At Salle Pleyel (Paris, France - 1948)
Artist: Dizzy Gillespie

A superior live concert by the 1948 Dizzy Gillespie Big Band, this LP is highlighted by a lengthy version of "'Round Midnight," "Two Bass Hit," "The Afro Cuban Suite" (featuring Chano Pozo on congas) and "Things to Come." Every recording by this shortlived but memorable orchestra (the most innovative big band of 1946-49) is worth acquiring. ~... Read More

Yardbird Suite: The Ultimate Collection
Artist: Charlie Parker
Community Score: 10.00

This nicely priced and packaged two-disc set is a convenient, introductory primer compilation to Parker's music for the average listener. What we have here are 38 tracks spread over two discs that touch on Parker's greatest musical achievements; the sides that are considered -- in most cases -- his groundbreaking work; his greatest compositions... Read More

In a Soulful Mood
Artist: Charlie Parker

In seven recording sessions spaced over a year and a half's time, Charlie Parker changed the face of jazz forever. The sessions he recorded between March of 1946 into December of the following year for the Los Angeles based Dial Record label set the pace for the new bebop style, with every solo that emerged from Bird's horn being taken apart by... Read More

Confirmation: The Best of the Verve Years
Artist: Charlie Parker

Anyone daunted by the expense of acquiring the 10-disc Bird: The Complete Charlie Parker on Verve may well have their prayers answered by this 2-CD distillation of the big box. It covers a wide stretch of material from Parker's career, going back to the first JATP concert in 1946 and stretching almost to the end of his Norman Granz period. One... Read More

South of the Border: The Verve Latin-Jazz Sides
Artist: Charlie Parker

Verve gathers together all of the master takes of Charlie Parker's recordings with the swinging band of Afro-Cuban jazz pioneer Machito, along with ten other Latinized numbers that he cut in 1951-52. Besides illustrating the willingness of producer Norman Granz to experiment and take Parker out of a small-group bebop straitjacket, this CD shows... Read More

The Complete Blue Note and Roost Recordings
Artist: Bud Powell

Although pianist Bud Powell recorded some great albums elsewhere (most notably his first couple of sessions for Verve), on the whole his Blue Note records were his most significant and definitive. This four-CD set has all of the music from his five Blue Note albums, his two sessions for the Roost label, and all known alternate takes. Powell... Read More

The Legendary Dial Masters, Vol. 1
Artist: Charlie Parker

This contains 25 of the master takes from Charlie Parker's Dial sessions. The Dials have always been a bit underrated compared to the better distributed Savoys, but they are of equal value with Miles Davis, Lucky Thompson, Dodo Marmarosa, Howard McGhee, Erroll Garner, Wardell Gray, and J.J. Johnson making important contributions. Dizzy Gillespie... Read More

The Charlie Parker Story - SAVOY JAZZ
Artist: Charlie Parker

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, All Music Guide Read More

Yardbird in Lotus Land
Artist: Charlie Parker

This LP from the fine English label Spotlite contains several remarkable radio broadcasts featuring the immortal altoist Charlie Parker. First Bird is heard with trumpet great Dizzy Gillespie in a quintet (with one number adding vibraphonist Milt Jackson) from Los Angeles on Dec. 29, 1945 during their famous stint at Billy Berg's. These versions... Read More

Sonny Stitt/Bud Powel/J.J. Johnson
Artist: Sonny Stitt

This superb CD reissues the complete output of three classic bop sessions including five "new" alternate takes. Sonny Stitt (who plays tenor throughout) is heard in a quintet with trombonist J.J. Johnson, pianist John Lewis, bassist Nelson Boyd and drummer Max Roach (playing three Johnson compositions and the original version of John Lewis's... Read More

Rara Avis
Artist: Charlie Parker

This CD released for the first time the soundtrack of two of Charlie Parker's appearances on television. Some of the music and talking is trivial and loose but a few of the performances are quite unique and Bird is heard with a variety of intriguing groups. From 1949 Parker plays a fine version of "Lover" and helps trumpeter Shorty Sherock on "I... Read More

Bird: The Complete Charlie Parker on Verve
Artist: Charlie Parker

As a leader, Charlie Parker recorded for Savoy and Dial during 1945-1948 and then for Verve exclusively (at least in the studios) during 1949-1954. This remarkable ten-CD box set, which adds quite a bit of material to an earlier ten-LP set, contains all of these recordings plus Bird's earlier appearances with Jazz at the Philharmonic. The JATP... Read More

Bird at the Roost: The Savoy Years, Vol. 1
Artist: Charlie Parker

Among the most rewarding live recordings of Charlie Parker are his performances on a regular series of broadcasts that emanated from the Royal Roost during 1948-1949. Muse, in its Savoy series, released all of this valuable music on two double LPs and a single album; some of it has since appeared on CD. This first volume has six of these radio... Read More

Bebop & Bird, Vol. 2
Artist: Charlie Parker

For their second volume of prime Charlie Parker sides, Rhino dips into the alto great's Dial and Verve sessions for a varied and top-notch set. The 16-track offering takes in Parker's Hollywood stint ("Relaxin' at Camarillo," "Cool Blues"), some Latin-tinged cuts ("My Little Suede Shoes"), and a few string orchestra numbers ("Rocker," "Laura").... Read More

Prime Source
Artist: Fats Navarro

The music on this out-of-print two-LP set is classic; fortunately all of the performances have since been reissued on CD. The great bop trumpeter Fats Navarro is featured in a couple of Tadd Dameron groups (which also include altoist Ernie Henry and tenors Charlie Rouse, Wardell Gray and Allen Eager), in a famous set of trumpet battles with his... Read More

Charlie Parker - VERVE
Artist: Charlie Parker
Community Score: 3.50

If you have the original 10" LP issue of this album with the '50s David Stone Martin cover art, hang on to it (it's worth anywhere from $240 to $400!) but also acquire this greatly expanded CD version on the Verve Master Series. In addition to the original eight selections, recorded in 1953 with Al Haig or Hank Jones (piano), Percy Heath or... Read More