Ira Gitler on Parker's Moods

Ira Gitler is a national jazz treasure. Each time we talk (which is often), the esteemed author, liner-notes writer, reviewer and historian sheds light on a jazz recording, artist or event with fresh detail and stories. Like Woody Allen's Leonard Zelig, Ira seems to have been at every major turning point in jazz history, an eyewitness to events most of us can only listen to or read about. Ira's books Swing to Bop and Masters of Bebop bear this out, and both are essential reading, as are his other works. [Photo by David Sokol]

During one of our recent chats, I wondered aloud if Ira knew the origins of Charlie Parker's more obscure song titles. Ira is a hard-core bebopper dating back to hearing Dizzy Gillespie and J.J. Johnson on 52d Street in the mid-1940s. His response to my request was, "Sure, let's do it." 

Here's Ira Gitler on the meaning of 17 Charlie Parker recordings:

Another Hair-do (1947)—In Bob Porter's liner notes to The Complete Charlie Parker on Savoy, Bob quotes Savoy Records producer Teddy Reig [pictured]: "That was just Bird's way of saying it was the same old thing with a new look." The song is a blues—same old thing with a new hair-do.

Barbados (1948)—When Reig wanted to avoid Savoy's owner Herman Lubinsky, he says in Bob Porter's notes, he'd head out to Brooklyn. Reig said, "I had a friend [there] named Otto Wilkinson. His family had a print shop, and he had a little record section in the front. Otto was from the islands and the whole Brooklyn scene had a lot of West Indian flavor. So Barbados was named for Otto and that whole thing."

Billie’s Bounce (1945)—was named for Billy Shaw's secretary. Shaw was Bird's manager at the time.

Bloomdido (1950)—For years this song was assumed to have been named for Augie Blume, a jazz enthusiast who dug Bird. But at the time the record was released, I had heard that the title was actually named for Maury Bloom, a jazz disc jockey in Buffalo, N.Y.

Cheryl (1947)—was named for Miles Davis' first child.

Constellation (1948)—is an up-tempo tribute to the Lockheed Constellation, at the time the fastest of the airliners. The first time I flew in one was in the spring of 1947, from St. Louis to New York, at the end of my first year of college.

Dewey Square (1947)—was named for Harlem's Dewey Square Hotel, where Bird was staying at the time.

Donna Lee (1947)—was named for bassist Curly Russell's daughter.

Half Nelson (1947)—technically part of the Miles Davis-led session featuring Bird on tenor sax, this song was named for bassist Nelson Boyd, who was short in stature.

Kim (1952)—was named for Chan's daughter. When Bird married Chan, Kim adopted Parker's name and grew up to be a very hip singer.

Klactoveesedstene (1947)—When Dial Records owner Ross Russell asked Bird what the word meant, Bird said, "It's a sound." 

Klaunstance (1947)—Savoy's Teddy Reig makes a reference to "Klaunevanstance," characterizing it as "one of Bird's weird titles." Klaunstance may have been for a lady whose real name was Constance but was a bit of a clown. 

Laird Baird (1952)—was named for Bird and Chan's son Baird.

Marmaduke (1948)—was named for a cat owned by Doris Parker, Bird's second wife.

Quasimado (1947)—originally misspelled when issued by Dial [pictured], the title wasn't corrected until decades later. The beautiful melody is based on the chord changes to Embraceable You. Of course, the title is named for Quasimodo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, who wasn't very embraceable. I don't know who named the song, but Bird did have a sense of humor.

Sippin’ at Bells (1947)—This is another track recorded with Miles Davis as the leader. According to John Szwed's book, So What: the Life of Miles Davis, Miles' first wife Irene returned to New York, leaving their baby daughter Cheryl with Miles' mother in East St. Louis. Miles and Irene moved into a large apartment between Broadway and Riverside Drive on 147th Street. The apartment was owned by Bob Bell, an East St. Louis guitar player who had married well and whose wife had set him up in business. [Photo of Miles Davis by Herman Leonard/CTSImages.com]

At 147th and Broadway, the Bells owned a cocktail lounge, a restaurant and an ice cream parlor. The Bells had taken the Davises around New York and gave Irene a job as a cashier. In 1944, when Miles would return from his classes at Juilliard, he and Irene would sip ice-cream sodas at Bell's. 

Wee (1947)—When first recorded in 1946, this song was on a Coleman Hawkins' session for RCA Victor as part of an album showcasing musicians who were part of the 52nd Street scene. Tenor saxophonist Allen Eager [pictured] was featured on this number, and producer Leonard Feather named it Allen's Alley. Composer Denzil Best received full credit as the song's composer, but when Parker reintroduced the song a year later, it was called Wee. Perhaps the song title should have been Whee, since the opening note seems to express the sound of that word.

Comments

[Brew]

As a German, and big Charlie Parker fan, I'm fully informed about the true meaning, and origin of "Klact-Oveeseds-Tene":

It is Charlie Parker's onomatopoetic way of saying -- and now, brothers, hold your hats: "Klatschen - Auf Wiedersehen!"

Which is indeed "a sound": Clapping, goodbye! Yes, goodbye for now, because I will be watching the half-final of the soccer world cup: Germany versus Spain ;)

By the way: Hasn't Miles Davis composed "Donna Lee"?

P.S. -- I started a new series at my blog: Greatest Solos (Part 1 is up today). Feel free to click on my name.

[Rab Hines]

Gitler is indeed a treasure, and I wish I had a nickel for every time I came across his name while reading liner notes.

Thanks once again, Marc.

[Ed Leimbacher]

The Big I and the Big O! Ira Gitler and Orrin Keepnews... man, I have been reading and admiring and envying those two guys for 50 years. BeBop lives on in them--them and, to a lesser degree, Dan Morgenstern, who came more from the Mainstream/Swing side of things. God bless the Three Wise, and occasionally prickly, Men of Jazz. Write on! (And, Marc, you keep on quotin'.)

[Danton Volstead]

Gitler is a great guy and true resource.

With respect to the German guy, his "origin" for Klact-Oveeseds-Tene is just wishful thinking. I once lived off the corner of Clarkson and Vestine -- maybe Bird was referring to that intersection? Naaaahhh.

Congrats to Spain while on the subject.

Great interview.

Dan

[Brew]

Come on folks, it's clearly Klatschen (Klact) Auf (O) Wie (wee) dersehn (seds-Tene) ...

http://www.plosin.com/milesAhead/klacto.html

This is an "s", and not an "r".

By the way: Ross Russell's book is very subjective and filled with inaccuracies, as Dizzy stated himself in a German TV show, when he was asked about "Bird Lives" by Mr. George Gruntz, the famous Swiss jazz orchestra leader: "These book is full of lies! - It's all lies in this book!" He was obviously very angry.

And then he started to warm up, and wasn't available for any questions anymore. Hank Jones played the piano then, and yours truly has watched the whole show live (in real time!) on TV.

"Dizzy Gillespie in concert" -- Moderation: George Gruntz -- Stadthalle Leonberg, 1987" -- ZDF Jazz Club.

It's a pity that Clint Eastwood's film "Bird" was founded almost solely on Mr. Russell's book.

[Grant Tietinger]

" ... it's clearly Klatschen (Klact) Auf (O) Wie (wee) dersehn (seds-Tene) ..."

Clearly to you perhaps. I'm German and I think you are REALLY stretching of the point, to be charitable.

Thank you Mr. Myers for these delightful ongoing series of interviews. They are unique in my humble opinion, and I speak as a soi-disant connoisseur.

Great fun, every day! I admire your energy and insights.

(Have and/or will you write a book or compilation?)

GT

[Larry Kart]

What I've always wondered is, how do you say "Klactoveesedstene"? That is, what syllable or syllables is/are emphasized? Given that Bird wrote out the title as "Klact-oveeseds-tene" (this is reproduced on the back of Spotlite LP 105, "Charlie Parker on Dial Vol. 5") I think the likeliest choices would be "Klact-oveeSEDS-tene" or "Klact-oVEEseds-tene." The latter sound more hip/oblique rhythmically, like a Max Roach fill.

[Brew]

Ken Vail is mentioning it in his great book "Bird's Diary" on page 33:

"Bird rarely bothered to name his compositions, but when Ross Russell later pressed for titles for this session Bird came up with an unexplained title for the second number which he wrote out on the back of a Three Deuces $2 minimum charge card - Klact-oveeseds-tene.

Red Rodney maintains that Bird was dabbling with German. Klatschen - clap, applause; Auf wiedersehn - goodbye."

Any questions left? -- I guess no.

Boppin' best,

Brew

[Grant Tietinger]

Booooshwah, my friend. Wishful thinking.

I would be very interested to see the Rodney citation. And even if it is true that " Bird was dabbling with German" it is nowhere near proof that Klact-oveeseds-tene means whatever it is you think it does mean.

Why wouldn't Bird have simply said it was German?

[Clara King]

I wish guys like Gitler and Hentoff and others would go on the lecture tour circuit. I'd sign up for season passes. Until that happens, thank you for JazzWax.

[Brew]

Bird had 1. a photographic memory, and 2. was he a very talented imitator of accents, and dialects, and 3. had he - as Mr. Gitler wrote - a good sense of humor, especially when he was giving titles to his tunes.

Red Rodney was playing not only some trumpet solos at the soundtrack to Clint Eastwood's film, he acted also as an adviser there. Ken Vail quoted him in his book. So, where's the problem?

[Mike]

highly informative comments by brew.
also visited his blog, highly recommended by you, Marc, and rightly so.
bird forever,
Mike

[Desmond Bloemsteen]

I think Mr Gitler should get the Medal of Freedom.

Des B.

[David]

I fully agree about Gitler, one of the greatest jazz writers ever. How about a tip of the hat also to Phil Schaap, whose knowledge of jazz history is so encylopaedic that producers frequently call him in to assist with reissue projects. Also Bill Crow, who just collects the funny parts. Ross Russell was, I think, an anything for a buck kind of guy.

[Ben]

I'm not sure that the correct answer has been said, but it was hinted when someone mentioned that Bird was a great imitator of accents. Klact-oveeseds-tene was Bird's attempt to create a word that sounded like it was from a different language (the language escapes me). However, it clearly has no ties to a real word.

[marcel]

years ago i was talking to doctor dietrich schulz-köhn (known as "doctor jazz"), a german jazz journalist, producer,and friend of many, many jazz musicians. i asked him if he ever meet charlie parker in person. he was at the jazzfestival in paris 1949 (backstage). parker talked to schulz-köhn and asked him if he was german. yes, said dr. jazz, he was german. "german is a very musically language" was the answer of bird. so parker was aware of the german language.

keep boppin´

marcel

[Brew]

Addendum to the above theory that it was Bird's way of hearing German:

If you compare Bird's handwritten title (and it's a proven fact that he himself has written this with his own hand), if you compare this title and the letter "s" with his "r's" on another handwritten document (a letter to Savoy) you will notice that the letter, of which generations of fans, and critics, and scientists believed would be an "s" is in fact an "r".

So, let's take the "Klact" like in "Klatsch(en)" as a given truth, and concentrate on the remaining syllables "Oveereds-Tene".

Auf Wieder... ---> O-veered... seh'n ---> ...s-Tene ... correct?
Just speak it out loudly, and a bit diffident: "Klact-Oveereds-Tene", and you will hear what Charlie Parker heard when a German clapped his hands, and said goodbye:

Klatsch(en) - Auf Wiedersehen!

By the way: Some Anglo-American native speakers tend occasionally to scramble letters in German words:

"Oveered" would become "Oveeder" which would so retransform to a completely logical "Auf Wieder..." (Allow me a personal remark: How often was my own name involved in this, and I had to read Mr. Liecht, instead of the correct "Leicht"?)

Both of Bird's handwritten documents I am referring to can be compared here:

http://www.plosin.com/milesAhead/klacto.html

[Declan Lewis]

Fascinating insight. Thank you so much!! Peace n Love n Music.