Stomp Off 1001 - Dickbaker.org

dated 1944, so I looked in 1944 copyrightbook and foundNight in Tunisia; w Sid Robin, melody Dizzy[i.e. John] Gillespie & Frank Paparelli. © 1c. May 29, 1944; E unp. 376830; Leedsmusic Corp., New York.[couldn’t find any later registrations of it.]Book on the subject of the song claims thatDizzy probably wrote it before 1942, that it wascertainly being played 1942-44, but the vocalby Sarah Vaughn in 1944 was the firstrecording on wax. Then Gillespie’s recordwith Boyd Raeburn in 1945.Another book, The Jazz Standards, saysEarl Hines later claimed that he came upwith the name “A Night in Tunisia,” butGillespie rebuts this, nothing that he hadperformed the song under its eventual titlebefore joining Hines’s band [1942]. . . .Frank Paparelli is usually credited as cocomposer,but Gillespie adds a footnote tothis as well, insisting that Paparelli played norole in writing the song, but was given apiece of the action in exchange fortransribing some Gillespie solos forpublication.Which explains this later copyright entry:The Dizzy Gillespie trumpet style;transcribed by Frank Paparelli. Trumpetsolos with piano accompaniment; pianoscores by F. Paparelli. New York, Leedsmusic corporation. © substitution of "52ndStreet" for "Night in Tunisia," 21Feb46;publisher; EP1456.What a mess. Robin got on copyright and onat least one V-disc label. Leveen got onseveral labels, including Dizzy’s Boyd Raeburnrecord in 1945, but more labels said just Dizzy-Paparelli. But I haven’t been able to find theDizzy-Sarah Vaughan label from 1944.I’ going to add Paparelli, because rightly orwrongly he made his way into the copyrightreg. and most of the early record labels, butI’m going to skip the lyricist credit, because it’sproblematic, and the lyrics clearly were writtenafter the melody by some time.Nightmare, The (Al Handler–Len Riley–Billy Meyers)New Orleans Classic Jazz Orch 1223Charleston Chasers 1287John Gill’s Jazz Kings 1401Confirmed by 7/17/26 copyright reg., w/m althree.Nimble Fingered Gentleman(Billy Mayerl)Tony Caramia 13133/22/34 copyright reg. filed by English Keith,Prowse & Co. Ltd. has no hyphen. Nor isthere one on the cover of the published sheetmusic.1919 [1919 March] [1919 Rag](unknown)High Society JB 1010Uptown Lowdown JB 1030West End JB 1042Yerba Buena Stompers 1369