Charlie Parker’s F major blues, “Billie’s Bounce,” was recorded in November, 1945, for Savoy Records. His quintet included a young Miles Davis, Curley Russell on bass, Max Roach on drums, and Dizzy Gillespie (who doubled on piano). While many associate the title with Billie Holiday, Brian Priestley in Chasin’ the Bird: The Life and Legacy of Charlie Parker says that the title refers to Billie, the secretary of Dizzy’s agent Billy Shaw (the former trumpeter for whom Gillespie named his composition “Shaw ‘Nuff”).

In his analysis of Parker’s style and his contribution to bop, Priestley says, “In fact, it is the absolute primacy of rhythmic variety in his playing which is now totally accepted--in theory, at any rate--as being one of his key achievements.” Priestley later points out that Parker’s music is highly compatible with Afro-Latin rhythm sections. “‘Billie’s Bounce’ or ‘Moose the Mooche’ can be played in Latin (or its soul and funk derivatives), without altering the melody line or the accentuation.”

Of Parker’s debut as a leader, author Thomas Owens in his book Bebop: The Music and the Players says, “[‘Billie’s Bounce’] follows the typical bebop blues plan of piano introduction, two unison theme choruses, solo choruses, and two more unison theme choruses. Parker plays a fine four-chorus solo as expected, Davis is adequate, and Max Roach’s fully idiomatic bebop percussion work is recorded well....” “Billie’s Bounce” entered the jazz repertoire almost immediately. This 12-bar blues is often cited as an example of Parker’s familiarity with early blues singers and horn men.

Eddie Jefferson added lyrics to the head and vocalized over a Parker solo on his recording Vocal Ease:

I’ve overlooked so many things

Through the years

Through my tears

Through the years

Then I went and opened my eyes,

You were my idea

Heaven with open arms.

Jon Hendricks also wrote lyrics to the tune and performs it with his daughter Michele on the DVD Tribute to Charlie Parker. Hendricks’ lyrics are a commentary on Parker’s composition. He differentiates between sad blues and upbeat blues and puts “Billie’s Bounce” in the uplifting category:

The blues are generally known to be very sad

Quite a drag

Never glad

Really in a sorrowful bag

But this one’s different

It’s a real happy tune.

Instrumentalists who have recorded “Billie’s Bounce” include guitarists Jim Hall and Martin Taylor; saxophonists John Coltrane, Charles Lloyd, Dexter Gordon, and free jazz player Albert Ayler; pianists Michel Petrucciani, Keith Jarrett, Kirk Lightsey, and Denny Zeitlin; violinist Claude “Fiddler” Williams and drummers Jerry Granelli and Shelly Manne. The CD Stan Getz and J.J. Johnson at the Opera House contains two versions of the tune. Vocalists who have recorded “Billie’s Bounce” include Ella Fitzgerald, Bobby McFerrin, and Betty Roche.