Richard Twardzik (1931-55): The Complete Works

revised June 2002

Richard Twardzik was born in Boston on 30 April 1931 and died in Paris on 21 October 1955. This discography is from the biography, The Incomplete Works of Richard Twardzik, by Jack Chambers. Comments, corrections and additions will be gratefully received.

Jazz discographers know, better than anyone, that there is no such thing as closure. More recorded performances might show up at any time.

Charlie Mariano, New Sounds from Boston. Boston. December 1951
Sonny Truitt, tb; Charlie Mariano, as; Jim Clark, ts; Richard Twardzik, p; Jack Lawlor, b; Carl Goodwin, d.

Mariners 3:34

Supervised by Ira Gitler. Prestige OJCCD-1745-2 [USA 1990]. Originally Prestige 130 (10"). On all other tracks, the piano player is Roy Frazee.

Serge Chaloff Quintet Albany, New York. Spring 1952
Possibly Sonny Truitt, tb (only on Gabardine and Serge and unidentified tune); Serge Chaloff, bs; Richard Twardzik, p; Jack Lawlor, b; Jimmy Weiner, d.

unissued

• Love Is Just Around the Corner
• Listen to Les
• Gabardine and Serge
• unidentified tune

Details from Robert E. Sunenblick. Produced by Les Deuel, who used Listen to Les, a Chaloff original, as his theme on WOKO. The trombone player is not Mert Goodspeed.

Charlie Parker, The Happy Bird possibly Christy's Restaurant, Framingham, MA. possibly 8-14 December 1952
possibly Joe Gordon, tp; Charlie Parker, as; possibly Bill Wellington, ts; Richard Twardzik, p; Charles Mingus, b; Roy Haynes, d.

I'll Remember April 10:45

Collectables COL-5787 [1997]. Originally Charlie Parker Records PLP404. Song title has invariably been listed as I Remember April. Usually dated 12 or 17 April 1951 with Max Roach on drums, but that date is impossible; revised date and personnel from Robert Sunenblick's note in Uptown UPCD 27.42 (1996) [see next entry]. It is possible, with so many unknowns, that the session took place soon after Parker and Twardzik first met in 3-9 March 1952.

Charlie Parker, Boston 1952. Hi Hat, Boston. 14 December 1952
live broadcast, The Symphony Sid Show, WCOP

Joe Gordon, tp; Charlie Parker, as; Dick Twardzik, p; Charlie Mingus, b; Roy Haynes, d.

Introduction by Symphony Sid Torin 0:54 [1996] Ornithology 4:19 Cool Blues 5:26 Groovin' High 5:38 Introduction of musicians by Symphony Sid 0:51 Don't Blame Me 9:07 Scrapple form the Apple 6:01 Cheryl 5:27 Jumpin' with Symphony Sid [theme with announcement by Ken Malden] 2:21

Uptown UPCD 27.42. Produced by Robert E. Sunenblick.

Charlie Mariano, Boston All Stars. Boston. 27 January 1953
Herb Pomeroy, tp; Charlie Mariano, as; Richard Twardzik, p; Bernie Griggs, b; Jimmy Weiner, d.

Bye Bye Blues 4:42 I'm Old Fashioned 3:00 Erosong 3:42 Bess, You Is My Woman Now 3:48 Barsac 4:16 Stella by Starlight 3:40

Prestige OJCCD-1745-2 [USA 1990]. Supervised by Ira Gitler. Originally Prestige 153 (10"). Gitler plays bells on Barsac.

Allen Eager Quartet Hi Hat, Boston. 1 February 1953
live braodcast, The Symphony Sid Show, WBMS
Allen Eager, ts; Richard Twardzik, p; Bernie Griggs, b; Gene Glannon, d.

Jumpin' with Symphony Sid 1:36 This Time the Dream's On Me 4:59 Out of Nowhere 5:03 Zootcase (announced as Oy Vey) 4:43 Jumpin' wit Symphony Sid 1:46

Uptown UPCD 27.49 [2002]. Poduced by Robet E. Sunenblick, on Allen Eager In the Land of Oo-Bla-Dee 1947-1953.

Sam Margolis Quintet Melody Lounge. Lynn Mass. 11 October 1953
Dick Wetmore, tp; Sam Margolis, ts; Richard Twardzik, p; Whitney Cronin, b; Jimmy Zitano, d.

• Theme (unidentified)
• Jumpin' at the Woodside
• Mean to Me
• Stompin' at the Savoy
• Ballad medley: Laura (Twardzik with rhythm)/ Body and Soul
• Caravan
• Round Midnight
• One o' Clock Jump
• Theme

Details from Robert E. Sunenblick.

Serge Chaloff, The Fable of Mabel. Boston. 3 September 1954.
Herb Pomeroy, Nick Capazutto, tp; Gene DiStachio, tb; Charlie Mariano, as; Varty Haritounian, ts; Chaloff, bs; Richard Twardzik, p; Ray Oliveri, b; Jimmy Zitano, d.

The Fable of Mabel (master take) 4:15 The Fable of Mabel (take 2 previously unissued) 4:28 The Fable of Mabel (take 3 previously unissued) 4:22 Sherry 2:06 Slam [Slan] 5:49 A Salute to Tiny (take 1 previously unissued) 3:11 A Salute to Tiny (master take [2]) 3:09 Eenie Meenie Minor Mode (take 1 previously unissued) 3:39 Eenie Meenie Minor Mode (master take [2]) 3:39 Let's Jump (take 1 previously unissued) 6:51 Let's Jump (master take [2]) 6:03

Black Lion BLCD 760923 [UK 1990]. Same on 1201 Music 9003 (USA). Produced by George Wein. Originally Storyville LP 317. Twardzik composed The Fable of Mabel. Slam by Mariano was later recorded as Slan by Mariano with Shelley Manne and His Men (January 1956).

Dick Twardzik, 1954 Improvisations. Boston. June-October 1954
Richard Twardzik, p

Warming Up 4:16 Nice Work If You Can Get It 1:29 'Round Midnight 3:32 Get Happy 3:05 It Could Happen to You 2:29 All the Things You Are 2:49

New Artists 1006CD [USA 1990]. Recorded by Peter Morris. Warming Up includes snatches from Yesterdays, 'Round Midnight, and A Crutch For the Crab. These six tracks, played on an instrument described by Morris as "an upright piano untuned," sound like excerpts from a continuous rehearsal.

Dick Twardzik, 1954 Improvisations. Probably Boston. June-October 1954
Richard Twardzik, p; Jack Lawlor, b (on I Get a Kick Out of You); Peter Littman, d.

• Yesterdays 2:22
• Original 2:49
• Our Love Is Here to Stay 4:47
• I Get a Kick Out of You 1:49
• Bess, You Is My Woman 3:36

New Artists 1006CD [USA 1990]. Recorded by Peter Morris. According to Bob Zieff, Original is based on chord changes of I Got Rhythm with substitute chords at end of A sections. According to Brian Priestly (1990), I Get a Kick Out of You is an improvisation on Lullaby in Rhythm by Edgar Sampson with quotation from I Get a Kick Out of You. The coda on Bess, You Is My Woman is from A Crutch For the Crab.

Dick Twardzik, 1954 Improvisations. Probably Boston. June-October 1954
Richard Twardzik, p; Peter Littman, drum pad and/or table top

• I'll Remember April 7:53

New Artists 1006CD [USA 1990]. Recorded by Peter Morris.

Richard Twardzik Trio. Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ. 27 October 1954
Richard Twardzik, p; Carson Smith, b; Peter Littman, d.

Albuquerque Social Swim 3:03 Bess, You Is My Woman 3:24 Yellow Tango 4:18 'Round Midnight 3:44 I'll Remember April 4:04 A Crutch for the Crab (alternate take) 3:19 A Crutch for the Crab 3:18 Just One of Those Things 3:06

Pacific Jazz CDP 7 46861 2 [USA 1989]. Produced by Russ Freeman. Twardzik composed Albuquerque Social Swim, Yellow Tango, and A Crutch for the Crab. Originally issued on Russ Freeman/Richard Twardzik, Trio. Pacific Jazz 1212 (side 1 [1956]). Just One of Those Things and 'alternate take' of A Crutch for the Crab first issued on Richard Twardzik, The Last Set, Pacific Jazz PJ-37 [1962], along with the other trio titles and The Girl from Greenland from the second Paris recording session (below). The alternate take of A Crutch for the Crab is actually the same take witha truncated beginning, according to spectrographic analysis by James Harrod at University of California, Irvine. On this CD, both 'takes' of A Crutch for the Crab are missing the opening bars; the only complete take ever issued is the original on PJ 1212.

Chet Baker Quartet in Amsterdam. Concertgebouw. 17 September 1955
Chet Baker, tp, voc*; Richard Twardzik, p; Jimmy Bond, b; Peter Littman, d.

• Introduction by Baker 1:45
• Tommyhawk 6:30
• Indian Summer 8:15
• I'm Glad There Is You 5:30
• But Not For Me* 7:00
• My Funny Valentine* and more

Details courtesy Bert Viujsje. This is the first half-hour of the concert. The whole concert is stored at the Dutch Jazz Archive.

Chet Baker Quartet in The Hague. Kurhaus. 18 September 1955
Chet Baker, tp, voc*; Richard Twardzik, p; Jimmy Bond, b; Peter Littman, d.

• Introduction by Lou van Rees and Baker 1:45
• Tommyhawk 6:30
• Indian Summer 8:20
• Someone to Watch Over Me* 8:40
• Imagination 7:00
• CTA and more

Details courtesy Bert Viujsje. This is the first half-hour of the concert. The whole concert is stored at the Dutch Jazz Archive.

Chet Baker Quartet, In Mainz. Mainz, Germany. 21 September 1955
Chet Baker, tp; Rolfe Schnoebiegel, tp (on All the Things You Are); Richard Twardzik, p; Jimmy Bond, b; Peter Littman, d.

Walkin' 7:25 Indian Summer 7:54 All the Things You Are 8:58

Philology W 42-2 [Italy 1991].

Chet Baker Quartet in Cologne. Börensaal. 26 September 1955
Chet Baker, tp, voc; Richard Twardzik, p; Jimmy Bond, b; Peter Littman, d.

• details unknown

Tapes of concert exists according to Par Rittsel.

Chet Baker Quartet, In Paris. Studio Pathé-Magellan, Paris. 11 October 1955
Chet Baker, tp; Richard Twardzik, p; Jimmy Bond, b; Peter Littman, d.

Rondette 2:09 Mid-Forte 3:06 Sad Walk 4:13 Re-Search 4:57 Just Duo 4:10

EmArcy 837 474-2 [France 1988]. Originally Barclay Records [France].

same. Studio Pathé-Magellan, Paris. 14 October 1955

Piece Caprice 5:08 Pomp 4:39 The Girl From Greenland 5:13 Brash 5:53

First released in the United States on Chet Baker in Europe, World-Pacific 1218 [1956]. Twardzik composed The Girl From Greenland. Robert L. (Bob) Zieff composed all other titles.

Lars Gullin and the Chet Baker Quartet. Stuttgart. 15 October 1955
Chet Baker, tp; Lars Gullin, bs (except Brash); Richard Twardzik, p; Jimmy Bond, b; Peter Littman, d; Catherina Valente, voc (on I'll Remember April).

Cool Blues 3:21 Brash 4:36 Lover Man 5:24 I'll Remember April 6:37

Dragon DRCD 224 [Sweden 1992].

Richard Twardzik died of a heroin overdose in a hotel in Paris on 21 October 1955. R.I.P.