Updated November 2021
The international dissemination of Richard Twardzik’s music since 2001 makes him a 21st century jazz phenomenon. His music has never been more readily and more completely available than it is now. Maybe that is not surprising. Many listeners thought he could have been the voice of the future. It looks like the future is now.
Charlie Mariano, The 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
Produced by Ira Gitler.
CD: Charlie Mariano, The New Sounds from Boston and Boston All Stars, Prestige OJCCD-1745-2 [USA 1990].
Notes: Original LP Charlie Mariano, The New Sounds from Boston, Prestige 130 (10˝). On all other tracks, the piano player is Roy Frazee.
Serge Chaloff Quintet
WOKO Studio, Hotel Wellington 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.
•Love Is Just Around the Corner
•Listen to Les
•Gabardine and Serge
•unidentified tune
Produced by Les Deuel, who used Listen to Les, a Chaloff original, as his theme on WOKO.
Notes: Unissued. Details from Robert E. Sunenblick.
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
CD: Charlie Parker, The Happy Bird. Collectables COL-5787 [1997].
Notes: Original LP 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 notes in Uptown UPCD 27.42 (1996; see next entry). It is equally possible, with so many unknowns, that the session took place in 3-9 March 1952, when Parker and Twardzik first met.
Charlie Parker, Boston 1952
live broadcast, The Symphony Sid Show, WCOP, from Hi Hat Club, Boston. 14 December 1952
Joe Gordon, tp; Charlie Parker, as; Dick Twardzik, p; Charlie Mingus, b; Roy Haynes, d.
•Introduction by Symphony Sid Torin 0:54
•Ornithology 4:19
•Cool Blues 5:26
•Groovin’ High 5:38
•Introduction of musicians by Torin 0:51
•Don’t Blame Me 9:07
•Scrapple from the Apple 6:01
•Cheryl 5:27
•Jumpin’ with Symphony Sid (theme with announcement by Ken Malden) 2:21
Produced by Robert E. Sunenblick. Charlie Parker, Boston 1952 Uptown UPCD 27.42 [1996].
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
Produced by Ira Gitler.
CD: Charlie Mariano, The New Sounds from Boston and Boston All Stars, Prestige OJCCD-1745-2 [USA 1990].
Notes: Original LP Charlie Mariano, Boston All Stars, Prestige 153 (10˝). Gitler plays bells on Barsac.
Allen Eager Quartet , In the Land of Oo-Bla-Dee
live broadcast, The Symphony Sid Show, WBMS, from Hi Hat Club, Boston. 1 February 1953
Allen Eager, ts; Richard Twardzik, p; Bernie Griggs, b; Gene Glennon, 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’ with Symphony Sid 1:46
Produced by Robert E. Sunenblick
CD: Allen Eager In the Land of Oo-Bla-Dee 1947-1953, Uptown UPCD 27.49 [2003]. Notes: Other tracks do not include Twardzik.
Sam Margolis Quintet
live broadcast, The Symphony Sid Show, WBMS, from 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
Notes: Unissued. Details from Robert E. Sunenblick.
Jay Migliori and Dick Twardzik, Jazz Workshop Quintet
Harvard WHRB, May 1954
Jay Migliori, ts, Johnny Rae, vibes, Dick Twardzik, p, Jack Carter, b, Bob Atcheson, d.
Fresh Sound Records FSR-CD 989 [2020]
•Fatty (Terry Gibbs) 6:15
•Get Happy (H. Arlen-T. Koehler) 3:43
•'Round Midnight (Thelonious Monk) 3:41 solo piano
•Chanticleer (Jack Crown) 6:12
•Ryan's Love (Jack Crown) 4:41
•Willow Weep For Me (Ann Ronnell) 4:33
•Fatty alternate take 5:36
•Get Happy alternate take 3:33
Bonus Track
•Bouncin' With Bartok (Dick Twardzik) 1:20
synthesized by Bob Friedman from the original manuscript
CD release produced by Jordi Pujol
Annotated by Jordi Pujol and Jack Chambers
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
Produced by George Wein.
CDs: Serge Chaloff, The Fable of Mabel, Black Lion BLCD 760923 [UK 1990]. Serge Chaloff, The Fable of Mabel, 1201 Music 9003 (USA).
Notes: Master takes originally on Storyville EP 426 and EP 427. 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. Probably 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
Notes: Warming Up includes snatches from Yesterdays, ‘Round Midnight, and A Crutch For the Crab. These six tracks, played on an instrument described by the producer as “an upright piano untuned,” sound like a continuous rehearsal.
Same place. Probably later 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
Notes: According to Bob Zieff, Original is based on chord changes of I Got Rhythm with substitute chords at end of A sections. Zieff reports (via drummer Joe Hunt) that I Get a Kick Out of You is Tootsie Roll by Stan Getz, with the A section of I Get a Kick Out of You as the bridge. Brian Priestly (1990) identified I Get a Kick Out of You as 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.
Same place. Probably later October 1954
Richard Twardzik, p; Peter Littman, drum pad and/or table top
•I’ll Remember April 7:53
Produced and recorded by Peter Morris.
CDs: Dick Twardzik, 1954 Improvisations (New Artists 1006CD [USA 1990]). With improved sound on Dick Twardzik Trio, Complete Recordings, LoneHill Jazz 10120 [Spain 2004].
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 3:25
•Just One of Those Things 3:06
Produced by Russ Freeman.
CDs: Richard Twardzik/Russ Freeman, Trio (Pacific Jazz CDP 7 46861 2 [USA 1989]). Richard Twardzik/Russ Freeman, Trio (Toshiba-EMI Limited Edition facsimile 2001. Dick Twardzik Trio, Complete Recordings, LoneHill 10120 [Spain 2004]. Also half CD on 3-CD Pacific Jazz Piano Trios, Mosaic Select 19 [2005] <www.mosaicrecords.com>.
Notes: Original LP issue on Russ Freeman/Richard Twardzik, Trio. Pacific Jazz 1212 (side 1 [1956]), except 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 with a truncated beginning, according to spectrographic analysis by James Harrod. Because of damage to the master tape in 1962, the only complete take (3:25) is the original on PJ 1212, used as the master on 24 bit Toshiba-EMI Limited Edition facsimile 2001, and on LoneHill Jazz 10120.
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 1:23
•Tommyhawk 6:02
•Indian Summer 7:51
•I’m Glad There Is You 5:30
•But Not For Me* 7:00
•My Funny Valentine* (inc.)
Produced by Dutch Jazz Archive < www.jazzarchief.nl>
CD: Chet Baker Quartet, Indian Summer: The Complete 1955 Concerts in Holland (Dutch Jazz Archive 0701 [2007]).
Notes: Edited for half-hour radio broadcast. The rest of the concert was apparently not recorded. Concert also included Ray’s Idea (according to a contemporary review by Pieter Sweens); and You Don’t Know What Love Is, said to have followed the opener, presumably Tommyhawk (according to a review by Michiel de Ruyter).
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 1:27
•Tommyhawk 6:16
•Indian Summer 8:52
•Someone to Watch Over Me* 6:04
•Imagination 3:30
•CTA (inc.) 5:54
Produced by Dutch Jazz Archive < www.jazzarchief.nl>
CDs: Chet Baker Quartet, Indian Summer: The Complete 1955 Concerts in Holland, Dutch Jazz Archive 0701 [2007]. Chet Baker Quartet, The Lost Holland Concert, RLR 88621 [2006].
Notes: Edited for half-hour radio broadcast. The rest of the concert was apparently not recorded.
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
Produced by Paolo Piangiarelli.
CDs: Chet Baker Quartet In Mainz, Philology W 42-2 [Italy 1991]. Chet Baker Quartet, The Lost Holland Concert, RLR 88621 [2006].
Chet Baker Quartet in Cologne Börensaal, Köln. 9 October 1955
Chet Baker, tp, voc (except Yellow Tango); Richard Twardzik, p; Jimmy Bond, b; Peter Littman, d.
opening announcement (Chet Baker, Gigi Campi) 2:49
•Exitus 7:26
•Tommyhawk 7:10
•Imagination 3:26
Baker introduces Twardzik’s feature 0:52
•Yellow Tango 8:40
•Someone to Watch Over Me 5:28
•CTA 9:27
•My Funny Valentine 6:06
Add Hans Koller, ts, and Willy Sanner, bs 0:36
•Cool Blues 10:00
•I’ll Remember April 15:13
•Exitus and Baker’s closing announcement 0:57
Produced (concert) by Gigi Campi. CD produced by Olle Lind
CDs: Chet Baker, Köln Concert featuring Dick Twardzik, RLR 88619 [2006].
Notes: Chet Baker in his notes to Chet Baker in Europe (1956) incorrectly dates this concert 26 September. Yellow Tango is played by Twardzik with bass and drums (Baker out).
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
Same. 14 October 1955
•Piece Caprice 5:08
•Pomp 4:39
•The Girl From Greenland 5:13
•Brash 5:53
Produced by Nicole Barclay.
CDs: Chet Baker, Complete Studio Sessions with Dick Twardzik, LoneHill 10161 [Spain 2004]. Chet Baker in Paris, Vol. 1, EmArcy 837 474-2 [France 1988]. Chet Baker Quartet, Universal Music [France 2003].
Notes: Original LP Barclay Records (France); Universal Music CD is facsimile. 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; Caterina Valente, voc (on I’ll Remember April).
•Cool Blues 3:21
•Brash 4:36
•Lover Man 5:24
•I’ll Remember April 6:37
Produced by Lars Westin.
CDs: Lars Gullin, Vol. 2. Dragon DRCD 224 [Sweden 1992], with additional material from Gullin. Chet Baker, Complete Studio Sessions with Dick Twardzik, LoneHill 10161 [Spain 2004] with Paris studio sessions.
Richard Twardzik died of a heroin overdose in a Paris hotel on 21 October 1955.
|
|
|