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Home , Benny Harris, Bill Harris (musician), Don Lamond, Lou Stein, Ray Brown discography, Teddy Kotick

THE VERVE YEA (1952- A TWO RECORD CHARLIE SET PARKER The third and final chrono- logical volume ofP , rI complete Verve ma including four brill,: small-group sessions, and works with strings, and voices, The definitive Parker biography re- lapses not found in the early Parker wide-gauged tonal attitudes on "Almost mains to be written, and I, for one, have combo recordings or the first sessions Like Being in Love." "What is This always felt that the task requires the with Granz. Most of the problems, it Thing Called Love?," which contains range of perspectives which Erik Erik- should be noted, can be attributed to two fine Parker solos, was a son brought Young Man Luther and Parker's surroundings, yet even when favorite both under its own name and as Gandhi's Truth. Like Erikson's dynamic the alto solos are below his usual sub- the chordal basis for Tadd Dameron's subjects, Parker was a complex and lime level Parker remains clearly an "Hot House." creative figure; his life story was often emotionally gripping master. The third Some of the surprising song choices brutal. He hardly knew his father, a "Bird with Strings" studio session in the first three sessions reveal a desire mysterious and perhaps shady charac- opens the album, with arranger Joe for variation from more familiar har- ter, yet he was fond of calling early idol Lippman (who also did the July, 1950 monic sequences. The same conclu- Buster Smith "Dad." His mother, in- string date) also using a big band. I sion can be drawn from the altered dustrious, loving and totally devoted to found Lippman's writing both over- progressions on "The Song is You," but her only child, remained close to Bird wrought ("Temptation") and overly for the most part the material on this until his death and encouraged a shift of bland (the two concluding ballads), and first quartet session is basic blues interests from medicine to music (and, he wastes the superb "Autumn in New ("Laird Baird" and "Cosmic Rays") and concommitantly, from academic York" by giving Parker insufficient "I Got Rhythm" ("Kim"). Encounters achievement to truancy) by buying her blowing room. Parker improves mat- with a basic piano trio, minus a second son an alto sax when he was 13. Kansas ters considerably with funky repose at horn or vocalist, are rare in the Parker City, Missouri, where Parker grew up, the end of "Temptation" and two solos discography, and the comparative ou know," Parker was the home of several important on "Lover," a descending chord cycle simplicity of this and the second quar- once told Leonard Feather, groups, particularly the made for harmonic supermen which tet date make them stand out among Y Band with . Parker ab- Bird meets by spinning new melodies Parker's last recordings. Note the re- "it used to be so cruel to the sorbed all he could in his without becoming trapped in the see- cording date and personnel, which musicians, just the way it is early teens, got laughed off more than saw chordal motion. The alto tone is have been incorrectly listed on earlier today—they say when Beeth- one bandstand, and finally reached a noticeably thicker than on earlier re- editions. first level of maturity in 1937, at 17, cordings. (of othing gets in the oven was on his deathbed, he after a summer of woodshedding in the fame) is the featured trombonist, Lou way of Parker's shook his fist at the world; Ozarks. By this time Parker had also Stein the pianist, and trumpet solos are genius here—ideas they just didn't understand." acquired a heroin habit and the first probably the work of Bernie Previn. come in flashes, ef- of four wives. Five days later another concept was fortlessly, and every- During the next five years Parker repeated. Walter Bishop, Jr., Teddy thing he conceives is worked on the road with Jay McShann Kotick and Machito conga drummer articulated on the and other bands, perfecting ideas first Luis Miranda had participated in the horn. "Laird Baird," uncovered while jamming in a New first " Plays South of the with its quicksilver York chili parlor in 1939 into a techni- Border" session 10 months earlier, and alto choruses, is enriched by the im- cally commanding, rhythmically un- old associates Max Roach and "Little Npeccable and increasingly melodic predictable and harmonically refined Benny" Harris make the group a sextet. drums of Max Roach, as is the more style, a style fully formed when he Adding congas to a rhythm section mysterious and traditional "Cosmic moved permanently to New York in became popular later in the decade; Rays." As always, is ele- 1943. here the concept is fairly new and gant and lyrical, a model of grace with- Quickly acknowledged as an over- Roach and Miranda cook individually out pressure. (Different versions of whelming presence and the most radi- without really connecting. The choice "Kim" and "Cosmic Rays" will appear cal innovator in jazz history, Parker of material suggests a lowest-com- in a future volume of alternate Parker presided over the bebop revolution of mon-denominator approach to Latin takes.) the mid-40's. His Savoy and Dial re- music which effects even Parker (his Perhaps the oddest format of Par- cordings, made between 1945 and '48, "Estrellita" theme statement could be ker's career appeared the following became the source material for an en- parody, but probably isn't), and Benny May, shortly after the legendary Mas- tire generation and, in general, were Harris sounds ragged and frail sey Hall concert which featured unaffected by the personal demons that throughout. Most of the alto work is on Parker, , Powell, put him into California's Camarillo another level, especially the jaunty Charles Mingus and Roach. The latter State Hospital for eight months in "Mama Inez" and "La Paloma" solos two are present in an octet completed 1946-7. and the wonderfully loose episode in by Tony Aless and a woodwind quintet n 1948, he became affiliated "Begin the Beguine" which features (playing Gil Evans arrangements), with with producer Norman Granz. some striking lower-register dips. 'Dave Lambert's singers thrown in for Although their ensuing collab- Bishop sounds relaxed, a gentle Bud good measure. Or not so good—the orations were loudly criticized Powell disciple who occasionally in- vocals, when not camp, are pallid, and by critics and serious fans as serts some Afro-Cuban voicings. even Evans has a few lapses during "In contrived commercialism (at Lippman returns, with 16-piece band the Still of the Night." Parker perse- least in the case of the strings, in tow, two months later. At times, I veres, indifferent to the cluttered sur- it was an opportunity Parker find the writing obtrusive (especially on roundings. Ignore the corny vocal both approved and appreci- the bridge of "I Can't Get Started") and comping, and enjoy his tender passion ated), the saxophonist continued to commonplace, but Parker is in excel- on "Old Folks," a performance which Iturn in brilliant performances (the first lent form throughout, from the sure endeared the tune to numerous mod- two volumes in this series, VE-2-2501 execution and oblique quotes of "Night ernists, and for Evans at his customary and 2512, document his work). By 1952, and Day" to the pensive comfort of "I level of skill, note the backgrounds be- however, production concepts were be- Can't Get Started." is hind Aless and Roach (!) on "If I Love ginning to run thin; consequently, the in a surprising mood on Again." eight sessions on this album have the latter, and Bill Harris displays his With the August 1953 quartet we reach the greatest studio session of COSMIC- RAYS Parker's last years. "Chi Chi," a strong SIDE 1 (Parker) (1121-2) 2:55 EMI blues line, stresses the thickened alto Recorded in , December 30,1952 TEMPTATION Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Hank Jones tone as Parker moves between regis- (Freed/Brown) (675-2) 3:25 ASCAP ters. The ideas in this solo are a mix of (piano), Teddy Kotick (bass), Max Roach ageless licks and more personally AUTUMN IN NEW YORK (drums) realized blues phraseology. has (Duke) (677-4) 3:26 ASCAP a great harmonic ear and comps with LOVER telepathic correctness, Roach is more (RodgerslHart) (676-3) 3:05 ASCAP assertive than on the earlier quartet, STELLA BY STARLIGHT and Percy Heath's lovely round sound usicians, (Washington/Young) (678-4) 2:55 ASCAP and strong time add to the exemplary cut off from the American Recorded in New York City, January 22,1952 rhythm section. "I Remember You" SIDE 3 M Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), , finds Parker working ideas over the mainstream when they began Bernie Previn, (trumpet), Will IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT changes in long ribbons with a few vir- viewing themselves as artists Bradley, Bill Harris (trombone), Toots (Porter) (1238-7) 3:18 ASCAP tuosic touches, and "Now's the Time," Mondello, Murray Williams (alto saxophone), more sprightly than the original 1945 instead of entertainers, made Hank Ross, Art Drelinger (tenor saxophone), OLD FOLKS Stan Webb (baritone saxophone), unknown (Hill/Robison) (1239-9) 3:33 ASCAP recordings, is one of his most kaleido- the separation complete by string section, Verley Mills (harp), scopic blues performances. "Confir- (piano), Art Ryerson (guitar), IF I LOVE AGAIN adopting their own clothing, (MurraylOakland) (1240-9) 2:23 ASCAP mation," called Parker's greatest com- (bass), (drums), Joe Lippman position because of its unique chord vernacular, and bad habits." (arranger, conductor) Recorded in New York City, May 22, 1953 sequence and continuous melodic de- Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Junior Collins velopment, is a wonderful collection of BEGIN THE BEGUINE (french horn), Hal McKusick (clarinet), Al (Porter) (682-3) 3:10 ASCAP Block (flute), Tommy Mace (oboe), Manny rhythmic shifts and inside-out turns of Thaler (bassoon), Tony Aless (piano), Charlie phrase in this, its only studio recording. MAMA INEZ Mingus (bass), Max Roach (drums), Dave The final two sessions, from 1954, are his listeners that "You know you know (Grenet) (679-4) 2:58 BMI Lambert Singers, Gil Evans (arranger, conductor) made up entirely of Cole Porter com- the way to Kansas City." The legend of ESTRELLITA positions (four other Porter pieces are Parker's life may spread or disappear (Ponce) (681-1) 2:45 P.D. heard earlier in the album) and reflect but the music will continue to generate CHI CHI its own legend as long as there are LA PALOMA (Parker) (1246-3) 3:01 BM 1 Parker's physical and emotional dis- (683-1) 2:40 P.D. integration (his daughter Pree died people to listen. I REMEMBER YOU of pneumonia the previous year, and he LA CUCURACHA (SchertzingerlMercer) (1247 -1) 3:00 ASCAP would attempt suicide and spend time Bob Blumenthal is a jazz critic for the (680-3) 2:45 P.D. NOW'S THE TIME in Bellevue between the two sessions). Boston Phoenix Recorded in New York City, January 23,1952 (Parker) (1248-1) 2:58 BMI The March tracks are particularly wob- Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Benny Harris ( trumpet), Walter Bishop (piano), Teddy Kotick CONFIRMATION bly and faltering, though inferior (Parker) (1249-3) 2:55 BMI Parker is still beyond the work of most (bass), Max Roach (drums) imitators. And "Love for Sale," from Recorded in New York City, August 4, 1953 Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Al Haig December, has signs of renewed health (piano), Percy Heath (bass), Max Roach and greater relaxation only three (drums) months before his death. The end may have been in sight, but characteristi- cally, Parker experienced nothing so SIDE 2 simple as a direct slide to oblivion. "You know," Parker once told Leon- NIGHT AND DAY (Porter) (756 - 5) 2:45 ASCAP ard Feather, "it used to be so cruel to the musicians, just the way it is ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE SIDE 4 ( Lerner loewe) (758-1) 2:35 ASCAP today—they say when Beethoven was I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU on his deathbed, he shook his fist at the I CAN'T GET STARTED (Porter) (1531-7) 4:50 ASCAP world; they just didn't understand." (Gershwin/Duke) (759-5) 3:05 ASCAP Twenty-two years after he quit shaking JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED (Porter) (1532-1) 2:39 ASCAP his fist, "the genius of Charlie Parker" LOVE has become a cliche, yet some people (Porter) (757-4) 2:35 ASCAP MY HEART BELONGS TO DADDY still don't understand. "A symbol to the (Porter) (1533-2) 3:17 ASCAP Recorded in New York City, March 25,1952 Negro people? No. They don't even Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Jimmy I'VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN know him. They never heard of him and Maxwell, Carl Poole, Al Porcino, Bernie Previn (Porter) (1534-1) 3:31 ASCAP could care less," Art Blakey said. (trumpet), Bill Harris, Lou McGarity, Bart Varsalona (trombone), Harry Terrill, Murray Recorded in New York City, March 31,1954 Musically, however, Parker has Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Walter Bishop been more than vindicated as his once- Williams (alto saxophone), , Hank Ross (tenor saxophone), (baritone (piano), Jerome Darr (guitar), Teddy Kotick threatening innovations have become saxophone), Oscar Peterson (piano), Freddie (bass), (drums) part of the American cultural main- Green (guitar), (bass), Don Lamond stream. During Parker's lifetime, (drums), Joe Lippman (arranger, conductor) LOVE FOR SALE only the initiates understood—"Come (Porter) (2115-5) 5:37 ASCAP with me, if you want to go to Kansas THE SONG IS YOU I LOVE PARIS City," King Pleasure sang in his lyrics Originally produced by Norman Granz (Kern/Hammerstein) (1118-3) 2:55 ASCAP (Porter) (2116-3) 5:10 ASCAP to "Parker's Mood." In 1977 the whole Reissue prepared by Robert Hurwitz LAIRD BAIRD Cover art: Patricia Dryden Recorded in New York City, December 10,1954 world understands, and Van Morrison, (Parker) (1119-7) 2:45 BMI Art direction: Basil Pao (AGI) Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Walter Bishop a rock and roll belter from Belfast, pays (piano), (guitar), Teddy Kotick Reissue engineer: Edwin Outwater KIM (bass), Art Taylor (drums) homage to Parker's spirit by insisting to Mastering: Robert Ludwig (Masterdisk) (Parker) (1120-2) 3:10 BMI THE SELECTIONS: By Bob Blumenthal rounding social context in Blues People: a new level of contact with the TEMPTATION white majority and participation for AUTUMN IN NEW YORK black Americans during the war, fol- LOVER lowed by unchanged discrimination y 1952, when the first and an even clearer perception that re- STELLA BY STARLIGHT sessions in this final jection was based on skin color. An at- Charlie Parker (alto saxophone) with big band collection of Verve titude developed among blacks which and strings, Joe Lippman (arranger, conductor) studio material were Jones calls "objective cynicism," that recorded, Charlie recognized whites would always view BEGIN THE BEGUINE Parker's legend had blacks as strange, and proceeded to MAMA INEZ begun to eclipse Char- reinforce that strangeness. ESTRELLITA lie Parker's music. Bebop, and Charlie Parker, manifest While he experienced this objective cynicism by rejecting the LA PALOMA a new level of commercial success assimilationist forces in the swing LA CUCURACHA throughB his affiliation with producer music craze and the black middle class. Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Benny Harris Norman Granz, the tremendous appe- Bop's clearest characteristics (trumpet), Walter Bishop (piano), Teddy Kotick tites and addictions (for food, drugs, (rhythmic complexity and the revived (bass), Max Roach (drums) sex, experience) and the seemingly un- popularity of blues structure) signalled connected escapades continued. a return to jazz's non-European roots, NIGHT AND DAY America's underground of musicians and all of Parker's innovations pro- ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE and music-loving bohemians, who had duced a more complex music that de- adopted bebop as their song of rebel- manded to be taken seriously. Musi- I CAN'T GET STARTED lion, came to thrive on the sensation- cians, cut off from the American WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED alism of Parker; shortly before his mainstream when they began viewing LOVE death in 1955, Parker noted that many themselves as artists instead of enter- tainers, made the separation complete Charlie Parker (alto saxophone) with big band, in his audience came only for a Joe Lippman (arranger, conductor) glimpse at "the world's greatest junkie, by adopting their own clothing, ver- the supreme hipster." nacular and bad habits. Parker led the THE SONG IS YOU The stories which constitute way in music and life style and in the process became a deity in the bebop LAIRD BAIRD Parker's legend are numerous, gener- ally sensational and often conflicting. subculture. KIM Parker takes all the money a friend has, What drove the man who inspired COSMIC RAYS then gives it to a skid row bum after such change? Jazz literature abounds Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Hank Jones punching the bum out; Parker enters a with uneducated guesses and vaguely V E-2-2523 (piano). Teddy Kotick (bass), Max Roach (drums) swank party stark naked, blowing his knowledgeable theories. Robert alto; Parker, who would often assume a Reisner, who compiled the most fas- IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT British accent when introduced to clas- cinating oral history of Parker (Bird: OLD FOLKS sical composers, rolls around on gar- The Legend of Charlie Parker, Da Capo bage cans between nightclub sets to Press), calls Parker a neurotic, and IF I LOVE AGAIN (2632 074) gain inspiration. As the legend has it, cites a report prepared in 1954 by Belle- (2367 347 / 2367 348) Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Junior Collins no one could consume more alcohol, vue Hospital ("passive dependency ... (french horn), Hal McKusick (clarinet), Al Block shoot more horse, or have more women. paranoid tendencies ... a hostile and Having as its source the vast library of music (flute), Tommy Mace (oboe), Manny Thaler The rules of society meant little to evasive personality ... psychoanalytic recorded by Norman Granz, Creed Taylor and (bassoon), Tony Aless (piano), Charlie Mingus Parker, who answered the hypocrisy of diagnosis: latent schizophrenia"). others over a period of three decades, (bass), Max Roach (drums), Dave Lambert Collection focuses on outstanding performances Singers, Gil Evans (arranger, conductor) law-and-order America by making his Maxwell T. Cohen, attorney for by some of America's finest jazz artists. own laws. Parker's estate, arrived at a far differ- CHI CHI Parker's life is inextricably linked ent conclusion by examining original I REMEMBER YOU with his art because he created both a music manuscripts. "They are new music and a new lifestyle, a new meticulous and reveal a composer of All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a NOW'S THE TIME identity for black (and white) musi- great restraint ... He was not a shiftless violation of applicable law. CONFIRMATION cians. LeRoi Jones described the sur- bohemian." (continued) Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Al Haig (piano), Percy Heath (bass), Max Roach (drums) This record has been engineered and manufactured in accordance with standards developed by the Recording Industry I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU Also available on Verve: : Association of America, Inc., a non-profit Birdand Pres—The '46 Concerts organization dedicated to the betterment of JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS Three historic concerts, featuring Charlie Parker, recorded music and literature. MY HEART BELONGS TO DADDY Charlie Parker: The Verve Years (1948-50) Lester Young, Dizzy Gillespie, Parker with strings; the Dizzy and Buck Clayton (VE-2-2518) I'VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN Gillespie/ sides (VE-2-2501) Afro-Cuban Jazz: Machito/Chico O'F arrill I Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Walter Bishop Charlie Parker: The Verve Years (1950-51) Charlie Parker/Dizzy Gillespie © CD 1977 POLYDOR INCORPORATED (piano), Jerome Darr (guitar), Teddy Kotick Bird's studio and Carnegie Hall recordings with The legendary recordings, including the Manufactured and Marketed by (bass), Roy Haynes (drums) string orchestra; the legendary sessions with Miles Machito-O'Farrill-Bird "Afro-Cuban Suite" and Polydor Incorporated, A Polygram Company Davis, Coleman Hawkins, and others theO'Farrill-Gillespie "Manteca Suite" 810 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10019. (VE-2-2512) (VE-2-2522) LOVE FOR SALE Distributed by Phonodisc Incorporated. I LOVE PARIS Norman Granz Jam Session: Dizzy Gillespie/: Diz and Roy Printed in U.S.A The Charlie Parker Sides Dizzyand Roy 's two historic sessions from 1954 Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Walter Bishop With , , , and 1955, featuring Oscar Peterson, Harry Previously released on (piano), Billy Bauer (guitar), Teddy Kotick Flip Phillips, , Ray Brown, Oscar "Sweets"Edison, Ray Brown and others Verve albums V-8003, V-8005, (bass), Art Taylor (drums) Peterson and J .0 . Heard (VE-2-2508) (VE-2-252 1) V-8007, V-8008, and V-8009