Search - Charlie Parker :: Genius of Charlie Parker

The Bird Can Fly!

Fly By Light | Atlanta, Georgia | 03/21/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This collection comes from Parker's Savoy and Dial recordings. Unlike the After Midnight compilation (Verve - also reviewed by me), these two CD's feature ONLY small groups (with sidemen like Miles Davis, Dizzie Gillespie,. . .). The songs are mostly very up-tempo, and the solos are barn burners. These songs include all the instrumental standards most commonly associated with Parker, like Ornithology, Scrapple from the Apple, and KoKo, so this is a great way to get them all in one place for a very reasonable price. The production quality varies between fairly good and mediocre - it can be difficult to hear piano and bass, particularly on the radio performances. That quibble aside, this collection is a very affordable way to buy a jam-packed survey of Parker's post-orchestral work."

The Bird flies well on this one!

Andre M. | Mt. Pleasant, SC United States | 06/12/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This consists of various sessions in he late 40s of our man with the likes of Miles, Diz, Dodo, and Slim Gilliard. The version of "Barbados" is so mellow and sweet that even non-bebop fans (like me) will dig.



The Slim Gilliard tunes are also quite entertaining. One of jazz's great clown princes (almost up there with Louis Jordan), he and Parker, Diz and co. get wild with comic tunes such as "Poppity Pop" and Gilliard's comedy jazz classic "Flat Foot Floogie." If this doesn't get you going, nothing will.



Incidentally, on "Slim's Jam," we actually get to hear the Bird-man of Kansas City speak in a bit of dialogue with Slim. Really interesting, as is this Cd itself."