Charlie Parker - Ken Burns JAZZ Collection: Charlie Parker
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Artist: Charlie ParkerBrand: Parker
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2000-11-07
Music Label: Polygram Records
Soundtracks:
- Sepian Bounce (with Jay McShann & His Orchestra)
- Salt Peanuts
- Hot House
- KoKo
- Anthropology
- Now's The Time
- Ornithology
- Yardbird Suite
- Lover Man
- Relaxin' At Camarillo
- Embraceable You
- Scrapple Form The Apple
- Parker's Mood
- Just Friends
- Star Eyes
- Confirmation
Music reviews of Ken Burns JAZZ Collection: Charlie Parker
Music Review: It has it's positives and negatives
Rating: 4 Stars
Charlie Parker was a master at the saxophone, and more importantly, a master of improvisation. 'Ken Burns JAZZ: The Definitive Charlie Parker' collects 16 Parker sides from various labels, including Savoy, Dial and Verve.
Alright look, in terms of years, this is about as comprehensive a Parker collection you can get on the market. We're talking about years, let's not forget. It spans 1941-1953, 12 years, practically his entire career. It includes a track from his days with the Jay McShann Big Band ('Sepian Bounce') and one of his early collaborations with Dizzy Gillespie ('Salt Peanuts').
But then we get into the real Bird sides. When I say real Bird sides, I mean the one where he was leader. There's 'Ornithology,' 'Anthropology,' 'Ko-Ko,' representing the early 1940s, of course, which are some of his most critically acclaimed sides.
Then we move into the latter 1940s where we get the stunning 'Loverman.' Parker was so drunk he had to be physically supported by the producer of this session. But even though he was drunk, this is one of the finest jazz recordings you'll find anywhere. Parker's sax is full of emotion. Parker re-recorded it for Verve in 1953, and while I appreciate and like that version, this is the version that you should hear first.
Parker was than sent to a mental hospital after many bizarre encounters and experiences, and he wrote 'Relaxin' At Camarillo' is about that experience. It may be instrumental, but it's great. The piano at the beginning is amazing, and Parker's playing is just superb as well.
After a cover of the standard 'Embraceable You' we move on to the Verve years. The Verve years are probably my favorite years of his career. The Verve years open on this compilation with 'Just Friends,' featuring an orchestra and string accompaniment. 'Star Eyes' features a young Miles Davis, who really shines here.
The last recording here is 'Confirmation,' recorded in 1953. Parker was almost two years away from death when this was recorded. But despite that, this is one of my favorite Parker recordings. It's good, and Parker proves why he's the master of improvisation here.
The thing that limits me from giving this disc five stars are two things. One, it's too short. 16 songs may look like a lot on paper, but this disc could be filled to capacity. It's not even an hour long. Yes, that's right. More Parker would be good. The 13-minute 'I Got Rhythm' would fit perfectly on this recording, and yet, it's nowhere to be found.
Another negative is the sound quality. Now I've heard all of these recordings from other sources, and it's safe to say I've heard them sound MUCH better than what's here.
Overall, if you are a newcomer to Bird's legendary music, this would be a great entry point. Now, it's not the only good entry point out there, but it's a great place to begin, nonetheless. 1941-1953 is twelve years, more than a decade, and that's the time period spanned on this short, less-than-an-hour (but just barely less) disc. However, if you are a Bird purist, than chances are you already own all of this material. And for the newcomer that's picky about sound, I advise you skip over this one.
Recommended to one who is just starting his/her Charlie "Bird" Parker collection and isn't terribly concerned about sound.
Description of Ken Burns JAZZ Collection: Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker is one of the legendary figures of jazz, a musician whose troubled life and creative genius have inspired works like Clint Eastwood's film Bird. As this collection demonstrates, though, the legend could never be larger than the art. Parker was simply one of the two or three greatest improvisers ever to play jazz. He created solos of unmatched harmonic and rhythmic subtlety at tempos few musicians could even negotiate. This selection provides a unique single-CD introduction to Parker's work, touching on his earliest recordings with the blues-based Kansas City band of Jay McShann and the early collaborations with Dizzy Gillespie that marked the dawn of bop. The period of Parker's greatest creativity was brief, and it spanned several record companies--Savoy, Dial, and Verve--all of them represented here. Among the masterpieces are the slow blues of "Parker's Mood" and the stunning "Just Friends," with Parker's liquid alto cascading brilliantly over a small string section. --Stuart BroomerGeneral CDs
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