Something special for us tempunauts
H. Lim | Carlingford, NSW Australia | 08/18/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
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The guys at Uptown Records have done it again, somehow retrieving a complete Charlie Parker concert from the 1940s recorded on lacquer acetate discs.
Or rather, it is a concert in which Parker appears. This unreleased concert from 1948 comes from the height of Parker's skill. You will hear a lot of brilliant soloing here. But the concert is not a Charlie Parker concert.
Billed as a "battle" between Bebop and Dixieland, the concert mostly features unknown and obscure musicians, such as Earl Swope on trombone (not very competent) and Charles Walp on trumpet (a lot better).
Further, although I understand the sound on this release has been considerably upgraded, it still stinks. The rhythm section is only vaguely audible at times. However, Charlie Parker's solos come through loud and clear. In 1948 Parker was still at the height of his powers, and his improvisations are free from cliches and very inventive.
The concert includes a performance of "These Foolish Things" on which Bird is very impressive, and a fine performance of "Koko" where Bird actually quotes "Cherokee", unlike the studio version!
The presentation of this album is not very good. There are copious liner notes, but they are dry in the extreme and only of interest to the most avid Bird-watcher. There is no discussion of how these discs were discovered, nor is there any warning of the poor sound quality. Oh well.
Overall, unlike the recently discovered Town Hall Concert, this album is not for beginners. Even those steeped in the Bird mythology might hesitate to purchase this disc; its sound really is horrible and Parker is only one soloist amongst some mediocrities.
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Bird is splendid
martin emiliano arias | Spain | 02/16/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
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This is a rather short CD, but rewarding to all Bird's fans. Some of these tracks have been already on a Bird's Eyes CD but less complete and in much worst sound. This CD is culled from the masters, which are not high fidelity, but are OK. Bird is superb on "These Foolish Things" and on the rest. The other players are less known and less interesting. But Bird makes this worth. The edition is OK, coupled with a booklet full of interesting information about the concert (certainly a minor event in Bird's life) and the lesser participants.
M."
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1