Charlie Parker at the Pershing

[Guy Berger]

Hey guys,

I have a question about the Charlie Parker sextet session @ the Pershing Hotel included in the Complete Savoy Recordings 4CD box (disc 4). The box claims this is from the October 1950 Pershing date. However, Pete Losin's sessionography, which I am inclined to trust more, throws cold water on this date and says the recording is from a later date at the Pershing (February 1951). Are my instincts to trust Losin sound?

http://www.plosin.com/MilesAhead/BirdSessions.aspx?s=510211

"These six items have usually been dated October 23, 1950, but the correct date is apparently February 11, 1951. Parker, booked with his Strings ar Johnny Brown's Club in Pittsburgh, has the night off and flies in to play a dance at the Pershing Ballroom."

[medjuck]

Hey guys,

I have a question about the Charlie Parker sextet session @ the Pershing Hotel included in the Complete Savoy Recordings 4CD box (disc 4). The box claims this is from the October 1950 Pershing date. However, Pete Losin's sessionography, which I am inclined to trust more, throws cold water on this date and says the recording is from a later date at the Pershing (February 1951). Are my instincts to trust Losin sound?

http://www.plosin.com/MilesAhead/BirdSessions.aspx?s=510211

"These six items have usually been dated October 23, 1950, but the correct date is apparently February 11, 1951. Parker, booked with his Strings ar Johnny Brown's Club in Pittsburgh, has the night off and flies in to play a dance at the Pershing Ballroom."

I would say "yes" not just because Pete has proven to be reliable but also because his discography is on-line. I know that goes against

everything you read but one of the big advantages of being on-line is that you can easily make changes when new research makes corrections

necessary. I mean what are the going to do with the cd box: mail out new liner notes

Edited August 16, 2013 by medjuck

[John L]

That's interesting. This session has long been a source of discographical confusion.

Losin still lists the October 23, 1950 session at the Perishing with the same band as the February 11, 1951 session, except with Von Freeman on tenor sax instead of Claude McLin.

I am not sure how much confidence we should have in this. As far as I know, the rest of the October 23rd Perishing session (other than the part in question that might not be from that session) is only heads and Bird solos. So establishing Von Freeman on tenor would seem to be a nontrivial task.

[John Litweiler]

Von always denied that he was on this album. According to the source I trust, http://myweb.clemson.edu/~campber/mclin.html, one of the songs is a Claude McLin song. Also, McLin's presence and the Oct. 23, 1950 date are accurate. Von did play on some other recordings without Bird that night.

[Clunky]

Von always denied that he was on this album. According to the source I trust, http://myweb.clemson.edu/~campber/mclin.html, one of the songs is a Claude McLin song. Also, McLin's presence and the Oct. 23, 1950 date are accurate. Von did play on some other recordings without Bird that night.

Thanks for that fascinating link