Moose the Mooche, recorded March 28, 1946, in Los Angeles, is a classic Charlie Parker composition based on the chord changes of I Got Rhythm, performed by the Charlie Parker Septet at approximately 211 BPM in B-flat. Named after Parker's drug dealer, the tune features one of his most memorable and frequently transcribed melodies. Parker's one-chorus alto saxophone solo is a model of bebop improvisation, followed by a half-chorus from Miles Davis on trumpet, a half-chorus from Lucky Thompson on tenor saxophone, and a half-chorus from pianist Dodo Marmarosa. The Dial session that produced this track was part of Parker's West Coast sojourn of 1946, and the septet configuration with both Thompson and Davis in the front line gives the performance a fuller texture than Parker's typical quintet recordings. Moose the Mooche became one of the essential rhythm changes heads in the jazz repertoire, and Parker's solo here has been studied by virtually every serious student of bebop improvisation. The recording captures Parker at a peak of creative confidence.
