Charlie Parker Story CD

Live Recording

Personnel: Charlie Parker (alto saxophone); Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet, piano); Miles Davis (trumpet); Sadik Hakim (piano); Curley Russell (bass); Max Roach (drums).
Recorded on November 26, 1945. Originally released on Savoy (MG 12079). Includes original liner notes by John Mehegan.
The 2003 Savoy collection, Charlie Parker Story, combines tracks saxophonist Charlie Parker recorded for the iconic label during the '40s and '50s. Collectors will probably want to seek out the original albums, but at 13 tracks, this is a worthy budget overview of some of Parker's most recognizable bebop recordings. ~ Matt Collar
A decent anthology that has since been supplanted by the booming Charlie Parker reissue market. Everything here can be obtained in better quality and with more comprehensive notes, superior sound, and more intelligent track sequencing, even though what's here isn't bad. ~ Ron Wynn
A decent anthology that has since been supplanted by the booming Charlie Parker reissue market. Everything here can be obtained in better quality and with more comprehensive notes, superior sound, and more intelligent track sequencing. ~ Ron Wynn
"The Greatest Recording Session Made In Modern Jazz History In Its Entirety!" screams the subtitle in the original liner notes to this posthumous Savoy collection of digitally remastered Parker tracks. The point may be debatable, since the notes go on to detail how on the afternoon of November 26, 1945, "Parker was having trouble with his horn...it is obvious that Bird was unable to correct what was a reed problem...Miles was not playing well...Bud was constantly disappearing with Miles..." In addition, the sound quality varies from tune to tune. With these drawbacks, and the fact that the original sequencing and selection of songs is reproduced in full, it is clear that this reissue is aimed at the hard-core aficionado.
Five versions of "Billie's Bounce" are presented, including an interrupted "short take." Likewise the band's four attempts at "Now's The Time," two of which were false starts, are included. In other words, it's not a great date, but if you're a serious fan or student of the music, you can check out how the officially released takes stack up compared to the ones that were originally consigned to the Savoy vaults.

Down Beat (4/93, p.46) - 5 Stars - Excellent - "...an astounding November 1945 session which includes 16 versions of a total of six tunes..."