Session details: Loew's Valencia Theatre (March 24, 1952)

Charlie Parker session details

March 24, 1952 (14 items; TT = 37:21)

Loew's Valencia Theatre, Jamiaca NY

Private recording (Tape) (B-)

Show chatter

Charlie Parker (as); Henry "Red" Allen (tpt, voc); Bill Butterfield (tpt); Russell "Big Chief" Moore (tb); Bill Harris (tb); Jerry Jerome (ts, cl); Buddy De Franco (cl); Dick Cary (p); Teddy Wilson (p); Eddie Safranski (b); Don Lamond (d); Willis Conover (ann); Leonard Feather (ann)

1	Announcement (Willis Conover, Leonard Feather)	1:09
	Conover: "The Voice of America presents Jazz Club USA... The Voice of America presents another in a series of programs designed to bring you jazz at its best. And here is your commentator, the well-known jazz critic and composer, Leonard Feather..." Feather: "Greetings and modulations. A while ago, in a big movie theatre in Brooklyn, an all-star jam session was held under the direction of Jerry Jerome. Jerry is a tenor sax and clarinet man who's been on the jazz scene for, oh, about fifteen years now. And during that time he's been with quite a few famous swing bands, from Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller to Artie Shaw. He's also made quite a few records with Teddy Wilson and Lionel Hampton. Well, today you're going to hear some of the music, just as Jerry presented it, in his first all-star jazz concert, using every kind of musician from Dixieland to bop. Let's hear first the opening number and see how many of the men you can recognize..."
2	Fidgety Feet (G. Gershwin-I. Gershwin)	4:33
	Jerry Jerome All-Stars
3	Introduction	0:29
	"Well, the personnel on that number included Red Allen on trumpet; 'Big Chief' Russell Moore on trombone -- he has the double distinction of being perhaps the heaviest musician in jazz (he weighs well over three hundred pounds), and he's also one of the very few full-blooded American Indians in the jazz field; Jerry Jerome was on clarinet; Dick Cary, piano; Don Lamond on drums; and Ed Safranski on bass. Now the same group features Red Allen playing and singing on 'St. James Infirmary'..."
4	St. James Infirmary (Traditional)	1:56
	Jerry Jerome All-Stars
5	Introduction	0:17
	"Jerry Jerome had a very happy and a very excited audience at his concert in Brooklyn. As a matter of fact, you'll notice how they join in the spirit of things as they help to create the stomping atmosphere on this next number, with a tenor sax solo by Jerry Jerome himself. And here he is, really rockin' on 'When I Grow Too Old to Dream'..."
6	When I Grow Too Old to Dream (S. Romberg-O. Hammerstein)	3:43
	Jerry Jerome All-Stars
7	Introduction	0:18
	"Next comes a piano solo number by Dick Cary. Dick works with Jerry Jerome in a New York television studio, and he's equally adept handling a trumpet, but here he stays at the keyboard to give his impressions of an old composition by Willie 'The Lion' Smith, and it's called 'Finger Bustin''..."
8	Finger Bustin' (W. Smith)	2:27
	Cary solo
9	Introduction	0:25
	"As you've heard, the first part of Jerry Jerome's concert featured mostly musicians of the Dixieland or swing school. Later on in the show came some of the greatest modern musicians, among them the fabulous Charlie 'Yardbird' Parker. And here is the amazing alto sax star himself in a very lengthy excursion into one of his favorite subjects, the traditional twelve-bar blues pattern. Charlie Parker and 'Cool Blues'..."
10	Cool Blues (C. Parker)	4:19
	Parker and rhythm section
11	Introduction	0:12
	"Now here everybody gets a chance to blow on 'Sweet Georgia Brown'... Billy Butterfield, trumpet; Bill Harris, trombone; Jerry Jerome, tenor; Buddy DeFranco, clarinet; with Teddy Wilson, Don Lamond, and Ed Safranski..."
12	Sweet Georgia Brown (B. Bernie-M. Pinkard-K. Casey)	8:15
	Butterfield, Harris, Jerome, Wilson, Safranski, Lamond
13	Closing announcement	0:57
	Feather: "Well, I hope all of you, whether your taste runs to Dixie or swing or bop, found something to enjoy in this all-star Jerry Jerome jam session. Time now to remind you to drop us a line with your comments and your suggestions: write to Jazz Club USA, Voice of America, New York 19. This is your host, Leonard Feather, wishing you the best of tempos until next week..." Conover (over closing theme): "Jazz Club USA is a feature presentation of the Voice of America..."
14	Ornithology (C. Parker-B. Harris)	8:21
	Parker, Harris, De Franco, Cary, Safranski, Lamond. Parker quotes "Over There" during his solo (2:05-2:10)


10 Cool Blues 12" LP: Bird Box 01-22 LP 15, Jazz Showcase 5003 CD: Royal Jazz RJD 505, Philology Volume 8 (W 80), Volume 59 (W 890), Frémeaux & Associés FA 1340
14 Ornithology CD: Royal Jazz RJD 505, Philology Volume 8 (W 80), Volume 59 (W 890), Frémeaux & Associés FA 1340

Parker performed at a Jerry Jerome production, a JATP-like All-Star affair. Parker played in a Sextet setting and also as a member of a Quartet. In the Quartet, the pianist's identity is uncertain -- it's probably Dick Cary (who played in the Parker-led Sextet), not Teddy Wilson, who is listed in the Philology notes.

The first 13 items are from a VOA broadcast. The last item must have been performed during the second half of the concert, but it is not included in the VOA broadcast.

I'm grateful to Leif Bo Petersen for help with this session.