Session details: Veterans Administration Hospital (November 4, 1951)

Charlie Parker session details

November 4, 1951 (5 items; TT = 13:04)

Veterans Administration Hospital, Philadelphia PA

Private recording (Tape) (C+)

Charlie Parker (as); Red Rodney [Robert Chudnick] (tpt); Rudy Williams (ts); Teddy Brandon (p); Bonnie Wetzel (b); Roy Haynes (d)

1	Cool Blues (incomplete) (C. Parker)	3:36
	Begins mid-Parker solo; cut at 1:40 (as trumpet solo begins) to Parker/Rodney/Haynes exchanges and closing theme
2	Out of Nowhere (incomplete) (E. Heyman-J.W. Green)	1:42
	Opening theme (Parker only); splice at 1:08 to closing theme (Parker with Rodney obbligatos)
3	This is Always (M. Gordon-H. Warren)	3:20
	Add Unknown (voc). Rodney finishes with the "Country Gardens" tag (3:17-3:21); Parker quotes it earlier during his obbligatos (2:57-2:58)
4	Now's the Time (incomplete) (C. Parker)	2:32
	First measure missing. Opening theme, Parker solo; splice at 1:21 (as trumpet solo begins) to Parker/Rodney/Haynes exchanges and closing theme
5	Scrapple from the Apple (incomplete) (C. Parker)	1:54
	Opening theme, Parker solo, and the first few measures of Rodney solo


1 Cool Blues (incomplete) 12" LP: Philology Volume 6 (W 29) CD: Philology Volume 5/6 (W 19/29), Rare Live Recordings RLR 88633
2 Out of Nowhere (incomplete) 12" LP: Philology Volume 6 (W 29) CD: Philology Volume 5/6 (W 19/29), Rare Live Recordings RLR 88633
3 This is Always 12" LP: Philology Volume 6 (W 29) CD: Philology Volume 5/6 (W 19/29), Rare Live Recordings RLR 88633
4 Now's the Time (incomplete) 12" LP: Philology Volume 6 (W 29) CD: Philology Volume 5/6 (W 19/29), Rare Live Recordings RLR 88633
5 Scrapple from the Apple (incomplete) 12" LP: Philology Volume 6 (W 29) CD: Philology Volume 5/6 (W 19/29), Rare Live Recordings RLR 88633

This is a poor-quality recording, limited to Parker solos and exchanges only, except for the vocal on "This is Always." Although Philology identifies him as a possibility, the tenor saxophonist does not sound like Wardell Gray. Some have argued that the trumpet player is Benny Harris, but it sounds to me like Rodney, especially the way the "Country Gardens" tag is played. These recordings were made by Chan Parker, whose list for this date also includes "Thriving on a Riff." Recordings of "Anthropology" and "Blue 'n' Boogie" are also rumored to exist.

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