eternal_woodshedder said:
I listened to the 52nd St ones with Symphony Sid, the Massey Hall one, and some from the JATP AllStars. But my favorite so far is
this one recorded in '52 at a place called Rockland Palace. I heard this years ago on record but never was able to track it down until now. If I ignore the backing, and just listen to his playing..., well you can make up your own mind, but I like this one.
There's another one I heard on radio which came out around 2000 in which the sound quality was so good it was as if it was just recorded yesterday, but I can't recall what it was.
What live Bird is your favorite?
I'm listening to that Rockland Palace gig, right now and it ranks up there
with my alltime fave live Bird. I have it on a Hipsville/Rhino collection entitled
Charlie Parker BeBop & Bird (I have Vols. 1 and 2, there may be more ..?)
There's also the live stuff at Birdland from June of 1950 w/ Fats Navarro. that
is incredible. Fats would be dead within months from the ravages of addiction
and subsequently contracting TB, which took more than a few musicians of
that general period.
The Rockland Palace gig like all of the precious few live recordings, really
showcases Bird in ALL of firey brilliance. Until they put me in my grave,or
unless I happen to go deaf in the meantime, I will ALWAYS get goosebumps
listening to Charlie Parker .. it really is completely off the charts in terms of
clarity of line, MONSTROUS swing, endless variety,soulfulness,great humour
and profound lyricism .
There are things that he played that were NEVER equalled,to this day, aspects
of his style that weren't dealt with.
I'd have to put him at the top of my list, and I don't think anything is going
to knock him off of there.
I could wax on and on about this TRUE GENIUS of modern music, but I'll use
some restraint, here .
Like I said, I'll go to my grave MARVELLING at what he played and how he
played it .. words actually fail, in all honesty. You either hear it or you don't.
Nobody in the same building with this man, a true giant musically.
Love me some Charlie Parker, any hour of the day, or day of the week
God bless you Bird, wherever you are, now.