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Charlie Parker session details

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May 8, 1947 (16 items; TT = 31:22)
Harris Smith Studio, New York NY
Commercial for Savoy

Charlie Parker (as); Miles Davis (tpt); Earl "Bud" Powell (p); Tommy Potter (b); Max Roach (d)
1 Donna Lee (take 1 (fs)) (C. Parker) 0:14
2 Donna Lee (take 2) (C. Parker) 2:58
3 Donna Lee (take 3) (C. Parker) 2:30
4 Donna Lee (take 4) (C. Parker) 2:34
5 Donna Lee (take 5 (master)) (C. Parker) 2:30
6 Chasin' the Bird (take 1) (C. Parker) 2:54
7 Chasin' the Bird (take 2 (fs)) (C. Parker) 0:18
8 Chasin' the Bird (take 3) (C. Parker) 2:55
9 Chasin' the Bird (take 4 (master)) (C. Parker) 2:44
10 Cheryl (take 1) (C. Parker) 0:04
11 Cheryl (take 2 (master)) (C. Parker) 2:55

Parker plays the "Cool Blues" theme during his solo (0:47-0:51)
12 Buzzy (take 1) (C. Parker) 2:53
13 Buzzy (take 2 (inc)) (C. Parker) 0:32
14 Buzzy (take 3) (C. Parker) 2:35
15 Buzzy (take 4 (inc)) (C. Parker) 0:17
16 Buzzy (take 5 (master)) (C. Parker) 2:29

1 Donna Lee (take 1 (fs))
12" LP: Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Definitive DRCD 11148, Philology Volume 60 (W 891), Frémeaux & Associés FA 1333

2 Donna Lee (take 2)
12" LP: Savoy MG-12001, SJL-1107, S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Definitive DRCD 11148, Philology Volume 60 (W 891), Frémeaux & Associés FA 1333

3 Donna Lee (take 3)
12" LP: Savoy MG-12001, SJL 1129, S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Definitive DRCD 11148, Philology Volume 60 (W 891), Frémeaux & Associés FA 1333

4 Donna Lee (take 4)
12" LP: Savoy MG-12001, SJL 1129, S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Definitive DRCD 11148, Philology Volume 60 (W 891), Frémeaux & Associés FA 1333

5 Donna Lee (take 5 (master))
78 rpm: Savoy 652, 928
45 rpm: Savoy XP 8001, Savoy 45-312
10" LP: Savoy MG-9000, Craft Recordings 8807209696-7
12" LP: Savoy MG 12014, SJL 2201, S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Definitive DRCD 11148, Philology Volume 60 (W 891), Frémeaux & Associés FA 1333

6 Chasin' the Bird (take 1)
12" LP: Savoy MG-12001, SJL-1107, S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Definitive DRCD 11148, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1333

7 Chasin' the Bird (take 2 (fs))
12" LP: Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Definitive DRCD 11148, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1333

8 Chasin' the Bird (take 3)
12" LP: Savoy MG 12014, SJL 2201, S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Definitive DRCD 11148, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1333

9 Chasin' the Bird (take 4 (master))
78 rpm: Savoy 977
45 rpm: Savoy XP 8002, Savoy 45-301
10" LP: Savoy MG-9000, Craft Recordings 8807209696-7
12" LP: Savoy MG 12014, SJL 2201, S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Definitive DRCD 11148, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1333

10 Cheryl (take 1)
12" LP: Savoy MG-12001, S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Definitive DRCD 11148, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1333

11 Cheryl (take 2 (master))
78 rpm: Savoy 952
45 rpm: Savoy XP 8003, Savoy 45-301
10" LP: Savoy MG-9001, Craft Recordings 8807209696-7
12" LP: Savoy MG-12001, SJL 2201, S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Definitive DRCD 11148, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1333

12 Buzzy (take 1)
12" LP: Savoy MG 12009, SJL-1107, S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Definitive DRCD 11148, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1333

13 Buzzy (take 2 (inc))
12" LP: Savoy MG-12001, S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Definitive DRCD 11148, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1333

14 Buzzy (take 3)
12" LP: Savoy MG-12001, SJL 1129, S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Definitive DRCD 11148, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1333

15 Buzzy (take 4 (inc))
12" LP: Savoy MG-12001, S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Definitive DRCD 11148, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1333

16 Buzzy (take 5 (master))
78 rpm: Savoy 652, 928
45 rpm: Savoy XP 8002, Savoy 45-302
10" LP: Savoy MG-9001, Craft Recordings 8807209696-7
12" LP: Savoy MG-12001, SJL 2201, S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia COCY 75791/8, COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Definitive DRCD 11148, Frémeaux & Associés FA 1333

"Donna Lee" (named for Curley Russell's daughter) is credited to Parker on the original issue and many subsequent ones, but it is clearly Davis' tune. Parker fluffs the theme repeatedly in take 1. Davis plays open trumpet throughout this session, and he's got his own voice, free of the Gillespie influence. In general, both his playing and Parker's is better on the early takes than on later ones.
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