Name: The Genius of Charlie Parker [Savoy 2 CD] [Digipak]
Brand: Universal Music Distribution
SKU: 1099760
Availability: OutOfStock

Performer Notes

Personnel: Charlie Parker (alto saxophone); Arv Garrison, Tiny Grimes, Barney Kessel (guitar); Dodo Marmarosa, Wardell Gray (tenor saxophone); Dizzy Gillespie, Howard McGhee, Kenny Dorham, Miles Davis (trumpet); Lucky Thompson (trombone); John Lewis, Clyde Hart, Duke Jordan, John Richard Lewis, Argonne Thornton, Al Haig, Tadd Dameron, Bud Powell (piano); Milt Jackson (vibraphone); Curly Russell, Tommy Potter, Jimmy Butts (bass instrument); Don Lamond, Harold "Doc" West, Joe Harris , Max Roach, Roy Porter, Big Sid Catlett (drums).
Liner Note Authors: Dan Morgenstern; Dick Katz; Loren Schoenberg; Orrin Keepnews; Bill Kirchner.
Recording information: C.P. MacGregor Studios, Hollywood, CA; Harry Smith Studios; Radio Recorders, Hollywood, CA; The Royal Roost, New York, NY; United Sound Studios; WOR Studios.
For jazz lovers, it would be hard to find a two-disc collection of saxophonist Charlie Parker's classic recordings that trumps THE GENIUS OF CHARLIE PARKER. This compilation includes Parker's finest work for the Savoy and Dial record labels, and these sessions date back to the mid-to-late 1940s, when bebop was rapidly and indelibly transforming jazz.
There are many highlights on GENIUS. Among them is "Anthropology," performed live and at a breakneck speed. In addition to Parker's solo, which still sounds modern, vibraphonist Milt Jackson's nimble playing adds a layer of sophistication to this track. Other timeless tunes such as "Yardbird Suite," "Now's the Time," and "East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)" remind listeners of Parker's bluesy and lyrical side, while a rare take of "Embraceable You" underscores the tenor man's ability to play slow, dreamy tempos. The swing era may have been the Golden Age of jazz, but these recordings--featuring legends Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, and Max Roach--represent jazz's coming of age.