Charlie Parker session details

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November 26, 1945 (16 items; TT = 34:52)
WOR Studio, New York NY
Commercial for Savoy
Charlie Parker's Reboppers
Charlie Parker (as); Miles Davis (tpt); J.B. "Dizzy" Gillespie (tpt, p); Sadik Hakim [Argonne Thornton] (p); Dillon "Curley" Russell (b); Max Roach (d)
1 Billie's Bounce (take 1) (C. Parker) 2:32

Listen for Gillespie's "Yeah!" at 1:11
2 Billie's Bounce (take 2 (inc)) (C. Parker) 1:42
3 Billie's Bounce (take 3) (C. Parker) 3:04
4 Warming Up a Riff (incomplete) [Cherokee] (D. Gillespie-C. Parker) 2:34

Parker warms up a new reed. Track begins midway through Parker's first chorus
5 Billie's Bounce (take 4 (inc)) (C. Parker) 1:37
6 Billie's Bounce (take 5 (master)) (C. Parker) 3:07
7 Now's the Time (take 1 (fs)) (C. Parker) 0:19
8 Now's the Time (take 2 (fs)) (C. Parker) 0:36
9 Now's the Time (take 3) (C. Parker) 3:06
10 Now's the Time (take 4 (master)) (C. Parker) 3:14
11 Anthropology (take 1) [Thriving on a Riff] (D. Gillespie-C. Parker) 2:58
12 Anthropology (take 2 (inc)) [Thriving on a Riff] (D. Gillespie-C. Parker) 0:22
13 Anthropology (take 3 (master)) [Thriving on a Riff] (D. Gillespie-C. Parker) 2:55
14 Meandering (incomplete) [Embraceable You] (C. Parker) 3:15

Another warm-up tune. Davis out
15 Ko Ko (take 1 (fs)) [Cherokee] (C. Parker) 0:38

Herman Lubinsky and Parker abruptly stop the take as Davis plays the "Cherokee" melody
16 Ko Ko (take 2 (master)) (C. Parker) 2:53

1 Billie's Bounce (take 1)
12" LP: Savoy MG 12079, SJL 1107, S5J 5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB 50400 (= COCB 53436), Definitive DRCD 11148

2 Billie's Bounce (take 2 (inc))
12" LP: Savoy MG 12079, S5J 5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB 50400 (= COCB 53436), Definitive DRCD 11148

3 Billie's Bounce (take 3)
12" LP: Savoy MG 12079, S5J 5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB 50400 (= COCB 53436), Definitive DRCD 11148

4 Warming Up a Riff (incomplete)
78 rpm: Savoy 945
45 rpm: Savoy XP 8001, Savoy 45-302
10" LP: Savoy MG 9000
12" LP: Savoy MG 12014, MG 12079, SJL 2201, S5J 5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB 50400 (= COCB 53436), Definitive DRCD 11148, Philology Volume 43 (W 874)

5 Billie's Bounce (take 4 (inc))
12" LP: Savoy MG 12079, S5J 5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB 50400 (= COCB 53436), Definitive DRCD 11148

6 Billie's Bounce (take 5 (master))
78 rpm: Savoy 573, 918
45 rpm: Savoy XP 8000, Savoy 45-304
10" LP: Savoy MG 9001
12" LP: Savoy MG 12009, MG 12079, SJL 2201, S5J 5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB 50400 (= COCB 53436), Definitive DRCD 11148

7 Now's the Time (take 1 (fs))
12" LP: Savoy MG 12079, S5J 5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB 50400 (= COCB 53436), Definitive DRCD 11148

8 Now's the Time (take 2 (fs))
12" LP: Savoy MG 12079, S5J 5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB 50400 (= COCB 53436), Definitive DRCD 11148

9 Now's the Time (take 3)
12" LP: Savoy MG 12079, SJL 1107, S5J 5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB 50400 (= COCB 53436), Definitive DRCD 11148

10 Now's the Time (take 4 (master))
78 rpm: Savoy 573, 918
45 rpm: Savoy XP 8000, Savoy 45-300
10" LP: Savoy MG 9000
12" LP: Savoy MG 12001, MG 12079, SJL 2201, S5J 5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB 50400 (= COCB 53436), Definitive DRCD 11148

11 Anthropology (take 1)
12" LP: Savoy MG 12079, SJL 1107, S5J 5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB 50400 (= COCB 53436), Definitive DRCD 11148

12 Anthropology (take 2 (inc))
12" LP: Savoy MG 12079, S5J 5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB 50400 (= COCB 53436), Definitive DRCD 11148

13 Anthropology (take 3 (master))
78 rpm: Savoy 945
45 rpm: Savoy XP 8006, Savoy 45-306
10" LP: Savoy MG 9001
12" LP: Savoy MG 12009, MG 12079, SJL 2201, S5J 5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB 50400 (= COCB 53436), Definitive DRCD 11148

14 Meandering (incomplete)
12" LP: Savoy MG 12079, SJL 2201, S5J 5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB 50400 (= COCB 53436), Definitive DRCD 11148

15 Ko Ko (take 1 (fs))
12" LP: Savoy MG 12079, S5J 5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB 50400 (= COCB 53436), Definitive DRCD 11148, Philology Volume 43 (W 874)

16 Ko Ko (take 2 (master))
78 rpm: Savoy 597, 916
45 rpm: Savoy XP 8001, XP 8097, Savoy 45-311
10" LP: Savoy MG 9000, MG 9034
12" LP: Savoy MG 12014, MG 12079, SJL 2201, S5J 5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB 50400 (= COCB 53436), Definitive DRCD 11148, Philology Volume 43 (W 874)

At the time of this session Gillespie was under contract to Musicraft Records, so he's listed as "Hen Gates."

John Mehegan's "Special Notes and Commentary" to the original LP release (Savoy MG-12079) are the source of much confusion about this date. He claims, for example that Bud Powell is the pianist, when in fact Powell was states away recovering from a breakdown. And the Savoy notes also state, apropos of "Ko Ko"

Thornton says he played piano during the intro and coda (while Dizzy played trumpet) and then moved over so that Dizzy could accompany Parker. Teddy Reig, who produced the recording session, says, "Dizzy plays trumpet on the opening and then goes to the piano and we put in the drum solo so Dizzy would have a chance to get back for the ending."

Many discographies accept these claims -- even Larry Koch writes, "Gillespie is the trumpet player on this first chorus, as the line proved a bit much for the young Miles" (Yardbird Suite, p. 73) -- but Tommaso Urbano has patiently laid out the aural evidence, concluding that it is Davis, not Gillespie, playing trumpet on "Ko Ko." He also argues that, although Gillespie plays the piano introduction on take 1 of "Thriving on a Riff," it is Argonne Thornton on the second and third take. See his excellect website, The Music of Miles.

Although Davis seems unsure of himself in places, his style and harmonic sense is already present -- listen especially to his playing on "Now's the Time" and "Thriving on a Riff."
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