| Tunes |
frequency
A>B>C |
Example of Bird's performance |
CDs including Original tunes |
Comment |
| Estrellita NEW |
B |
Scrapple from the Apple (Jul 8, 1952 / Jirayr Zorthian's ranch, Altadena CA) |
"Charlie Parker / Fiesta" Verve |
One of latin standards composed by Manuel Maria Ponce in 1912. |
| Star Eyes NEW |
C |
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (Feb 18, 1950 / St. Nicholas Arena, NY ) |
"Charlie Parker / Swedish Schnapps" Verve |
Music by Don Raye and Gene De Paul for the 1943 movie "I Dood It". |
| I Can't Get Started NEW |
B |
Cool Blues (Jul 26, 1953 / Open Door, NY) |
"Carmen McRae / By Special Request" Decca |
Music by Vernon Duke, word by Ira Gershwin for the revue "Ziegfeld Follies of 1936". |
| Rain on the Roof NEW |
B |
52nd Street Theme - 1st set (Jul 26, 1953 / Open Door, NY) |
"Sue Raney / Songs for a Raney Day" Capitol Records |
Music by Ann Ronell in 1932. |
| Can't Help Lovin' That Man NEW |
C |
The Way You Look Tonight (Jul 6-11, 1948 / Onyx, NY) |
"Clifford Brown / Clifford Brown with Strings" Emarcy |
Music by Jerome Kern, words by Oscar Hammerstein II for the 1936 musical "Show Boat". |
| Charmaine NEW |
C |
Oo Bop Sh'Bam (Jan 22, 1949 / Royal Roost, NY ) |
"Mantovani / The Romantic Strings of Mantovani" Castle Pulse |
Music by Erno Rapee, words by Lew Pollack for the 1926 silent movie "What Price Glory?". |
| Kleine Kammermusik fur 5 Blaser Op.24-2 NEW |
C |
My Old Flame (Jul 6-11, 1948 / Onyx, NY) |
"Quintett.Wien / Hindemith, Ligeti, Nielsen" Nimbus Records |
Composed by Paul Hindemith in 1922 for wind quintet. |
| An der schonen, blauen Donau, op.314 (On the Beautiful, Blue Danube) |
C |
Perdido (May 15, 1953 / Massey Hall, Toronto) |
"Wiener Volksopernorchester, Franz Bauer-Theussl / VIENNA WALTZES" PHILIPS |
One of the famous Waltzes composed by Johann Strauss II in 1867. |
| Ray's Idea |
C |
The Serpent's Tooth (Jan 30, 1953 / WOR Studio, NY) |
"Dizzy Gillespie / Shaw 'Nuff" Musicraft |
A be-bop tune composed by Ray Brown and Walter Fuller. |
| Jingle Bells |
B |
Chasin' the Bird (Jul 6-11, 1948 / Onyx, NY)
*
White Christmas (Dec 25, 1948 / Royal Roost, NY) |
"Bing Crosby / White Christmas" MCA |
Composed by organist and choir director James Pierpont in 1857 for Thanksgiving. and it was spreaded as one of the populer Christmas Carols. |
| Cool Blues |
B |
Half Nelson (Mar 31, 1948 / Three Deuces, NY) |
"Charlie Parker / The Complete Dial Sessions" Stash |
Composed by Charlie Parker. Originally recorded on Dial in 1947. |
| Lady Bird |
C |
Blue 'n' Boogie (Mar 31, 1951 / Birdland, NY) |
"The Fabulous Fats Navarro Vol.2" Blue Note |
Composed by Tadd Dameron. |
| A Table in a Corner |
C |
Embraceable You (Oct 28, 1947 / WOR Studio, NY) |
"Jack Teagarden / And His Orchestra 1939-1940" Classics |
Music by Dana Suesse, words by Sam Coslow in 1939. |
| Peanuts Vendor (El Manisero) |
C |
I'll Remember April (May 15-16, 1950 / Birdland, NY) |
"Stan Kenton / The Progressive Years 1941-1947" Jazz Legends |
One of the famous Cuban songs. The arrangement by Moises Simon was recorded in 1928. In New York, Don Azpiazu and his Havana Casino orchestra recorded in 1931, and sold over one million copies in under two years. Featured in the 1931 film "The Cuban Love Song". This Latin sound were wildly successful novelties to American audiences. |
| Fare Thee Well, Annabelle |
C |
The Squirrel (Jun 16, 1952 / Trade Winds Club, Inglewood, CA) |
"Charlie Barnet / And His Orchestra 1933-1936" Classics |
Music by Allie Wrubel, words by Mort Dixon. It was featured in the 1935 film "Sweet Music" and sung by Rudy Vallee. |
| The Irish Washerwoman |
C |
Warming Up a Riff (Nov 26, 1945 / WOR Studio, NY) |
"Pure Irish - The Ultimate St-Patrick's Day Celebration" St.Clair Entertainment Group Inc. |
One of the popular traditional Irish Jigs. |
| Temptation |
A |
Anthropology (May 31, 1953 / Birdland, NY) |
"Charlie Parker Big Band" Verve |
Music by Nacio Herb Brown, words by Arthur Freed. It was featured in the 1933 film "Going Hollywood" and sung by Bing Crosby. |
| Let's Fall in Love |
B |
Moose the Mooche (May 9, 1953 / Birdland, NY) |
"Lee Wiley / Songbooks & Quiet Sensuality 1933-1951" Jazz Legends |
Music by Harold Arlen, words by Ted Koehler from 1933 film of the same name. |
| Buster Smith's solo from "Baby, Look at You" |
A |
I Can't Believe that You're in Love with Me (August 1951 / Lennie Tristano's house, NY) |
"Pete Johnson / 1938-1939"Classics |
Bird quotes Smith's lick of the recording in 1939. |
| An American in Paris |
C |
How High the Moon (Nov 1, 1952 / Birdland, NY) |
"George Gershwin / An American in Paris"Avid Records |
Composed by George Gershwin in 1928. It was used in the 1951 Academy Award winning film of the same name. |
| 25 Daily Exercises For Saxophone No.23 |
A |
Out of Nowhere (Jul 26, 1953 / Open Door, NY) |
"H.Klose / 25 Daily Exercises For Saxophone"Carl Fischer (Books) |
Instructional book for saxophone composed by Hyacinthe Eleanore Klose. |
| Fantaisie op.49 |
A |
52nd Street Theme - 3rd set (Jul 26, 1953 / Open Door, NY)
*
Cool Blues (Mar 8, 1953 / Howard Theater, Washington DC) |
"Zimerman, Pollini, Ugorski / Chopin Complete Edition: Ballades, Etudes"Deutsche Grammophon |
Composed by Frederic Chopin in 1841. |
| Squaty Roo |
A |
Well, You Needn't (Jul 11, 1948 / Onyx, NY) |
"Ellington's Small Units" Jazz Archives |
Composed by Johnny Hogdes. |
| Dardanella |
C |
Cherokee (1943? / Vic Damon Studio, Kansas City, KS) |
"Jazz Tribune No.48 The Indispensable Bix Beiderbecke (1924-1930)" RCA |
Music by Felix Bernard and Johnny S. Black, words by Fred Fisher in 1919. |
| Reuben and Rachel |
C |
52nd Street Theme (3rd set Jul 26, 1953 / Open Door, NY) |
"Children's Sing-A-Long Favorites" Madacy |
One of child's songs, words by Harry Birch, music by William Gooch in 1871. |
| Baby Bumblebee |
C |
52nd Street Theme (3rd set Jul 26, 1953 / Open Door, NY) |
"Children's Sing-A-Long Favorites" Madacy |
One of child's songs. It is not clear what is the origin of this song. |
| Pop Goes the Weasel |
B |
A Night in Tunisia (Jul 11, 1948 / Onyx, NY) |
"Children's Sing-A-Long Favorites" Madacy |
One of child's songs. It is not clear what is the origin of this song. Some scholors states it was popular child's singing game in Britain, and the Pilgrims brought it in America in 1620. Some associates it with a country dance. |
| The Man on the Flying Trapeze |
B |
Wahoo (Feb 14, 1950 / Birdland, NY) |
"Children's Sing-A-Long Favorites" Madacy |
One of the populer songs in 1867, Written by George Leybourne, Music by Gaston Lyle. It was featured in the 1934 film "It Happened One Night".
|
| Coctails for Two |
C |
Warming Up a Riff (Nov 26, 1945 / WOR Studio, NY) |
"Jazz Tribune No.4 Benny Carter" RCA |
Composed by Arthur Johnston and Sam Coslow for the 1934 movie "Murder at the Vanities". |
| Dizzy Fingers |
B |
52nd Street Theme (Jul 6-11, 1948 / Onyx, NY) |
"Zez Confrey / Piano Rolls and Scores" Warner Classics |
One of the famous novelty ragtime piano tunes in 1923 composed by Zez Confrey. |
| Johnny Hodges' alto brake from a 1937 Lionel Hampton recording of "Whoa Babe" |
A |
Moose the Mooche(Mar 30, 1953 / BandBox, NY) |
"Lionel Hampton / Hommage 1937 - 1951" Jazz Archives |
Bird quotes Johnny's solo brake of the recording "Whoa Babe" in 1937. |
| Tea For Two |
A |
Cherokee (maybe Sep 1942 / Kansas City, KS) |
"The Genius of Bud Powell" Verve |
Music by Vincent Youmans, Words by Irving Caesar from the 1925 musical "No, No, Nanette". Bird often quotes it for the bridge of "Cherokee". |
| The Song is You |
B |
Ornithology (Sep 20, 1952 / Birdland, NY) |
"Charlie Parker / Now's the Time" Verve |
Music by Jerome Kern, Words by Oscar Hammerstein II from the 1932 musical "Music in The Air". |
| Poinciana (Song of the Tree) |
B |
Ornithology (Feb 18, 1950 / St. Nicholas Arena, NY) |
"Ahmad Jamal / at the Pershing : But Not for Me" Chess |
Music by Nat Simon, Words by Buddy Bernier in 1936. |
| Why Was I Born? |
A |
Little Willie Leaps (Dec 25, 1949 / Royal Roost, NY) |
"Jackie McLean / 4 5 and 6" Prestige |
Music by Jerome Kern, Words by Oscar Hammerstein II for the 1929 musical "Sweet Adeline". |
| Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town |
C |
Ornithology (Nov 11-23, 1947 / Argyle Lounge, Chicago) |
"Bill Evans / Trio 64" Verve |
One of the populer Christmas Carols. Music by J. Fred Cootss, Words by Haven Gillespie in 1934. |
| I'll Remember April |
B |
Rocker (Sep 16, 1950 / Carnegie Hall, NY) |
"Erroll Garner / Concert by the Sea" Sony Records |
Music by Gene DePaul, Words by Don Raye and Pat Johnston, from the 1942 Western Musical Comedy "Ride 'em Cowboy". |
| Isn't It Romantic? |
B |
Scrapple from the Apple (Jul 26, 1953 / Open Door, NY) |
"Tal Farlow / Tal" Verve |
Music by Richard Rodgers, Words by Lorenz Hart from the 1932 musical "Love Me Tonight". |
| Tenderly |
A |
Ornithology (Jan 18, 1954 / Hi-Hat Club, Boston) |
"Sarah Vaughan / Perdido! Live at Birdland, 1953" Natasha Imports |
Music by Walter Gross, Words by Jack Lawrence in 1946. |
| Lester Young's solo from "John's Idea" |
C |
Sepian Bounce (Jul 2, 1942 / NY) |
"Lester Young / PREZ'S HAT Vol.13" Philology |
Bird quotes Lester's solo phrase from the live performance at Pittsburg, Chatterbox Room (Feb 8, 1937). |
| Tico Tico (Tico-Tico no fuba) |
B |
This Time the Dream's on Me (Jul 10, 1948 / Onyx, NY) |
"THE COMPLETE CHARLIE PARKER ON VERVE" Verve |
Music by Zequinha de Abreu in 1917. Words by Eurico Barreiros. One of the most popular Brazilian Choro songs. It was introduced in the United States by Carmen Miranda in the 1947 film "Copacabana". |
| O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fidelis) |
B |
Little Willie Leaps (Feb 14, 1950 / Royal Roost, NY) |
"The Joy of Christmas with Leonard Bernstein - Mormon Tabernacle Choir : New York Philharmonic" Sony Music Entertainment |
One of the most popular christmas carols, first published in John Francis Wade's "Cantus Diversi" in 1751. |
| Over There |
B |
The Song is You (Jul 26, 1953 / Open Door, NY) |
"OVER THERE 1942" Phontastic |
The America's popular World War 1 song composed by George M. Cohan in 1917. The 1918 Nora Bayes recording made it a national hit. |
| Humoresque Op.101-7 |
C |
Moose the Mooche (Sep 26, 1952 / Rockland Palace Ballroom, NY) |
"Isaac Stern / Humoresque - Favorite Violin Encores" CBS Records |
Composed by Antonin Dovorak in 1894. |
| Buttons and Bows |
A |
Oop Bop Sh'bam (Jan 22, 1949/ Royal Roost, NY) |
"A PROPER Introduction to Dinah Shore" PROPER RECORDS |
The Academy Award winning song composed by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston from 1948 comedy western movie "The Paleface". |
| Louis Armstrong's intro from "West End Blues" |
A |
Cheryl (Dec 25, 1949 / Carnegie Hall, NY) |
"The Best of Louis Armstrong : The Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings" COLUMBIA/LEGACY |
Bird quotes Louis' intro from this recording in 1928. |
| Clair de Lune |
C |
Body and Soul (Nov 24, 1950 / Folkets Park, Helsingborg, Sweden) |
"Monique Haas / Debussy : Les Plus Belles Pages de le Piano" ERATO |
Composed by Claude Debussy from suite "Bergamasque" No.3 in 1905. |
| If You Could See Me Now |
C |
Embraceable You (May 15-16, 1950 / Birdland, NY) |
"Tadd Dameron and His Orchestra / The Magic Touch" Riverside |
Composed by Tadd Dameron in 1946. |
| If I Love Again |
B |
Cool Blues (Jul 26, 1953 / Open Door, NY) |
"Charlie Parker Big Band" Verve |
Music by Ben Oakland, Words by Jack Murray from the 1932 musical "Hold Your Horses". |
| Lester Young's solo from "Lester Leaps in" (2) |
B |
I Found a New Baby (Nov 30, 1940 / Trocadero Ballroom, Wichita KS) |
"A Lester Young Story - Jazz Archives 48" Jazz Archives |
On "I Found a New Baby" in 1940 Bird quotes Lester's solo phrase of the recording "Lester Leaps in" in 1939. And he also quotes it on "Lester Leaps in" in 1952. |
| I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair |
C |
Jumpin' with Symphony Sid (Dec 14, 1952/Hi-Hat, Boston) |
"Roger Wagner Chorale / Beautiful Dreamer - Stephen Foster Favorites" Eastworld |
One of the populer American folk songs composed by Stephen Collins Foster in 1854. |
| The Kerry Dancers |
A |
All the Things You are (Oct 23, 1950 / Pershing Hotel Ballroom, Chicago) |
"Jonny Griffin / The Kerry Dancers and other swinging folk" Riverside |
One of the popular Irish folk songs, written by James Lynam Molloy in 1879. |
| Lester Young's solo from "Honeysuckle Rose" |
C |
Honeysuckle Rose (Nov 30, 1940 / Trocadero Ballroom, Wichita KS) |
"A Lester Young Story - Jazz Archives 48" Jazz Archives |
Bird quotes Lester's solo phrase of the recording in 1937. |
| Lester Young's solo from "Lester Leaps in" |
C |
Oh, Lady be Good (Nov 30, 1940 / Trocadero Ballroom, Wichita KS) |
"Lester Young Memorial Album" Epic Records |
Bird quotes Lester's solo opening phrase of the recording "Lester Leaps in" in 1939 on his solo opening. |
| Coleman Hawkins' solo from "Body and Soul" |
C |
Body and Soul (Nov 30, 1940 / Trocadero Ballroom, Wichita KS) |
"Jazz Tribune No.52 The Indispensable Coleman Hawkins (1927-1956)" RCA |
Bird quotes Hawkins' solo phrase of the recording "Body and Soul" in 1939 on his playing the same tune. |
| Waltz No.6 in D flat major, op64 No.1 "Valse de Petit Chien" (aka The Minute Waltz) |
C |
Chasin' the Bird (Mar 12, 1949 / Royal Roost, NY) |
"Vladimir Ashkenazy / Chanson de L'adieu - Chopin Piano Favourites" Decca |
Composed by Frederic Chopin in 1846. |
| As Time Goes by |
C |
What Is This Thing Called Love (Sep 16, 1950 / Carnegie Hall, NY) |
"Billie Holiday / Strange Fruit" Commodre Records |
Composed and Words by Herman Hupfeld from the 1931 show "Everybody's Welcome". It is famous as the theme tune of the film "Casablanca" in 1942. |
| Danses des Cygnes |
C |
Hot House (Feb 18, 1950 / St. Nicholas Arena, NY) |
"Philharmonia Orch. - Kurtz / Tchaikovsky: Swanlake - Nutcracker - Sleeping Beauty (Highlights)" EMI Records |
Composed by Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky from his 1877 ballet "Swan Lake". |
| William Tell Overture |
B |
Cool Blues (May 9, 1953 / Bandbox, NY) |
"London Symphony Orch. - Abbado / Rossini Overtures" RCA VICTROLA |
Composed by Gioachino Rossini from his 1829 opera "William Tell". |
| Anitra's Dance |
B |
Be Bop (Feb 12, 1949 / Royal Roost, NY) |
"Berlin Philharmonic Orch. - Karajan / Grieg - Peer Gynt : Sibelius - Finlandia, etc." Deutsche Grammophon |
Composed by Edward Grieg from "Peer Gynt" in 1876. |
| A Hot Time in the Old Town |
C |
Salt Peanuts (Jan 22, 1949 / Royal Roost, NY) |
"The 1890s, Volume 2 : Wear Yer Bran' New Gown" Archeophone Records |
A ragtime tune composed by Theodore A. Metz in 1896. Words by Joe Hayden. This was a great favorite during the Spanish-American War in 1898 as Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders' anthem . |
| Petrouchka |
B |
Fine and Dandy (Feb 22, 1953 / Kavakos Grill, Washington DC) |
"Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps / Petrouchka - Boulez" Sony Music Japan |
Composed by Igor Stravinsky in 1913. Bird quotes a trumpet part from Scene III "The Moor's Room - Dance of the Ballerina" . |
| A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody |
C |
Jumpin' with Symphony Sid (Jan 22, 1949 / Royal Roost, NY) |
"Irving Berlin in Hollywood"Rhino Movie Music |
Composed by Irving Berlin from 1919 musical "Ziegfeld Follies". And this song won Academy Award for Best Dance Direction on the movie "The Great Ziegfeld" in 1936. |
| Roy Eldridge's solo from a 1938 Chu Berry recording of "Body and Soul" |
B |
Honeysuckle Rose into Body and Soul (probably 1940 / Kansas City) |
"Chu Berry / 1937-1941"Classics |
In "Honey & Body"recording, Bird quotes Roy's solo phrase of the recording "Body and Soul" in 1938. So, This is one of proofs that "Honey & Body" was not recorded in 1937. |
| Mean to Me |
B |
52nd Street Theme (Jul 26, 1953 / Open Door, NY) |
"Charlie Parker / The Complete 1944-1948 Small Group Sessions Vol.1 "blue moon |
Composed by Fred E. Ahlert and Roy Turk in 1929 |
| Shortnin' Bread |
B |
Warming Up a Riff (Nov 26, 1945 / WOR Studio, NY) |
"Alex De Grassi / Now and Then - Folk Songs for the 21st Century -"33rd Street Records |
An afro-american traditional plantation song that enjoyed a revival during the golden days of the radio. Lawrence Tibbett (1896-1960, American baritone) made a famous recording of it. |
| Popeye The Sailor |
C |
All the Things You Are (Mar 31, 1948 / Three Deuces, NY) |
"Toon Tunes: 50 Favorite Classic Cartoon Songs"Kid Rhino |
A theme song of animated character "Popeye" who was introduced to "The Thimble Theater" comic strip in 1929. In 1932, an animated cartoon featuring Popeye was made by Paramount Studios. The cartoon series continued and became even more popular when it was shown on television starting in the 1950s. |
| The Woody Woodpecker Show |
B |
The Way You Look Tonight (Jul 6-11, 1948 / Onyx, NY) |
"Toon Tunes: 50 Favorite Classic Cartoon Songs"Kid Rhino |
A theme song of theatrical animation "Woody Woodpecker", released by Universal in 1940. The theme riff reminds us of unique laugh of main character, a tricksy woodpecker "Woody". |
| Softly as in a Morning Sunrise |
C |
What is This Thing Called Love (June 1952 / Hollywood, LA) |
"Sonny Rollins / A Night at the Village Vanguard"Blue Note |
Composed by Sigmund Romberg, Words by Oscar Hammerstein II, from 1928 musical "New Moon". |
| Habanera (L'amour est un oiseau rebella) |
A |
Hot House (May 15, 1953 / Massey Hall, Toronto) |
"Maria Callas / Callas in Portrait"Toshiba-EMI |
Composed by Georges Bizet from his 1875 opera "Carmen". |
| Country Gardens |
C |
Out of Nowhere (May 8-9, 1949 / Salle Pleyel, Paris) |
"Grainger Plays Greig & Grainger" Vanguard Classics |
Composed by Percy Grainger in 1918.This tune was based on an English Morris Dance Tune. It was also often used as a tag of Birds bands play. |
| High Society |
A |
Warming Up a Riff (Nov 26, 1945 / WOR Studio, NY) |
"Jazz Tribune No.20 Young Louis Armstrong (1930-1933)" RCA |
One of the famous ragtime tune composed by Porter Steele in 1901. |
| Le Sacre du Printemps |
C |
Salt Peanuts (May 8-9, 1949 / Salle Pleyel, Paris) |
"Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps / Petrouchka - Boulez" Sony Music Japan |
Composed by Igor Stravinsky in 1913. |
To be continued...