"Stupendous" is a bebop composition by trumpeter Howard McGhee, written for a landmark Dial Records session recorded on February 26, 1947, in Hollywood. The tune is a contrafact based on the chord changes of George Gershwin's "'S Wonderful," with McGhee superimposing a new bebop melody over that harmonic foundation. The original recording features Charlie Parker on alto saxophone, McGhee on trumpet, Wardell Gray on tenor saxophone, Dodo Marmarosa on piano, Red Callender on bass, and Don Lamond on drums, billed as Charlie Parker's New Stars. The session was one of the most productive dates of the era, also yielding Parker's "Relaxin' At Camarillo" and McGhee's "Cheers" and "Carvin' The Bird." McGhee composed the piece during his central role in the Los Angeles bebop scene, where he had established himself as a pioneering trumpeter after earlier stints with Andy Kirk and Coleman Hawkins. His playing bridged swing-era influences, particularly the style of Roy Eldridge, with the high-speed, harmonically adventurous phrasing that defined bebop, and his work during this period influenced later trumpeters including Fats Navarro. "Stupendous" showcases the uptempo, virtuosic character typical of McGhee's originals from his most prolific years between 1942 and 1948. The tune remains a deep cut in the bebop catalog, known primarily through its appearance on Charlie Parker compilations and reissues rather than as a widely performed standard, but it stands as further evidence of McGhee's significant and often underappreciated contributions as a composer.
