." Ulanov: "End of round one, the 'Sunny Side' round." Blesh: "Uh, or the shady side. So now we're going to see just how... just 'How Deep is the Ocean' for our next number. Let's go with it, boys..."
9	How Deep is the Ocean? (I. Berlin)	3:34
10	Introduction (Blesh, Ulanov)	0:22
	Blesh: "Well Barry, that's our nice easy-going version of 'How Deep the Ocean' -- y'see, we can take it relaxed because we are modern, we don't have to blow our tops. Now it's yours." Ulanov: "Well, I don't think you'll hear any top-blowing -- you'll hear a lot of depth-sounding when we get to the deep ocean here, and the profundity will be I think in the horns of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, and Lennie Tristano's piano. Here we go with our very deep ocean..."
11	How Deep is the Ocean? (I. Berlin)	3:02
12	U.S. Savings Bonds commercial (Caruso)	1:08
	"To think about the future is to think of security. What will you be doing? Where will you be living? What money will you have saved? And it's because American are so in-the-future minded that we put so much money into the Payroll Savings Plan. There's nothing better when it comes to saving for future security. You invest a little of your pay every payday, and it adds up fast -- adds up in United States Savings Bonds, an a systematic four-for-three profit. Yes, in just ten years every three dollars you now put in a Payroll Savings Plan will be worth four; every three hundred, four hundred. So keep it up: keep saving with the Payroll Savings Plan. If you're not one a payroll, if you happen to be self-employed -- farmer, lawyer, doctor -- then you'll find the Bond a Month Plan just as convenient. Tell your bank you're interested in getting a Bond each month. The bank will get it for you, charge the cost to your personal checking account. Easy, automatic. One thing sure: if you're a member of the Payroll Savings Plan, or the Bond a Month Plan, you're heading for a more secure future."
13	Introduction (Caruso, Blesh, Ulanov)	1:25
	Caruso: "And now Rudi and Barry, you were almost coming to blows before this, and I just want the folks listening out there to know that it's up to them to decide, uh, which they like -- isn't that right?" Together: "That's right." Caruso: "And how do they do that? By writing in?" Blesh: "By writing in to their local station, Bands for Bonds, to Barry Ulanov here, or to me here, Rudi Blesh -- and they should say, which of the music we like. They're the judges." Caruso: "And uh, Rudi, you represent the New Orleans-type jazz, is that correct? And Barry, you represent..." Ulanov: "The very new, very modern jazz -- the jazz of the future. We heard what you said, think about the future, well that's just what we're doing." Blesh: "Say Barry, what was the name of the last tune you played?" (Laughter) Ulanov: "The last tune? Well, let me see now, uh... Irving Berlin wrote it originally, and I think we did a very handsome job of re-writing it today. 'How Deep is the Ocean', if I remember." Blesh: "Well, I just couldn't get the tune. I tell ya, if I were asked to name it, if I heard it, I think I would call it 'Overture to a... to a Nervous Breakdown', because that's what it meant to me." Ulanov: "Well, there was nothing nervous about it at our end, just the cure musically..." Caruso: "All right, boys, uh, uh, let's... wait a while now, let's break this up for the moment, and let's get back to the music. What have you got on tap now for the New Orleans-type fans?" Blesh: "Well, we've got a real classic of jazz which is the... the... regular killer of all jazz concerts, 'Tiger Rag'. Let's go with it, boys."
14	Tiger Rag (N. LaRocca)	4:38
15	Introduction (Blesh, Ulanov)	0:38
	Ulanov: "Rudi, what was that?" Blesh: "That, Barry, was the killer known as 'Tiger Rag'. In this particular trial, in which the music is the evidence, and you the public are the judge." Ulanov: "Well, you wanna name the musicians who did the killing?" Blesh: "Yes, I would like to. It's the famous All-Star Stompers, and the famous line-up of this band is Wild Bill Davison, cornet; Edmond Hall, clarinet; and Jimmy Archey, trombone. I... And at the piano, Ralph Sutton; at the drums, Baby Dodds; Danny Barker, guitar; and Pops Foster, bass. OK, Barry, take it away." Caruso: "Well Barry, do turnabout and name the fellas who, uh, gotta do the modern version of 'Tiger Rag'..." Ulanov: "Well, our boys are Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet; Charlie Parker on alto saxophone; John LaPorta on clarinet; Lennie Tristano on piano; Billy Bauer, guitar; Ray Brown, bass; and Max Roach, drums." Caruso: "All right, fellas, take it away -- the modern version of 'Tiger Rag'..."
16	Tiger Rag [Dizzy Atmosphere] (N. LaRocca)	3:49
17	Introduction (Blesh, Ulanov, Caruso)	0:22
	Ulanov: "Well we sure took that tiger out of the jungles of jazz..." Blesh: "OK Barry, now we're gonna wait for the mail to come in, right?" Ulanov: "We've got to have lots of mail because we want to be back with more of this music." Caruso: "Well, thank you very much boys, and while you've been having an argument, we've been having a good show, and the people have been listening to Bands for Bonds, which was produced by Larry Dorn in cooperation with Wynn Goulden, came to you from our Mutual Studios in New York."
18	52nd Street Theme (with closing announcement) (T. Monk)	0:32
	"Today we featured Rudi Blesh's All-Star Stompers and Barry Ulanov's All-Star Modern Jazz Musicians, which has been presented by the Mutual Network and United States Savings Bonds, in cooperation with the American Federation of Musicians, James C. Petrillo, President. Carl Caruso speaking, this is the Mutual Broadcasting System..."


2 Ko Ko + introduction of Barry Ulanov's All-Star Jazz Moderns (Caruso) 12" LP: Zim ZL 1001, Spotlite SPJ 107 CD: Philology Volume 17 (W 847), Volume 43 (W 874), Masters of Jazz MJCD 142, Definitive DRCD 11289, ESP-Disk 4050, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1334
6 On the Sunny Side of the Street 12" LP: Zim ZL 1001, Spotlite SPJ 107 CD: Philology Volume 17 (W 847), Masters of Jazz MJCD 142, Definitive DRCD 11289, ESP-Disk 4050, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1334
11 How Deep is the Ocean? 12" LP: Zim ZL 1001, Spotlite SPJ 107 CD: Philology Volume 17 (W 847), Masters of Jazz MJCD 142, Definitive DRCD 11289, ESP-Disk 4050, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1334
16 Tiger Rag 12" LP: Zim ZL 1001, Spotlite SPJ 107 CD: Philology Volume 17 (W 847), Masters of Jazz MJCD 142, Definitive DRCD 11289, ESP-Disk 4050, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1334
18 52nd Street Theme (with closing announcement) 12" LP: Zim ZL 1001, Spotlite SPJ 107 CD: Philology Volume 17 (W 847), Masters of Jazz MJCD 142, Definitive DRCD 11289, ESP-Disk 4050, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1334

This is the second Bands for Bonds radio broadcast (U.S. Treasury for Mutual network).

The "traditionalists" call the tunes and the "modernists" play them. Listeners vote for their favorite group and the winner will be invited back in a month for a return broadcast.

Thanks to James Accardi for help with this session.