Search - Charlie Parker :: 1946 Jatp Concert

An extraordinary performance

nadav haber | jerusalem Israel | 06/05/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The musicians, according to the announcer, and according to the way they play, are Charlie Parker, Willie Smith (alto), Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Buck Clayton, Jack Kersey, Buddy Rich, and guitar and bass players whose names I couldn't quite get. It is very interesting to compare Parker's style to that of Willie Smith - Jimmy Lunceford alto player at the time. It is also a chance to listen to Lester Young and Coleman Hawkins play extended solos one after the other. It is very obvious that Parker's style is a continuation of Youngs flowing melodic lines,and he sounds to me like he is simply playing more music than anyone else around him - and the others do play a lot of music.

It is clear that while Parker's music was new and fresh, it wasn't as revolutionary as the music of Ornette Coleman and Cecil Taylor 12 years later - in the sense that it still used harmonic and rhythmic ideas of the swing era. Parker sounds much more sophisticated than Willie Smith, in every aspect, but it is basically based on the same music.

For anyone interested in Parker playing extended solos next to the other giants, this cd is a good opportunity."