Tiny's Tempo [Take 3] - Charlie Parker, Grimes, Tiny
I'll Always Love You Just the Same [Take 2] - Charlie Parker, Grimes, Tiny
Romance Without Finance [Take 5] - Charlie Parker, Grimes, Tiny
Red Cross [Take 2]
Tiny's Tempo [Take 1] - Charlie Parker, Grimes, Tiny
Tiny's Tempo [Take 2] - Charlie Parker, Grimes, Tiny
I'll Always Love You Just the Same [Take 1] - Charlie Parker, Grimes, Tiny
Romance Without Finance [Take 1] - Charlie Parker, Grimes, Tiny
Romance Without Finance [Take 2 Incomplete] - Charlie Parker, Grimes, Tiny
Romance Without Finance [Take 3] - Charlie Parker, Grimes, Tiny
Romance Without Finance [Take 4 Incomplete][Excerpt] - Charlie Parker, Grimes, Tiny
Red Cross [Take 1]
Groovin' High - Charlie Parker, Gillespie, Dizzy
All the Things You Are - Charlie Parker, Hammerstein, Oscar
Dizzy Atmosphere - Charlie Parker, Gillespie, Dizzy
Salt Peanuts - Charlie Parker, Clarke, Kenny
Shaw 'Nuff - Charlie Parker, Brown, Ray [1]
Lover Man - Charlie Parker, Davis, Jimmy [4]
Hot House - Charlie Parker, Dameron, Tadd
Warming up a Riff [Take 1]
Billie's Bounce [Take 5]
Now's the Time [Take 4]
Thriving on a Riff [Take 3] - Charlie Parker, Gillespie, Dizzy
Meandering [Take 1]
Koko [Take 2]
Track Listings (26) - Disc #2
Billie's Bounce [Take 1]
Billie's Bounce [Take 2 Incomplete]
Billie's Bounce [Take 3]
Billie's Bounce [Take 4 Incomplete][Excerpt]
Now's the Time [Take 2 Incomplete]
Now's the Time [Take 3]
Thriving on a Riff [Take 1] - Charlie Parker, Gillespie, Dizzy
Koko [Take 1 Incomplete]
Dizzy's Boogie - Charlie Parker, Gaillard, Slim
Flat Foot Floogie - Charlie Parker, Gaillard, Sam
Poppity Pop - Charlie Parker, Gaillard, Slim
Slim's Jam - Charlie Parker, Gaillard, Slim
Dizzy's Boogie - Charlie Parker, Gaillard, Slim
Flat Foot Floogie - Charlie Parker, Gaillard, Slim
Diggin' Diz - Charlie Parker, Handy, George
Moose the Mooche [Take 2]
Yardbird Suite [Take 4]
Ornithology [Take 4] - Charlie Parker, Harris, Benny [Trum
A Night in Tunisia - Charlie Parker, Gillespie, Dizzy
Moose the Mooche [Take 1]
Moose the Mooche [Take 3]
Yardbird Suite [Take 1]
Ornithology [Take 1] - Charlie Parker, Harris, Benny [Trum
Ornithology [Also Issued as "Bird Lore"][Take] - Charlie Parker, Harris, Benny [Trum
A Night in Tunisia (AKA the Famous Alto Break) [Take 1] - Charlie Parker, Gillespie, Dizzy
A Night in Tunisia - Charlie Parker, Gillespie, Dizzy
Track Listings (25) - Disc #3
Max (Is) Making Wax [Take A Master] - Charlie Parker, Pettiford, Oscar
Lover Man [Take A Master] - Charlie Parker, Davis, Jimmy [4]
The Gypsy [Take A] - Charlie Parker, Reid, Billy
Bebop [Take A] - Charlie Parker, Gillespie, Dizzy
Blues on the Sofa [Blues 1]
Kopely Plaza Blues (No. 2)
Yardbird Suite
Lullaby in Rhythm, Pt. 1 - Charlie Parker, Goodman, Benny
Lullaby in Rhythm, Pt. 2 - Charlie Parker, Goodman, Benny
Home Cooking, No. 2: Cherokee - Charlie Parker, Noble, Ray
Home Cooking, No. 3: I Got Rhythm - Charlie Parker, Gershwin, George
Home Cooking, No. 1: Opus - Charlie Parker, McKusick, Hal
This Is Always [Take C] - Charlie Parker, Gordon, Mack
Dark Shadows [Take C] - Charlie Parker, Henry, Shifty
Bird's Nest [Take C]
Cool Blues [Take C]
This Is Always [Take D] - Charlie Parker, Gordon, Mack
Dark Shadows [Take A] - Charlie Parker, Henry, Shifty
Dark Shadows [Take B] - Charlie Parker, Henry, Shifty
Dark Shadows [Take D] - Charlie Parker, Henry, Shifty
Bird's Nest [Take A]
Bird's Nest [Take B]
Cool Blues (Hot Blues/Blowtop Blues) [Take A]
Cool Blues (Blowtop Blues) [Take B]
Cool Blues [Take D]
Track Listings (24) - Disc #4
Relaxin' at Camarillo [Take C]
Cheers [Take D] - Charlie Parker, McGhee, Howard
Carvin' the Bird [Take B] - Charlie Parker, McGhee, Howard
Stupendous [Take A] - Charlie Parker, McGhee, Howard
Relaxin' at Camarillo [Take A]
Relaxin' at Camarillo [Take D]
Relaxin' at Camarillo [Take E]
Cheers [Take A] - Charlie Parker, McGhee, Howard
Cheers [Take B] - Charlie Parker, McGhee, Howard
Cheers [Take C] - Charlie Parker, McGhee, Howard
Carvin' the Bird [Take A] - Charlie Parker, McGhee, Howard
Stupendous [Take B] - Charlie Parker, McGhee, Howard
Donna Lee [Take 5]
Chasin' the Bird, No. 4
Cheryl [Take 1, False Start][Excerpt]
Buzzy, No. 5
Donna Lee [Take 2]
Donna Lee [Take 3]
Donna Lee [Take 4]
Chasin' the Bird [Take 1]
Chasin' the Bird [Take 3]
Buzzy [Take 1]
Buzzy [Take 2 Incomplete]
Buzzy [Take 3]
Track Listings (24) - Disc #5
Milestones [Take 2] - Charlie Parker, Davis, Miles
Little Willie Leaps [Take 3] - Charlie Parker, Davis, Miles
Half Nelson [Take 2] - Charlie Parker, Davis, Miles
Sippin' at Bells [Take 2] - Charlie Parker, Davis, Miles
Milestones [Take 3] - Charlie Parker, Davis, Miles
Little Willie Leaps [Take 1 Incomplete] - Charlie Parker, Davis, Miles
Little Willie Leaps [Take 2] - Charlie Parker, Davis, Miles
Half Nelson [Take 1] - Charlie Parker, Davis, Miles
Sippin' at Bells [Take 1 Incomplete] - Charlie Parker, Davis, Miles
Sippin' at Bells [Take 4] - Charlie Parker, Davis, Miles
Dexterity [Take B]
Bongo Bop [Take A]
Dewey Square [Take C]
The Hymn [Take B]
Bird of Paradise [Take C]
Embraceable You [Take B] - Charlie Parker, Gershwin, George
Dexterity [Take A]
Bongo Bop [Take B]
Dewey Square [Take A]
Dewey Square [Take B]
The Hymn [Take A]
Bird of Paradise [Take A]
Bird of Paradise [Take B]
Embraceable You [Take A] - Charlie Parker, Gershwin, George
Track Listings (26) - Disc #6
Bird Feathers [Take C]
Klact-Oveeseds-Tene
Scrapple from the Apple [Take C]
My Old Flame [Take A] - Charlie Parker, Coslow, Sam
Out of Nowhere [Take B] - Charlie Parker, Green, Johnny [1]
Don't Blame Me [Take A] - Charlie Parker, Fields, Dorothy
Klact-Oveeseds-Tene [Take B Alternate]
Scrapple from the Apple [Take B]
Out of Nowhere [Take A] - Charlie Parker, Green, Johnny [1]
Out of Nowhere [Take C] - Charlie Parker, Green, Johnny [1]
Drifting on a Reed [Also Issued as Big Foot][Take]
Quasimodo [Take B]
Charlie's Wig [Take E]
Bongo Beep [Take C]
Crazeology [Take D] - Charlie Parker, Harris, Benny [Trum
How Deep Is the Ocean? [Take A] - Charlie Parker, Berlin, Irving
Drifting on a Reed [Take B]
Drifting on a Reed [Take D]
Quasimodo [Take A]
Charlie's Wig [Take B]
Charlie's Wig [Take D]
Bongo Beep [Take B]
Crazeology [Take A] - Charlie Parker, Harris, Benny [Trum
Crazeology [Take B] - Charlie Parker, Harris, Benny [Trum
Crazeology [Take C] - Charlie Parker, Harris, Benny [Trum
How Deep Is the Ocean? [Take B] - Charlie Parker, Berlin, Irving
Track Listings (23) - Disc #7
Another Hair Do [Take 4]
Bluebird, No. 3
Klaunstance, No. 1
Bird Gets the Worm, No. 3
Another Hair Do [Take 2 Incomplete]
Another Hair Do [Take 3 Incomplete][Excerpt]
Bluebird [Take 1]
Bird Gets the Worm [Take 1]
Barbados [Take 4]
Ah-Leu-Cha [Take 2]
Constellation [Take 5]
Parker's Mood [Take 5]
Barbados [Take 2 Incomplete]
Barbados [Take 3]
Ah-Leu-Cha [Incomplete Take]
Constellation [Take 1 Incomplete]
Constellation [Take 3]
Constellation [Take 4 Incomplete][Excerpt]
Parker's Mood [Take 3 False Start][Excerpt]
Perhaps [Take 7]
Marmaduke [Take 12]
Steeplechase [Takes 1 & 2 Incomplete][Take]
Merry-Go-Round [Take 2]
Track Listings (24) - Disc #8
Perhaps [Take 1]
Perhaps [Take 3]
Perhaps [Take 5 Incomplete]
Perhaps [Take 6]
Marmaduke [Take 2 Incomplete]
Marmaduke [Take 3 Incomplete][Excerpt]
Marmaduke [Take 5]
Marmaduke [Take 7 False Start][Take]
Marmaduke [Take 9 False Start][Take]
Marmaduke [Take 10]
Marmaduke [Take 11 Incomplete][Excerpt]
Merry-Go-Round [Take 1 Incomplete]
Hallelujah [Take F] - Charlie Parker, Grey, Clifford
Get Happy [Take D] - Charlie Parker, Arlen, Harold
Slam Slam Blues [Take B] - Charlie Parker, Norvo, Red
Congo Blues [Take C] - Charlie Parker, Norvo, Red
Hallelujah [Take A] - Charlie Parker, Grey, Clifford
Hallelujah [Take E] - Charlie Parker, Grey, Clifford
Get Happy [Take B] - Charlie Parker, Arlen, Harold
Slam Slam Blues [Take A] - Charlie Parker, Norvo, Red
Congo Blues [Take AA Incomplete][Take] - Charlie Parker, Norvo, Red
Congo Blues [Take BB Incomplete][Take] - Charlie Parker, Norvo, Red
Congo Blues [Take A] - Charlie Parker, Norvo, Red
Congo Blues [Take B] - Charlie Parker, Norvo, Red
Charlie "Bird" Parker's perfect attack on alto saxophone, along with his crystal-clear phrasing and high-velocity improvisations, made him one of the 20th century's most imitated musicians. This eight-CD set, which represe... more »nts the best remastering of Parker's fertile Dial and Savoy sides to date, was produced by veteran producer Orrin Keepnews. It includes the legendary roundtable of bebop knights: trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis; bassists Curly Russell and Tommy Potter; drummer Max Roach; and pianists Bud Powell, Duke Jordan, and John Lewis. Disc 1 begins with Parker as a sideman for guitarist Tiny Grimes, which yielded the pre-bop jump-blues sides "Tiny's Tempo" and "Romance Without Finance." The other tracks are first-generation bop classics: "Groovin' High," "Salt Peanuts," "Koko," and "Hot House." The remaining seven discs feature Bird's genius in other musical dimensions. Bird's recompositions of the standards "All the Things You Are," "Whispering," and "Embraceable You" stand out, as do the zesty "Barbados," "Bongo Bop," and "Night in Tunisia" (with the famous alto break). Underrated baritone Earl Coleman sings the ebony-embered ballad "Dark Shadows." But above all, Bird was a blues player. Nothing illustrates this better than the memorable blues ballad "Parker's Mood," on which his soulful, wailing alto is matched by John Lewis's rich, lyrical accompaniment. These tracks contain other gems, including a young and nervous Miles Davis sputtering Fats Navarro-style trumpet solos on "Milestones" and "Now's the Time," with Gillespie playing piano. Although he died at the age of 34 in 1955, Parker, along with Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk, formed the Holy Trinity that created bebop, and this set is Bird flying high. --Eugene Holley Jr.« less
Charlie "Bird" Parker's perfect attack on alto saxophone, along with his crystal-clear phrasing and high-velocity improvisations, made him one of the 20th century's most imitated musicians. This eight-CD set, which represents the best remastering of Parker's fertile Dial and Savoy sides to date, was produced by veteran producer Orrin Keepnews. It includes the legendary roundtable of bebop knights: trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis; bassists Curly Russell and Tommy Potter; drummer Max Roach; and pianists Bud Powell, Duke Jordan, and John Lewis. Disc 1 begins with Parker as a sideman for guitarist Tiny Grimes, which yielded the pre-bop jump-blues sides "Tiny's Tempo" and "Romance Without Finance." The other tracks are first-generation bop classics: "Groovin' High," "Salt Peanuts," "Koko," and "Hot House." The remaining seven discs feature Bird's genius in other musical dimensions. Bird's recompositions of the standards "All the Things You Are," "Whispering," and "Embraceable You" stand out, as do the zesty "Barbados," "Bongo Bop," and "Night in Tunisia" (with the famous alto break). Underrated baritone Earl Coleman sings the ebony-embered ballad "Dark Shadows." But above all, Bird was a blues player. Nothing illustrates this better than the memorable blues ballad "Parker's Mood," on which his soulful, wailing alto is matched by John Lewis's rich, lyrical accompaniment. These tracks contain other gems, including a young and nervous Miles Davis sputtering Fats Navarro-style trumpet solos on "Milestones" and "Now's the Time," with Gillespie playing piano. Although he died at the age of 34 in 1955, Parker, along with Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk, formed the Holy Trinity that created bebop, and this set is Bird flying high. --Eugene Holley Jr.
CD Reviews
Update on Disk 4
Jason | Washington, DC | 09/21/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I sent an e-mail last week to inquiries@savoyjazz.com requesting a replacement for the flawed disk 4. I received a new, corrected disk 5 days later. Excellent response. Tremendous collection."
Great Music - Terrible Packaging...
PeteB | 12/02/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I'd like to echo other reviewers thoughts about this package.Before you go on reading, let me say that I'm no Jazz expert, I just got into Jazz since viewing Ken Burns's documentary, and just fell in love with the sound of Bird. I never heard such virtuosity and creativeness on an instrument of any kind before or since then.Now on to THE MUSIC:The music on this CD set steams with energy. I've had this in my car player for about 3 months and haven't stopped listening to it!!! I personally like the extra takes of many of the tracks. I also don't mind the pitch control because I do not have other versions (from other CD compilations) to compare them to. Bottom line - great material to study and chill to.Now, the downer- THE PACKAGING STINKS!!!! - like many have stated, it is very hard to pull out and into the sleeves the CDs. You literally are touching the whole CD to get the darn thing in and out!! -- try to be very delicate with these discs!!
Also very troubling is the booklet that comes with the set. With all the pages that are contained therein, I always feel I am going to break the binding that holds them together - thus making it a little troublesome to read all the way through. Not to mention a lot of the text is in light brown (almost the color of the background itself) so it is hard to read. One more complaint - the only way to study the track listing - or follow along is to take this book out. -- Kinda wished it was on the outside or inside cover of the actual box! Oh well. If it wasn't for the packaging, this would posssibly have been the best box set I owned aside from the ones put out by Columbia and their treatment of the Miles Davis catalogue.Bottom Line: Newcomers beware - there is lots of music to absorb, but worth it if you have the time and the patience. And that goes for the packaging as well. If you are looking for a "lighter weight compilation", might I point you to check out the "Yardbird Suite" compilation put out by Rhino. 2 CDs of prime Bird!!! Word of warning before you open this - be patient getting out those CDs folks!!!"
Fascinating collection
PeteB | St Louis, MO | 08/28/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I love this collection, but it appears that I have a "faulty" disc 4 as noted by previous reviewers.
I've tried contacting Savoy by phone, letter, e-mail but to no avail. Does anyone know how to go about getting a replacement "corrected" disc?
Thanks."
In Defense of The Infamous Lover Man Sessions
Sussex Pond Pudding | Somewhere in the desert, CA | 08/18/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I do not own this set but have seen it and agree that the packaging is terrible. That is what happens when style is put over substance. I own a Japanese edition of the complete Dial sessions that seems to be out of print so I chose this to make a point as it the most commonly purchased.
As most of you probably know Charlie Parker's time in California was one of intense emotion and physical suffering. He was away from home, his children, his steady drug supply, etc. It became so bad that he was confined to a mental hospital in Camarillo, CA (the first time I drove there after moving to California many years ago I got chills thinking about the man). During his stay in Los Angeles he recorded for Dial Records, owned by Ross Russell. During one of these sessions he was so junk-sick and in pain that he made some "bad" recordings which he never wanted to be released. Long story short: they were and you must have them if you care one bit about Parker, jazz, or American art.
These sessions are amongst the pinnacles of 20th century art (I will not use the term music here because as music theory and jazz dogma goes they are, in fact, inferior to his other recordings). To hear these recordings is to hear the dark side of genius, the human side of Parker's divine gifts. 'Lover Man' is all the tragedy of life put into a few minutes worth of sound. As a young boy when I first heard it after having read about it in all the books I was devouring about Parker I cried. And I still can when I hear it. It is a peak into Pandora's box. For me I think of it as an aural combination of Weegee and Jackson Pollock and at least as important as either of those artists.
Needless to say you must own it. I advise newcomers to familiarize themselves with the master takes first to appreciate the full impact of the work. Perhaps even keep it unlistened to for years (this goes especially to you stupid kids out there who want to be jazz musicians...and don't ever try heroin either!). Once you hear it you will have a new insight into Parker, into music and every other form of Art.
Track Listings (25) - Disc #1