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Charlie Parker session details

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November 30, 1949 (16 items; TT = 41:29)
Reeves Sound Studio, New York NY
Commercial for Mercury

Charlie Parker (as); Stan Freeman (p); Ray Brown (b); Buddy Rich (d); Mitch Miller (oboe); Myor Rosen (harp); Bronislaw Gimpel (vln); Max Hollander (vln); Milt Lomask (vln); Frank Brieff (vla); Frank Miller (cello); Jimmy Carroll (arr, cond)

1 Just Friends (take 1 (inc)) (J. Klenner-S. Lewis) 0:42
2 Just Friends (take 2) (J. Klenner-S. Lewis) 3:46
3 Just Friends (take 3 (fs)) (J. Klenner-S. Lewis) 0:31
4 Just Friends (take 4) (J. Klenner-S. Lewis) 3:46
5 Just Friends (take 5) (J. Klenner-S. Lewis) 3:28
6 Everything Happens to Me (take 1) (M. Dennis-T. Adair) 3:19
7 Everything Happens to Me (take 3) (M. Dennis-T. Adair) 3:14
8 April in Paris (take 1) (V. Duke-E.Y. Harburg) 3:53
9 April in Paris (take 2) (V. Duke-E.Y. Harburg) 3:32
10 April in Paris (take 3) (V. Duke-E.Y. Harburg) 3:04
11 If I Should Lose You (take 1 (fs)) (L. Robin-R. Rainger) 0:06
12 If I Should Lose You (take 2 (fs)) (L. Robin-R. Rainger) 0:21
13 If I Should Lose You (take 3) (L. Robin-R. Rainger) 2:47
14 Summertime (take 1) (G. Gershwin-I. Gershwin-D. Heyward) 3:05
15 Summertime (take 2) (G. Gershwin-I. Gershwin-D. Heyward) 2:44
16 I Didn't Know What Time It Was (take 2) (R. Rodgers-L. Hart) 3:11


1 Just Friends (take 1 (inc))
CD: Verve B0022596

2 Just Friends (take 2)
CD: Verve B0022596

3 Just Friends (take 3 (fs))
CD: Verve B0022596

4 Just Friends (take 4)
CD: Verve B0022596

5 Just Friends (take 5)
78 rpm: Mercury/Clef 11036, Mercury C 101
45 rpm: Clef EPC 503
10" LP: Mercury 35010
12" LP: Clef MG C-675, Verve (J) 00MJ 3268/77
CD: Verve 837141 (Disc 4), Verve B0022596, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1337

6 Everything Happens to Me (take 1)
CD: Verve B0022596

7 Everything Happens to Me (take 3)
78 rpm: Mercury/Clef 11036, Mercury C 101
45 rpm: Clef EPC 503
10" LP: Mercury 35010
12" LP: Clef MG C-675, Verve (J) 00MJ 3268/77
CD: Verve 837141 (Disc 4), Verve B0022596, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1337

8 April in Paris (take 1)
CD: Verve B0022596

9 April in Paris (take 2)
CD: Verve B0022596

10 April in Paris (take 3)
78 rpm: Mercury/Clef 11037, Mercury C 101
45 rpm: Clef EPC 503
10" LP: Mercury 35010
12" LP: Clef MG C-675, Verve (J) 00MJ 3268/77
CD: Verve 837141 (Disc 4), Verve B0022596, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1337

11 If I Should Lose You (take 1 (fs))
CD: Verve B0022596

12 If I Should Lose You (take 2 (fs))
CD: Verve B0022596

13 If I Should Lose You (take 3)
78 rpm: Mercury/Clef 11037, Mercury C 101
45 rpm: Clef EPC 255
10" LP: Mercury 35010
12" LP: Clef MG C-675, Verve (J) 00MJ 3268/77
CD: Verve 837141 (Disc 4), Verve B0022596, Verve B0022596, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1337

14 Summertime (take 1)
CD: Verve B0022596

15 Summertime (take 2)
78 rpm: Mercury/Clef 11038, Mercury C 101
45 rpm: Clef EPC 503
10" LP: Mercury 35010
12" LP: Clef MG C-675, Verve (J) 00MJ 3268/77
CD: Verve 837141 (Disc 4), Verve B0022596, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1337

16 I Didn't Know What Time It Was (take 2)
78 rpm: Mercury/Clef 11036, Mercury C 101
45 rpm: Clef EPC 255
10" LP: Mercury 35010
12" LP: Clef MG C-675, Verve (J) 00MJ 3268/77
CD: Verve 837141 (Disc 4), Verve B0022596, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1337


These are the first of Parker's recordings with strings to be released. It is often debated whether this was Norman Granz's idea -- a commercial gimmick to sell records, like putting Parker in front of a Latin big band -- or Parker's -- something he'd always wanted to do, arising out of his study of classical music. It is probably a bit of both.

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