Session details: Hi-Hat Club (June 14, 1953)

Charlie Parker session details

June 14, 1953 (7 items; TT = 21:27)

Hi-Hat Club, Boston MA

WCOP-AM radio broadcast (B)

Show chatter

Charlie Parker (as); Herb Pomeroy (tpt); Dean Earl (p); Bernie Griggs (b); Bill "Baggy" Grant (d); Symphony Sid Torin (ann)

1	Announcement (Symphony Sid Torin, Parker)	0:40
	SS: "Yutfagel, it's awfully nice having you. We discussed this once before this week..." CP: "Yes, Sid, it's always a pleasure to be back in Boston, too." SS: "You like Boston, don't you?" CP: "Of course." SS: "You like it as much as I do?" CP: "I think so." SS: "Well, I'm makin' this my home, Dad." CP: "Yeah, well I already started building a home elsewhere, but I mean if I hadn't started already I most likely would pick this too." SS (laughs): "Well, it's nice of you to say that. Bird, it's been a pleasure to have you here all of this week, and way up until 1:00 this morning. What are we gonna do first?" CP: "Oh, I don't know, I think we’ll start the brewin' with some 'Cool Blues'." SS: "You want some 'Cool Blues'? All right, Dad, blow...
2	Cool Blues (C. Parker)	5:34
	Parker has some reed trouble early, but plays a very good eight-chorus solo, during which he quotes from "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle" from the first act of Bizet's Carmen (1:20-1:24). Parker, Pomeroy, and Grant exchanges following Earl';s solo (4:29-4:51), after which Grant takes a short solo
3	Introduction (Symphony Sid Torin)	0:11
	"Now we'd like to do one of the very famous things that you all ask for when you call for Charlie Parker. Here's 'Scrapple from the Apple'..."
4	Scrapple from the Apple (C. Parker)	7:01
	Parker blows a nice, if somewhat repetitive, ten-chorus solo. Parker, Pomeroy, and Grant exchanges following Earl's solo (5:42-6:12), after which Grant takes a short solo
5	Introduction (Symphony Sid Torin, Parker)	0:57
	SS: "These are Boston boys, aren't they?" CP: "Yes, Sidney, everybody here is local talent. I'm very well satisfied with it, too -- I enjoyed myself tremendously during the week I was here." SS: "Who do we have on trumpet?" CP: "Herb Pomeroy." SS: "How 'bout a big hand..." CP: "Very accomplished trumpet player..." SS: "On piano?" CP: "That's Davy... [unidentified band member says 'Earl, Dean Earl....'] ...Earl." SS: "Dean Earl." CP: "Dean Earl, Dean Earl on piano... Bernie Griggs on bass... And Bill Grant on drums. A rousing round of applause for the whole band, ladies and gentlemen..." SS: "Go ahead, baby, you take over. Go ahead..." CP: "Well, Sidney, I thought we would keep the program underway by playing a tune I've had requests for during last night and none's come in so far today but anyway, before they do, we'll continue the program with 'Laura'..."
6	Laura (D. Raskin-J. Mercer)	6:34
	Parker is alone for opening and closing choruses, but there are solos by Pomeroy, Earl, and Griggs. Pomeroy plays muted obbligatos during the closing theme
7	Closing announcement (Symphony Sid Torin)	0:30
	"Ah, that was beautiful. I hope you enjoyed that as much outside as we did here. Listening to the fellas of rhythm, Charlie Parker [undecipherable], makes for a real beautiful, beautiful sound. And don't forget, Bird will be here right up until one o'clock this morning, so if you've got eyes for musical entertainment, this is the spot for you. Don't forget the Hi-Hat, at the jazz corner of Boston, Columbus and Mass Avenue, where there's never a cover charge, where you can sit back and relax and really dig the great Yutfagel, Charlie Parker..."


1 Announcement (Symphony Sid Torin, Parker) CD: Stash STCD 21, Fresh Sounds FSCD 1006, Philology Volume 45 (W 876), Frémeaux & Associés FA 1343
2 Cool Blues 12" LP: Stash ST 280 CD: Stash STCD 21, Fresh Sounds FSCD 1006, Philology Volume 45 (W 876), Frémeaux & Associés FA 1343
3 Introduction (Symphony Sid Torin) CD: Stash STCD 21, Fresh Sounds FSCD 1006, Philology Volume 45 (W 876), Frémeaux & Associés FA 1343
4 Scrapple from the Apple CD: Stash STCD 21, Fresh Sounds FSCD 1006, Philology Volume 45 (W 876), Frémeaux & Associés FA 1343
5 Introduction (Symphony Sid Torin, Parker) CD: Stash STCD 21, Fresh Sounds FSCD 1006, Philology Volume 45 (W 876), Frémeaux & Associés FA 1343
6 Laura CD: Stash STCD 21, Fresh Sounds FSCD 1006, Philology Volume 45 (W 876), Frémeaux & Associés FA 1343
7 Closing announcement (Symphony Sid Torin) CD: Stash STCD 21, Fresh Sounds FSCD 1006, Philology Volume 45 (W 876), Frémeaux & Associés FA 1343

Two additional tunes ("Cheryl" and "Ornithology") are often placed with these, but given the quotation from "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" during Parker's solo on "Ornithology," I suspect that the date for these three titles is really closer to Christmas. There is a lot of uncertainty about the dates for these 1952-1954 Boston live sessions.

Parker was booked at Boston venues on the following dates during this period: April 12, 1951, Christy's Tavern, Framingham; May 28-June 3, 1951: Hi-Hat Club; March 3-9, 1952, Hi-Hat Club; December 8-14, 1952: Hi-Hat Club; March 9-15, 1953: Storyville Club; June 8-14, 1953: Hi-Hat Club; September 21-27, 1953: Storyville Club; October 25, 1953: Jordan Hall (Parker with Strings); January 18-24, 1954: Hi-Hat Club; February 9, 1954: Worcester Memorial Auditorium, Worcester (Festival of Modern American Jazz September 26, 1954: Boston Arena (Birdland Stars of 1954).

The drummer is usually misidentified (as on Fresh Sound) as Bill Graham.

I am gratefule to Jon Foley and Matteo Danovaro for help with this session.