Charlie Parker & Lennie Tristano - Complete Recordings

2020 reissue

Alto sax genius Charlie Parker and modern jazz blind pianist Lennie Tristano had mutual admiration and understanding for each other, and were good friends. However, their recorded output together is far from extensive and fits the dimensions of this sole CD. Both were great innovators, although Tristano was the first to admit Birds pre-eminence among all musicians of that period: If Charlie Parker wanted to invoke plagiarism laws, he declared once, he could sue almost everybody whos made a record in the last ten years.

On this collection we can appreciate the peculiar combination of their very personal styles. Both are extensively heard on these recordings, which include a 1951 privately recorded duet session made at Tristanos home (playing All of Me and I Cant Believe That You Are In Love With Me, an All Star big band studio session and three exciting 1947 radio broadcasts presenting Bird and Lennie with stars like Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro, Allen Eager, Ray Brown, Max Roach and Buddy Rich. Most of these recordings are extremely rare and have been long unavailable on CD.