Scrapple From The Apple

"Scrapple From The Apple" is a bebop composition by Charlie Parker, first recorded on November 4, 1947 for Dial Records with Miles Davis on trumpet, Duke Jordan on piano, Tommy Potter on bass, and Max Roach on drums. It is a contrafact — a new melody composed over borrowed chord changes — with its A sections built on the harmonies of Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose" and its bridge drawn from George Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm," making it what some scholars call a "double contrafact." The title is a play on the Pennsylvania Dutch dish scrapple, referencing Parker's nickname "Bird" and his affection for the food during his time in the Philadelphia area. Written in F major, the melody features the rapid scalar figures, chromatic passing tones, and syncopated rhythmic patterns that define bebop phrasing. Parker sometimes composed at the last minute for recording sessions, and using familiar chord changes allowed his musicians to focus on improvisation rather than learning new harmony. The tune has been recorded over 140 times and is considered one of the essential compositions in the bebop repertoire. Notable recordings include Dexter Gordon's version on his 1963 album Our Man In Paris with Bud Powell, and a 1957 reading by Gerry Mulligan and Stan Getz on Getz Meets Mulligan in Hi-Fi — both of which are cataloged on AllSolos.