Charlie Parker - Bird In LA - UHQCD

2021 reissue

It is nearly impossible to overstate the cultural impact of alto saxophonist Charlie Parker. Miles Davis had been quoted as saying…”You can tell the history of jazz in four words…Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker.” The Kansas City native often referred to as “Bird” was a trend-setting instrumentalist who pioneered bebop. His incorporation of frenetic tempo, contrafact melody interpretation and incendiary soloing revolutionized jazz. This uncompromising approach to music resonated in the late 1940’s and 1950’s. Parker became a symbol of the Beat Generation counterculture that viewed literature and music as relections of social expression, not merely entertainment. Along with other players like Dizzy Gillespie and Bud Powell, this reinvention of jazz changed the trajectory of the genre.  With songs like Billie’s Bounce”, “Cool Blues”, “Bloomdido”, “Yardbird Suite” and “Ornithology”, Bird Changes became part of the jazz lexicon. Sadly, Charlie Parker passed away at the young age of 34.

2 CDs of previously unreleased Charlie Parker recordings. Bird In LA chronicles Parker’s first three trips to Los Angeles (1945-1952).  Disc 1 consists of  Dizzy Gillespie and his Orchestra performing live at Billy Berg’s Supper Club in Hollywood. It feels like formative bebop (mostly captured in concise numbers and snippets) i with “hipster” MCs (reminiscent of Lord Buckley) doing intros. “I Waited For You/How High The Moon” showcases Gillespie, Parker and Milt Jackson with breakout solos. The jamming gets edgier on “Cement Mixer/Blues” with sudden tempo changes and the melody “takeout”. On “Groovin’ High”, Dizzy and Bird are sublime and Al Haig shines on piano. Things get amped up with the syncopated rendition of “Shaw “Nuff”. Parker cuts loose on the first solo, then Gillespie matches the ferocity. They finish in tandem. “Dizzy Atmosphere” concludes the Berg performance with Bird and Diz playing in unison and counterpoint. “Salt Peanuts” with crazy swing patterns (and chant) is anchored by Ray Brown’s muscular bass and Stan Levey’s propulsive drumming.

Disc 1 features the Charlie Parker Quintet (with Miles Davis) at The Finale Club. This ensemble is focused and they breeze through four exceptional songs. “Billie’s Bounce” is jaunty with Parker, Davis and pianist Joe Albany soloing. “Ornithology” is edgier as both C.P. and M.D. percolate with clear tonality and sprightly runs, switching off lead and harmony. On “All The Things That You Are”, there is a hypnotic groove as saxophone and trumpet reinvent this popular ballad with meticulous, nimble execution. Perhaps their most explosive work is on “Blue “n” Boogie”. The innate chemistry of these two legends is palpable.  This set is historically notable as The Nat “King” Cole Trio and Buddy Rich back up Bird on “Anthropology” and “Cherokee” (which is exhilarating). Bebop swagger returns in a trio of quartet numbers (“Ornithology”, “Dizzy Atmosphere” and “Out Of Nowhere”).

The overall play is more freewheeling with some improvisational flair.  are primarily comprised of Bird’s performances at the bohemian Zorthian’s Ranch in the summer of 1952. Here, the five tracks include second alto saxophone (Frank Morgan) and tenor (Don Wilkerson). The first“Scrapple In The Apple” meanders somewhat, but “Au Privave/Dance Of The Infidels” exerts unbridled energy. The two alto players seem to push each other and exchange with spirited play. The bebop standard, “Night In Tunisia” bristles with urgency and polyrhythmic vitality. The band swings relentlessly and that carries over into “How High The Moon/Ornithology”. A certain highlight is the twelve-minute cover of “Cool Blues”. One of the gems of these newly discovered recordings is an extended version of “Scrapple From The Apple”. In addition to the no-holds-barred playing of Parker, a very young Chet Baker joins the fray.

Bird In LA is an interesting glimpse into the development of a jazz master. While the audio source material is uneven, the inspiration and feel of bebop comes across.