A dance number in the 1929 revue, Load of Coal, “Honeysuckle Rose” was a dance number first performed at Connie’s Inn in Harlem by its composer, Thomas “Fats” Waller. Along with its the more famous “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” written that year for the musical revue Hot Chocolates, “Honeysuckle Rose” became a jazz standard, and one of the best works of the team of composer/performer Fats Waller and lyricist Andy Razaf.
While it has been peformed by many top recording artists, one of its simpler, but most interesting interpretations was by a young Charlie Parker in 1940.
Here are some samples of the song and how it has been played:
Videos[]
Ella Fitzgerald & The Count Basie Orchestera - Montreux 1979
Louis Armstrong
Fats Waller in a music short with his tune. Vivian Brown accompanies
Charlie Parker - c. 1940 - Early BeBop
Audio Files[]
Honeysuckle Rose performed by Charlie Parker & Thelonius Monk - Release: Philology Records