Charlie Parker • Jazz At The Philharmonic 1949

 

Review by AllMusic
Charlie Parker's 1949 appearance at Norman Granz's annual Jazz at the Philharmonic concert is less legendary than his 1946 debut there, but listening to this magnificently remastered 68-minute document of his set, it's nearly impossible to understand why. Surrounded by an astonishing group of sidemen, including Ella Fitzgerald, Roy Eldridge, Hank Jones, and Buddy Rich, Parker is at the top of his form throughout. Even when he's trading choruses with his foremost influence, tenor Lester Young, on Young's signature piece "Lester Leaps In," Parker's passionate, powerful alto pretty much blows Young off the stage. Elsewhere, Parker plays around with standards, transforming "Perdido," "How High the Moon?" and "Embraceable You" from well-worn set pieces to exciting and innovative bop showcases. JAZZ AT THE PHILHARMONIC 1949 is a breathtaking example of live jazz at its most transcendent.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-at-the-philharmonic-1949-mw0000103985

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Reseña de AllMusic
La aparición de Charlie Parker en 1949 en el concierto anual Jazz at the Philharmonic de Norman Granz es menos legendaria que su debut en 1946, pero escuchando este documento de 68 minutos magníficamente remasterizado, es casi imposible entender por qué. Rodeado de un asombroso grupo de músicos de acompañamiento, como Ella Fitzgerald, Roy Eldridge, Hank Jones y Buddy Rich, Parker está en plena forma en todo momento. Incluso cuando intercambia estribillos con su principal influencia, el tenor Lester Young, en la pieza emblemática de Young «Lester Leaps In», el apasionado y poderoso contralto de Parker hace volar a Young del escenario. Por lo demás, Parker juega con los estándares, transformando «Perdido», «How High the Moon?» y «Embraceable You» de piezas trilladas en emocionantes e innovadoras exhibiciones de bop. JAZZ AT THE PHILHARMONIC 1949 es un ejemplo sobrecogedor del jazz en directo en su forma más trascendente.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-at-the-philharmonic-1949-mw0000103985

VA • Saxophone 'N' Jazz

 

Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Gerry Mulligan, Wayne Shorter, Steve Lacy, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Art Pepper, Woody Herman, Gene Ammons, Yusef Lateef …

VA • Jazz Classics

 

Mal Waldron, Jimmy Heath, Charlie Parker, Lee Konitz, Jimmy Raney, Kenny Drew, Bobby Jaspar, Gerry Mulligan, Clark Terry, Oliver Nelson, Chet Baker, Dizzy Gillespie, Don Byas, Hampton Hawes …

Celebrating Bird: The Triumph of Charlie Parker

 

 

Within days of Charlie “Bird” Parker’s death at the age of thirty-four, a scrawled legend began appearing on walls around New York City: Bird Lives. Gone was one of the most outstanding jazz musicians of any era, the troubled genius who brought modernism to jazz and became a defining cultural force for musicians, writers, and artists of every stripe. Arguably the most significant musician in the country at the time of his death, Parker set the standard many musicians strove to reach—though he never enjoyed the same popular success that greeted many of his imitators. Today, the power of Parker’s inventions resonates undiminished; and his influence continues to expand.

Celebrating Bird is the groundbreaking and award-winning account of the life and legend of Charlie Parker from renowned biographer and critic Gary Giddins, whom Esquire called “the best jazz writer in America today.” Richly illustrated and drawing primarily from original sources, Giddins overturns many of the myths that have grown up around Parker. He cuts a fascinating portrait of the period, from Parker’s apprentice days in the 1930s in his hometown of Kansas City to the often difficult years playing clubs in New York and Los Angeles, and reveals how Parker came to embody not only musical innovation and brilliance but the rage and exhilaration of an entire generation.

Fully revised and with a new introduction by the author, Celebrating Bird is a classic of jazz writing that the Village Voice heralded as “a celebration of the highest order”—a portrayal of a jazz virtuoso whose gargantuan talent was haunted by his excesses and a view into the ravishing art of one of jazz’s most commanding and remarkable figures.

 

VA • 70 Sax Classic Jazz - CD#1

 

It all started with Adolphe Sax, a Belgian instrument inventor. In 1842, he attached a clarinet mouthpiece to a brass creation and named it the saxophone. Because of its metal, conical body, the saxophone was capable of playing at volumes much higher than other woodwinds. Used in military bands in the 1800s, it took a while for the saxophone to be taken seriously by musicians. Now, it is a staple instrument in jazz and also has a role in music genres ranging from classical to pop.

Here is a brief history of the progression of jazz saxophone playing styles, structured around the stories of jazz figureheads.

Sidney Bechet (May 14th, 1897 - May 14th, 1959)
A contemporary of Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet was perhaps the first to develop a virtuosic approach to the saxophone. He played the soprano sax and, with his voice-like tone and bluesy style of improvisation, he boosted the involvement of the saxophone in early jazz styles.

Frankie Trumbauer (May 30th, 1901 - June 11th, 1956)
Alongside trumpeter Bix Beiderbecke, Trumbauer presented a refined alternative to the "hot jazz" of the first few decades of the 1900s. He rose to fame in the 1920s for recording "Singin' the Blues" on the C-Melody saxophone (halfway between the tenor and alto) with Beiderbecke. His dry tone and calm, introspective style influenced many later saxophonists.

Coleman Hawkins (November 21st, 1904 - May 19th, 1969)
One of the first virtuosos on the tenor saxophone, Coleman Hawkins became renowned for his aggressive tone and melodic creativity. He was a star of the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra during the swing era in the 1920s and '30s. His application of advanced harmonic knowledge to improvisation helped pave the way for bebop.

Johnny Hodges (July 5th, 1906 - May 11th, 1970)
Hodges was an alto saxophonist best known for leading Duke Ellington's Orchestra for 38 years. He played the blues and ballads with unrivaled tenderness. Heavily influenced by Sidney Bechet, Hodges' tone wailed with a fast vibrato and a bright timbre.

Ben Webster (March 27th, 1909 - September 20th, 1973)
Tenor saxophonist Ben Webster borrowed a raspy, aggressive tone from Coleman Hawkins on blues numbers, and invoked Johnny Hodges' sentimentality on ballads. He became a star soloist in Duke Ellington's Orchestra and is considered one of the three most influential tenor players of the swing era, along with Hawkins and Lester Young. His version of Ellington's "Cotton Tail" is one of the most famous recordings in jazz.

Lester Young (August 27th, 1909 - March 15th, 1959)
With his smooth tone and laid-back approach to improvisation, Young presented an alternative to the gruff styles of Webster and Hawkins. His melodic style more reflected that of Frankie Trumbauer, and his "cool" expression lead to the cool jazz movement.

Charlie Parker (August 29th, 1920 - March 12th, 1955)
Alto saxophonist Charlie Parker is credited with developing the lightning-fast, high energy bebop style alongside trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. Parker's incredible technique along with his grasp of rhythm and harmony made him the object of study of virtually every jazz musician at some point in their development.

Sonny Rollins (b. September 7, 1930)
Inspired by Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, and Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins developed a bold and quirky melodic style. Bebop and calypso have been featured prominently throughout his career, which is marked by continual self-questioning and conscious evolution. In the late 1950s, after firmly establishing himself as one of the top call tenor players, he abandoned his career for three years while searching for a new sound. During this period, he practiced on the Williamsburg Bridge. To this day, Rollins is evolving and seeking out styles of jazz that will best express his ebullient musical character.

John Coltrane (September 23rd, 1926 - July 17th, 1967)
Coltrane's influence is one of the most remarkable in jazz. He began his career modestly, attempting to emulate Charlie Parker. In the 1950s, he found wider exposure through his gigs with Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk. It wasn't until 1959, however, that it seemed that Coltrane was really on to something. His piece "Giant Steps," on the album of the same name, featured a harmonic structure he had invented that sounded like nothing before it. He entered a period marked by a dismissal of linear melodies, fierce technique, and layers of harmony. In the mid 1960s, he abandoned rigid structures for intense, free improvisation.

Warne Marsh (October 26th, 1927 - December 17th, 1987)
Generally under the radar for most of his career, Warne Marsh played with an almost stoic approach. He valued complex linear melodies over riffs and licks, and his dry tone seemed reserved and pensive, unlike the effusive sounds of Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster. Although he never earned the recognition of some of his like-minded contemporaries such as Lee Konitz or Lennie Tristano (who was also his teacher), Marsh's influence can be heard in the modern players such as saxophonist Mark Turner and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel.

Ornette Coleman (b. March 9th, 1930)
Beginning his career playing blues and R&B music, Coleman turned heads in the 1960s with his “harmolodic” approach — a technique with which he sought to equate harmony, melody, rhythm, and form. He didn’t adhere to conventional harmonic structures and his playing came to be called “free jazz," which was wildly controversial. Since his early days of angering jazz purists, Coleman is now considered the first avant-garde jazz musician. The avant-garde improvisation that he instigated has grown into a substantial and diverse genre.

Joe Henderson (April 24th, 1937 - June 30th, 2001)
Schooled by absorbing the music of all the master saxophonists who preceded him, Joe Henderson developed a style that was simultaneously steeped in yet independent of tradition. He gained attention for his early hard bop work, including an outstanding solo on Horace Silver’s “Song for My Father.” Over the course of his career, he recorded albums ranging from hard bop to experimental projects, and thereby embodied the expanding and evolving jazz culture.

Michael Brecker (March 29th, 1949 – January 13th, 2007)
Combining jazz and rock with supreme agility and finesse, Brecker rose to fame in the 1970s and '80s. He performed with pop acts Steely Dan, James Taylor, and Paul Simon as well as with jazz figures including Herbie Hancock, Roy Hargrove, Chick Corea, and dozens of others. His flawless technique raised the bar for jazz saxophonists to come, and he helped legitimize the role of rock and pop music in jazz styles.

Kenny Garrett (b. October 9th, 1960)
Garrett rose to fame while playing with Miles Davis’ electric band in the 1980s, during which time he developed a novel approach to the alto saxophone. His bluesy and aggressive solos tend to juxtapose his long, wailing notes with clipped, abrasive melodic fragments.

Chris Potter (b. January 1st, 1971)
A child saxophone prodigy, Chris Potter took saxophone technique to a new level. He began his career with trumpeter Red Rodney, and soon became the first choice tenor player for a number of notable bandleaders including Dave Holland, Paul Motian, and Dave Douglas. Having mastered the styles of previous jazz icons, Potter specializes in virtuosic solos built on motives or tone sets. The ease with which he plays in all registers of the saxophone is practically unmatched.

Mark Turner (b. Novermber 10th, 1965)
Heavily influenced by both Coltrane and Warne Marsh, Mark Turner rose to prominence alongside guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel. His dry tone, angular phrases, and frequent use of the uppermost register of the saxophone make him stand out among contemporary saxophonists. Along with Chris Potter and Kenny Garrett, Turner is one of the most influential saxophonists in jazz today.
jazz.about.com

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Todo empezó con Adolphe Sax, un inventor belga de instrumentos. En 1842, unió una boquilla de clarinete a una creación de latón y le dio el nombre de saxofón. Gracias a su cuerpo cónico de metal, el saxofón era capaz de tocar a volúmenes mucho más altos que otros instrumentos de viento. Utilizado en bandas militares en el siglo XIX, el saxofón tardó un tiempo en ser tomado en serio por los músicos. En la actualidad, es un instrumento básico en el jazz y también desempeña un papel en géneros musicales que van desde la música clásica hasta el pop.

He aquí una breve historia de la progresión de los estilos de tocar el saxofón de jazz, estructurada en torno a las historias de las figuras del jazz.

Sidney Bechet (14 de mayo de 1897 - 14 de mayo de 1959)
Contemporáneo de Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet fue quizás el primero en desarrollar un enfoque virtuosístico del saxofón. Tocaba el saxo soprano y, con su tono similar a la voz y su estilo bluesy de improvisación, impulsó la participación del saxofón en los primeros estilos de jazz.

Frankie Trumbauer (30 de mayo de 1901 - 11 de junio de 1956)
Junto al trompetista Bix Beiderbecke, Trumbauer presentó una alternativa refinada al "hot jazz" de las primeras décadas del siglo XX. Saltó a la fama en los años 20 por grabar "Singin' the Blues" en el saxofón C-Melody (a medio camino entre el tenor y el alto) con Beiderbecke. Su tono seco y su estilo tranquilo e introspectivo influyeron en muchos saxofonistas posteriores.

Coleman Hawkins (21 de noviembre de 1904 - 19 de mayo de 1969)
Coleman Hawkins, uno de los primeros virtuosos del saxofón tenor, se hizo famoso por su tono agresivo y su creatividad melódica. Fue una estrella de la orquesta de Fletcher Henderson durante la era del swing en los años veinte y treinta. Su aplicación de conocimientos armónicos avanzados a la improvisación ayudó a allanar el camino para el bebop.

Johnny Hodges (5 de julio de 1906 - 11 de mayo de 1970)
Hodges fue un saxofonista alto más conocido por dirigir la orquesta de Duke Ellington durante 38 años. Tocaba el blues y las baladas con una ternura inigualable. Muy influido por Sidney Bechet, el tono de Hodges gemía con un vibrato rápido y un timbre brillante.

Ben Webster (27 de marzo de 1909 - 20 de septiembre de 1973)
El saxofonista tenor Ben Webster tomaba prestado un tono áspero y agresivo de Coleman Hawkins en los números de blues, e invocaba el sentimentalismo de Johnny Hodges en las baladas. Se convirtió en solista estrella de la orquesta de Duke Ellington y está considerado uno de los tres tenores más influyentes de la era del swing, junto con Hawkins y Lester Young. Su versión de "Cotton Tail" de Ellington es una de las grabaciones más famosas del jazz.

Lester Young (27 de agosto de 1909 - 15 de marzo de 1959)
Con su tono suave y su enfoque relajado de la improvisación, Young presentó una alternativa a los estilos roncos de Webster y Hawkins. Su estilo melódico reflejaba más el de Frankie Trumbauer, y su expresión "cool" dio lugar al movimiento del cool jazz.

Charlie Parker (29 de agosto de 1920 - 12 de marzo de 1955)
Al saxofonista alto Charlie Parker se le atribuye el desarrollo, junto al trompetista Dizzy Gillespie, del rapidísimo y enérgico estilo bebop. La increíble técnica de Parker, junto con su dominio del ritmo y la armonía, le convirtieron en objeto de estudio de prácticamente todos los músicos de jazz en algún momento de su desarrollo.

Sonny Rollins (n. 7 de septiembre de 1930)
Inspirado por Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins y Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins desarrolló un estilo melódico atrevido y peculiar. El bebop y el calypso han ocupado un lugar destacado a lo largo de su carrera, marcada por el continuo autocuestionamiento y la evolución consciente. A finales de la década de 1950, tras establecerse firmemente como uno de los mejores tenores de llamada, abandonó su carrera durante tres años mientras buscaba un nuevo sonido. Durante este periodo, practicó en el puente de Williamsburg. A día de hoy, Rollins sigue evolucionando y buscando estilos de jazz que expresen mejor su efervescente carácter musical.

John Coltrane (23 de septiembre de 1926 - 17 de julio de 1967)
La influencia de Coltrane es una de las más notables del jazz. Comenzó su carrera modestamente, intentando emular a Charlie Parker. En los años 50, se dio a conocer gracias a sus actuaciones con Miles Davis y Thelonious Monk. Sin embargo, no fue hasta 1959 cuando pareció que Coltrane estaba realmente en lo cierto. Su pieza "Giant Steps", en el álbum del mismo nombre, presentaba una estructura armónica inventada por él que no se parecía a nada anterior. Entró en un periodo marcado por el abandono de las melodías lineales, la técnica feroz y las capas de armonía. A mediados de los sesenta, abandonó las estructuras rígidas por la improvisación libre e intensa.

Warne Marsh (26 de octubre de 1927 - 17 de diciembre de 1987)
Durante la mayor parte de su carrera, Warne Marsh pasó generalmente desapercibido. Valoraba más las melodías lineales complejas que los riffs y los licks, y su tono seco parecía reservado y pensativo, a diferencia de los efusivos sonidos de Coleman Hawkins y Ben Webster. Aunque nunca obtuvo el reconocimiento de algunos de sus contemporáneos afines, como Lee Konitz o Lennie Tristano (que también fue su maestro), la influencia de Marsh se puede escuchar en intérpretes modernos como el saxofonista Mark Turner y el guitarrista Kurt Rosenwinkel.

Ornette Coleman (n. 9 de marzo de 1930)
Coleman, que comenzó su carrera tocando blues y R&B, llamó la atención en la década de 1960 con su enfoque "armolódico", una técnica con la que pretendía equiparar armonía, melodía, ritmo y forma. No se ceñía a las estructuras armónicas convencionales y su forma de tocar pasó a denominarse "free jazz", que fue muy controvertido. Desde sus primeros días de enfado con los puristas del jazz, Coleman es considerado el primer músico de jazz de vanguardia. La improvisación vanguardista que instigó se ha convertido en un género importante y diverso.

Joe Henderson (24 de abril de 1937 - 30 de junio de 2001)
Joe Henderson, que aprendió absorbiendo la música de todos los maestros saxofonistas que le precedieron, desarrolló un estilo que, al mismo tiempo, estaba impregnado de la tradición y era independiente de ella. Llamó la atención por sus primeros trabajos de hard bop, incluido un solo excepcional en "Song for My Father" de Horace Silver. A lo largo de su carrera, grabó álbumes que abarcaban desde el hard bop hasta proyectos experimentales, encarnando así la cultura del jazz en expansión y evolución.

Michael Brecker (29 de marzo de 1949 - 13 de enero de 2007)
Combinando jazz y rock con agilidad y delicadeza supremas, Brecker saltó a la fama en las décadas de 1970 y 1980. Tocó con artistas de pop como Steely Dan, James Taylor y Paul Simon, así como con figuras del jazz como Herbie Hancock, Roy Hargrove, Chick Corea y docenas de otros. Su técnica impecable elevó el listón para los saxofonistas de jazz venideros, y ayudó a legitimar el papel del rock y la música pop en los estilos de jazz.

Kenny Garrett (n. 9 de octubre de 1960)
Garrett saltó a la fama mientras tocaba con la banda eléctrica de Miles Davis en la década de 1980, época en la que desarrolló un novedoso enfoque del saxofón alto. Sus solos bluesy y agresivos tienden a yuxtaponer sus notas largas y ululantes con fragmentos melódicos cortantes y abrasivos.

Chris Potter (n. 1 de enero de 1971)
Niño prodigio del saxofón, Chris Potter llevó la técnica del saxofón a un nuevo nivel. Comenzó su carrera con el trompetista Red Rodney, y pronto se convirtió en el tenor preferido de varios directores de orquesta notables, como Dave Holland, Paul Motian y Dave Douglas. Tras dominar los estilos de anteriores iconos del jazz, Potter se especializa en solos virtuosos construidos sobre motivos o conjuntos de tonos. La facilidad con la que toca en todos los registros del saxofón es prácticamente inigualable.

Mark Turner (n. 10 de noviembre de 1965)
Muy influido por Coltrane y Warne Marsh, Mark Turner saltó a la fama junto al guitarrista Kurt Rosenwinkel. Su tono seco, sus frases angulosas y el uso frecuente del registro más agudo del saxofón le hacen destacar entre los saxofonistas contemporáneos. Junto con Chris Potter y Kenny Garrett, Turner es uno de los saxofonistas más influyentes del jazz actual.
jazz.about.com

Birdː La biografía de Charlie Parker

 

VA • Pure Latin Jazz

 

Cal Tjader, Eddie Palmieri, Dave Pike, Sergio Mendes, Herbie Mann, Charlie Parker, Ramsey Lewis, Dizzy Gillespie, Gato Barbieri, Tito Puente, Astrud Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Grant Green, Michel Camilo …


 

 

 

The Dial Recordings of Charlie Parker: A Discography

 

Dial Records catered to jazz musicians and record collectors. Charlie Parker was one of the major jazz artists to record with Dial. His Dial sessions occurred at the personal depths and artistic peaks of his career during which he introduced a number of such jazz staples as Ornithology and Scrapple from the Apple. His ten sessions associated with Dial are presented in detail and include the repertory, original issues and reissues, titles and notated transcriptions, and analyses of performances. Commentary explains many of the titles to Parker's pieces and collates the various recordings in which he performed his Dial repertory outside the confines of the Dial studios; these celebrated performances helped to shape modern jazz.

In addition to the catalogue of Parker's Dial recordings, jazz historians and scholars alike will appreciate the historical narrative detailing the evolution of Dial Records, its owner Ross Russell, and its business relations with Charlie Parker. This examination of the 1940's jazz record business sheds light on the dissemination of jazz via records. Five appendices complete this well organized and thorough study of Charlie Parker and his legendary Dial recordings.

 

Charlie Parker-Chet Baker • Inglewood Jam

 

Review by Scott Yanow
This CD's historic value outweighs the below-par recording quality. Trumpeter Chet Baker is heard shortly before he joined Gerry Mulligan's quartet participating on a jam session with altos Charlie Parker and Sonny Criss. They play lengthy versions of four songs and there are plenty of heated moments on this bop set. It's recommended to listners who do not demand state-of-the-art sound.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/inglewood-jam-mw0000268385

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Crítica de Scott Yanow
El valor histórico de este CD supera la calidad de la grabación. Se escucha al trompetista Chet Baker poco antes de unirse al cuarteto de Gerry Mulligan participando en una jam session con los contraltos Charlie Parker y Sonny Criss. Tocan largas versiones de cuatro canciones y hay muchos momentos calientes en este set de bop. Se recomienda a los oyentes que no exijan un sonido de vanguardia.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/inglewood-jam-mw0000268385

VA • Jazz Classics

 

Charlie Parker • The Happy 'Bird'

 

Jazz Makers Vanguards of Sound

 

Jazz Makers gathers together short biographies of more than 50 of jazz's greatest stars, from its early beginnings to the present. The stories of these innovative instrumentalists, bandleaders, and composers reveal the fascinating history of jazz in six parts:
* The Pioneers, including Scott Joplin, Louis Armstrong, and Bessie Smith
* Swing Bands and Soloists, with Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday
* The Piano Giants, featuring Fats Waller, Art Tatum, and Mary Lou Williams
* Birth of Bebop, including Dizzy Gillepsie, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis
* Cool Jazz, Hard Bop, and Fusion, with John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Stan Getz
* A Century of Jazz, featuring Wynton Marsalis, Joshua Redman, and other contemporary greats.

VA • Be-Bop And Post Bop

 

Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, J.J. Johnson, Wardell Gray, Stan Getz, Lennie Tristano, Thelonious Monk, Gerry Mulligan, Charles Mingus, Clifford Brown, Art Blakey, Miles Davis.

Charlie Parker • Bird On 52nd Street

 

Review by Scott Yanow
Altoist Charlie Parker plays quite brilliantly on this live set with trumpeter Miles Davis, pianist Duke Jordan, bassist Tommy Potter and drummer Max Roach but the recording quality is consistently crummy and sometimes borders on the unlistenable. In fact, if it featured any other player but Bird, the music would certainly have not been released. For true Charlie Parker completists only.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/bird-on-52nd-st-mw0000080262

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Reseña de Scott Yanow
El contralto Charlie Parker toca de forma brillante en esta grabación en directo con el trompetista Miles Davis, el pianista Duke Jordan, el bajista Tommy Potter y el batería Max Roach, pero la calidad de la grabación es deficiente y a veces roza lo inescuchable. De hecho, si hubiera contado con cualquier otro intérprete que no fuera Bird, la música seguramente no se habría publicado. Sólo para verdaderos coleccionistas de Charlie Parker.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/bird-on-52nd-st-mw0000080262

Chasin the Bird The Life and Legacy of Charlie Parker

 

Charlie Parker has been idolized by generations of jazz musicians and fans. Indeed, his spectacular musical abilities--his blinding speed and brilliant improvisational style--made Parker a legend even before his tragic death at age thirty-four.
Now, in Chasin' The Bird, Brian Priestley offers a marvelous biography of this jazz icon, ranging from his childhood in Kansas City to his final harrowing days in New York. Priestley offers new insight into Parker's career, beginning as a teenager single-mindedly devoted to mastering the saxophone. We follow Parker on his first trip to New York, penniless, washing dishes for $9.00 a week at Jimmy's Chicken Shack, a favorite hangout of the great Art Tatum, whose stunning speed and ingenuity were an influence on the young musician. Priestley sheds light on Parker's collaborations with other jazz legands, and illuminates such classic recordings as "Salt Peanuts," "A Night in Tunisia," and "Yardbird Suite"--music which defined an era. He also gives us an unflinching look at Parker's dark side--the drug abuse, heavy drinking, and tangled relations with women and the law. He recounts the death of Parker's daughter Pree at just two-and-a-half years old, and Parker's own death at thirty-four, in such wretched condition that the doctor listed his age as fifty-three.
With an invaluable discography that lists every recording of Charlie Parker that has ever been made publicly available, this is a must-have biography of a true jazz giant, one that helps us penetrate the dazzling surface to grasp the artistry beneath.

 

amazon.co.uk ...

 

Charlie Parker His Music and Life

 

Saxophonist Charlie Parker (1920-1955) was one of the most innovative and influential jazz musicians of any era. As one of the architects of modern jazz (often called "bebop"), Charlie Parker has had a profound effect on American music. His music reached such a high level of melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic sophistication that saxophonists and other instrumentalists continue to study it as both a technical challenge and an aesthetic inspiration. This revised edition of Charlie Parker: His Music and Life has been revised throughout to account for new Charlie Parker scholarship and previously unknown Parker recordings that have emerged since the book’s initial publication. The volume opens by considering current research on Parker’s biography, laying out some of the contradictory accounts of his life, and setting the chronology straight where possible. It then focuses on Parker’s music, tracing his artistic evolution and major achievements as a jazz improviser. The musical discussions and transcribed musical examples include timecodes for easy location in recordings—a unique feature to this book. 

 

Charlie Parker • Bird Is Free

 

 

Charlie Parker • Jazz At The Philharmonic 1946

 

Review by Ken Dryden
The 1946 Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts were true all-star events. This CD compiles portions of two different evenings. The first track, from January, includes trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie, Al Kilian, and Howard McGhee and saxophonists Charlie Parker, Willie Smith, Charlie Ventura, and Lester Young in thae front line. Young, having recently gotten out of the military service, is still not at full strength, with Parker and Gillespie taking charge in the rousing "Sweet Georgia Brown." McGhee takes Dizzy's place on the remaining January numbers. Parker, Smith, and Young are on hand for the April show, adding tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins and trumpeter Buck Clayton battling it out in an old-fashioned jam session on-stage. In the opening "J.A.T.P. Blues," Parker and Hawkins outshine the others, while "I Got Rhythm" gets things percolating and enlivens the crowd in an extended workout. Unlike later Jazz at the Philharmonic shows, the rhythm section is merely average, aside from pianist Mel Powell's contributions to "Sweet Georgia Brown." The audio is quite good for the era, considering the limitations of live recording in a large hall in 1946.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/at-the-1946-jatp-concert-mw0000083724

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Crítica de Ken Dryden
Los conciertos de Jazz at the Philharmonic de 1946 fueron auténticos acontecimientos estelares. Este CD recopila partes de dos veladas diferentes. La primera pista, de enero, incluye a los trompetistas Dizzy Gillespie, Al Kilian y Howard McGhee y a los saxofonistas Charlie Parker, Willie Smith, Charlie Ventura y Lester Young en primera línea. Young, recién salido del servicio militar, aún no está a pleno rendimiento, y Parker y Gillespie toman el mando en la entusiasta «Sweet Georgia Brown». McGhee ocupa el lugar de Dizzy en los restantes números de enero. Parker, Smith y Young están presentes en el concierto de abril, añadiendo al saxofonista tenor Coleman Hawkins y al trompetista Buck Clayton, que se baten en una jam session a la vieja usanza en el escenario. En el primer tema, «J.A.T.P. Blues», Parker y Hawkins eclipsan a los demás, mientras que «I Got Rhythm» pone las cosas en su sitio y anima al público en un largo entrenamiento. A diferencia de los conciertos posteriores de Jazz at the Philharmonic, la sección rítmica es simplemente regular, aparte de las contribuciones del pianista Mel Powell en «Sweet Georgia Brown». El sonido es bastante bueno para la época, teniendo en cuenta las limitaciones de la grabación en directo en una gran sala en 1946.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/at-the-1946-jatp-concert-mw0000083724

VA • 100 Greatest Jazz Icons

 

Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Nina Simone, Bill Evans, Charlie Parker, Glenn Miller, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Ahmad Jamal, Quincy Jones, Charles Mingus …

 

VA • Latin Jazz Classics