Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie - Town Hall, New York City, June 22, 1945
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Free Music Notes for Town Hall, New York City, June 22, 1945
Free Music Review: Diz and Bird: Still Spreading The Word!
Hit: 5 Stars
It's a special feeling reviewing this album. The first
sound to sweep me into the magic of Jazz came from an
old 78; its grooves sending solid serenade courtesy
the mercurial alto saxophone of Charlie Parker singing
"Just Friends" in crooning tones, challenging any vocalist
to come top this!
If that's not enough, the first source to place me into
Jazz for life was this sly-eyed trickster whose cheeks
became balloon-like bellows blowing hot licks for more
than kicks every time he hit the trumpet! Regular brass
or upturned horn, Dizzy Gillespie always hit you at home.
Having given you a taste of how I came into my listening
tastes some 45 years ago, you can well imagine my curiosity
upon discovering that one of the most renowned concerts
ever performed by Diz and Bird together has been found,
and issued in all its musical glory. Well, my curiosity
has been more than satisfied with this stunning aural
portrait, from 1945, of African-American Music on the
innovative upswing.
Sharp and steady, with a recording quality that's remarkably
good, the music here romps and refreshes in its newfound
exuberance. From the start, with the opening of "BeBop"
mis-miked, the fire still stuns; tenorist Don Byas wielding
his warming play to challenge both the tenacity of Coleman
Hawkins and the subtle dare of Lester Young.
Diz comes in swinging hard, hot, and fast; stratospheric
runs leaping like mad, yet ever with the cunning eye of the
fox. Just when you think it's done, a commotion can be heard.
Bird is in the house. Before you know it, flaring trumpet
turns into dancing alto, marathon melodies now on a tear!
As drummer Max Roach boils the already-cooking brew, and
bassist Curley Russell keeps the axis steady, pianist Al
Haig dips into his special brand of tune-tickling, bubbling
more rhapsodic fun.
Bird joins everyone for the finale,and you instantly know
that the mikes are balanced now! Unison theme spins on a
dime, sailing strong and straight on time!
Listen on, and hear a particularly fetching rendition of
"A Night In Tunsia", scorching runs on "Groovin' High"
and "Salt Peanuts", and potently tipping presentations
of Tadd Dameron's "Hot House" and Thelonious Monk's
"52nd Street Theme".
The album is one superb piece of Music. It just happens
that it's a vital piece of History, as well. From guest
apppearances by the likes of Byas and drummer Sid Catlett,
as well as the interesting MC work of Symphony Sid Torin,
the work of this quintet in a knockout, and should delight
anyone with a love for essential Music, whatever kind.
Tired of second-hand swing? Had enough of museum-ridden
imitations of Bop? Come try the real deal, and catch the
deeply human artistry that none may ever destroy or
steal...
Free Music Review: Where have you been??
Hit: 5 Stars
According to jazz gospel, jazz's Anno Domini is November 1945, when Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie cut several sides including the incredible "Ko Ko". Before then, there was a recording ban that prevented the innovations of the Bebop musicians from being heard. (True, there were some Dizzy Gillespie-led sessions including Salt Peanuts, but they sold so badly that they don't count).
In this version of events, jazz music was totally turned on its head, and the New Testament era of jazz began. When Ko Ko came out in November of 1945, the technical brilliance of the new form of jazz blew everyone away, and the music was changed forever.
But in 2005, this version of events was slightly altered. Finding a complete, live performance of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespi, a full five months before the Ko Ko session, is an astonishing coup. The source of the recording is still rather hazy, with some indications that the anonymous person hoarding them may yet have more to release in years to come. At any rate, this is an astonishing discovery, perhaps even slightly more astonishing than the Monk-Coltrane discovery in the same year.
Dont forget, this is BEFORE the widespread use of tape to record sound (tape was invented in Nazi Germany, and is largely a postwar thing). Also, discs only lasted three minutes a side back in 1945. So you have to imagine some engineers lurking in the Town Hall, with a battery of recording lathes and a pile of fragile lacquer discs, furiously changing discs every three minutes. And yes, they got every note of the concert. Incredibly, the discs were not separated from each other, nor did any of them break over the years! There must have been about twelve or thirteen sides altogether.
Now at last we can hear bebop from before November 1945. The concert is astonishing. I still can't get over Parker's solo on Salt Peanuts, which is really filled with the fresh energy of a newly discovered art form. Another highlight is Night in Tunisia. Both Parker and Gillespie are in terrific form. The crowd seems very appreciative; although the liner notes include a contemporary review which says of Dizzy's music, in effect, "too many notes"! Also, Parker arrives late for the first tune, Bebop; I wonder exactly what he was doing out back?
The sound quality is fantastic. It was far better than I expected. The first few bars of "Bebop" are a bit muddy; but aside from that the sound is the equal of the Royal Roosts, perhaps even slightly better.
So I would heartily encourage anyone to get this disc; whether you are totally new to jazz, or a crusty veteran. The music is very accessible. Music this good, and a discovery that is this historically important, should be heard by everyone!!!
Free Music Review: when bebop was fresh
Hit: 5 Stars
This is a recording of a concert given by the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet featuring Charlie Parker in June 1945, a time when bebop was first becoming widely known as the "new thing" in jazz. By this time Bird and Diz had been playing together for almost 5 years on and off, including an extended concurrent engagement on 52nd Street, but until recently their music was not well-known beyond aficionadoes and nightclub habitues. The first of their classic recordings had just been issued. No one had previously played at their level of virtuosity in jazz except Art Tatum, and the harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic innovations of bebop were new to most listeners. The other musicians included Al Haig on piano, Curley Russell on bass, and Max Roach on drums except for Hot House, when Sid Catlett sat in.
The concert begins with the inimitable Symphony Sid Torin, a disc jockey, who repeatedly refers to the musicians as "boys" without any apparent ill-will, reassuring the crowd that although they'd been waiting a long time, they were going to get started with Don Byas as a stand-in for the "late" Charlie Parker. Byas was another prominent figure in the modern jazz being played on 52nd Street at the time, but not a major innovator. Dizzy had learned always to have a stand-in for Bird, as his concept of punctuality and the frequent need to make "special arrangements" before playing made him unreliable. Byas is not heard again after Bird makes his appearance.
The Quintet starts with Bebop, one of the classic early bop tunes not yet recorded. Byas soloes, followed by Diz, whose solo is interrupted by applause, presumably for the late-arriving Bird. Then Bird soloes. This is followed by fine renditions of Night in Tunisia, Groovin' High, Salt Peanuts, Hot House, and 52nd Street Theme. The level of playing is outstanding. Both Bird and Diz deliver astonishing improvisations with brilliant tone and ferocious tempoes. Bird's solo on Hot House, although only one chorus, is particularly stunning, featuring double-time runs done at an inhuman velocity. The recording quality is reasonably good although the balance is not always great. Al Haig gets equal time on most tracks which is somewhat unusual. He is revealed as an exceptional pianist who has fully digested the idiom pioneered by his two stellar bandmates. The loudest audience approval, though, is given to Sid Catlett, for unclear reasons.
This is an excellent, although fairly brief, documentation of classic bebop at the time of its first full flowering. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys jazz.
Free Music Review: Gods
Hit: 5 Stars
This discovery is something really exceptional. Its importance is unbelievable. I can't believe to what my ears are listening. Bird in 1945 recorded live with Diz!!!! I mean, this music judged as a 1945 recording is very very well made. Believe me. I have 150 Parker cd's, Benedetti's tapes, Birds Eyes, radio broadcasts, everything, this is among the best live recordings from Birdtogether with Massey Hall (the audio quality is almost the same)! Everything is perfectly clear. You can hear Bird in great shape with a Diz to die for!!! I mean, BIRD! And DIZ! In a never (good) published recording! What can I add more? Is there really something that needs to be said? The program is bebop at its best, I'm completly amazed, guys, I'm listening to this one for the second times, and I'm on my knees! BIRD! DIZ! The opener Bebop is just what genius is all about! Then comes a scaring version of a Night in Tunisia, absolutly stunning, ... and then, all the Bebop anthems, Groovin High, 52 street theme, Hot house etc... Oh mum, I couldn't ask for more neither if I could! When you are in front of a masterpiece, in front of geniuses at work AT THEIR BEST, what can you say? You can only listen, admire and be happy! Parker. Gillespie. I mean .... GODS OF MUSIC. Someone said that here they were not at their maximum, or that Bird and Diz played as if they were waiting for another date, with sufficiency .... What? WHAT? How can you judge Bird's break in Tunisia??? It is absolutly STELLAR! And what about the ending segment of Bebop? That crescendo which ends radically!??! Oh, this is art at his very best, this musicsends shivers down my spine 60 years later!! The quality of this music is no lesser than the one you find in Massey Hall (apart from the contribution from Powell which obviously was superior to Haig, not that Al is out of place here .. ) This is absolutly the best buy you can do actually on the entire Amazon catalogue! I'm not joking guys. C'mon, don't waste a minute. Do the right thing. PARKER AT HIS BEST WITH DIZ, MAX ROACH, and the other guys (Don Byas, Al Haig, Curly Russell, etc)! Don't waste your money ... buy this one. 5 stars? Ridicolous. 1000 stars. How many live recordings THIS GOOD we have from Bird and Diz? You can count them on your fingers. This fact is enough to make this an ESSENTIAL cd for the music lover, for the ones that really CARE for music, that intend music as PURE ART, not something to relax you while your shaving yourself. Ehy Uptown guys, don't you have another one of these concerts? I can't get enought of this one ...Free Music Review: STILL AVAILABLE on BRITISH AMAZON
Hit: 5 Stars
While others have spoken eloquently about this gem; I'd like to add that, although sold only by used-cd sellers on US amazon, it can be found on its British counterpart....
AMAZING discovery of this concert, with Bird and Gillespie at the peak of their powers, showcased in a strong group with Max Roach on drumms, Al Haig on piano and Curley Russell on bass... A must have for all classical and early modern jazz fans... No wonder Ira Gitler's liner notes are at a loss for words (or overly verbose at times) describing the musical miracle of this CD.
After a tentatively recording start, the album very quickly takes shape as one of the most remarkable be-bop recordings I've ever heard... True, the addition of Sid Catlett instead of Roach on last two numbers (Dameron's "Hot House" and Monk's "52nd Street Theme") doesn't really uplifts the proceedings (Big Sid is a great drummer, but in this setting Max Roach is far more suitable), but the loss is insignificant; even at these two tracks the band shines brightly... "Salt Peanuts" is given a magnificent treatment and on "Night in Tunisia" Diz plays with more subtlety than in many of the future recordings...
I won't try to expand on the previous reviewers' explanation, I'd just like to add that the atmosphere of the era is very well recorded, not just the music! For, in the beginning, Bird is late for the gig and Don Byas on tenor sax starts Bebop, but Parker appears in the middle of the song and takes charge... Don, a great player himself, wisely fades from the stage, for in the company of these two trumpet and alto-sax dragons he could hardly give enough fire...
The booklet is very charming and informative, with all sorts of texts, including the reprinted comments of the contemporary critics who complained about the organization of the concerts, where the star attractions don't show up, or they show up visibly "high"... The CD is published within a "Flashback series" of Uptown company; boy if there were only more flashbacks like this one!
P.s. - the back of the CD states that Catlett replaces Roach on tracks 5 and 6; the right numbers are 6 and 7.
There are also interesting technical and historical notes about the Town Hall concerts and the discovery of this recording included in the beautifully designed and well illustrated booklet.