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: Historical Recording
Hit: 5 Stars
Significant live recordings of be-bop pioneers Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker in the early stages of that jazz form's growth. Brilliant demonstration of how beautifully the two played together--two minds that worked as one.A seminal addition to any jazz collection.+
Free Music Review: Ahhh the music's so good I could just lie down and kill myself!
Hit: 5 Stars
ahh the music is so good i could just lie down and kill myself!!!!! lolFree Music Review: History Is Made At Night
Hit: 4 Stars
After the unearthing of the 1957 Monk-Coltrane Carnegie Hall concert, this previously unissued recording of a 1945 Diz-Bird concert may strike some listeners as anticlimactic if not somewhat disappointing. There's no denying its historical significance--the only extended "live" recording of Diz and Bird in the 1940's--but collectors who have the Parker Dial and Savoy studio dates along with the 1947 Diz and Bird Carnegie Hall performance, the 1951 studio session on Verve, and the celebrated Massey Hall concert of 1953 will find few surprises on this latest addition to the Gillespie-Parker discography.
The accompanying photo of Diz and Bird as skinny (literally), boyish-looking musicians belies the mature competence and pyrotechnical command of the playing. Yet to my ears the music never really catches fire. For a change, both of these progenitors sound like mere mortals, or a couple of guys playing one gig while thinking about finishing in time to catch the next one later that night. They're not "after" each other--gladiatorial arch-rivals locking horns--and the rhythm section, while flowing and assured, does little to stoke any flames. Bird's 4-bar break on "Night in Tunisia" is played at a level probably unattainable by any other musician, but it's clearly not up to the melodic-rhythmic complexity of the incredible 1947 recording.
The sound quality is adequate, perhaps more "spacious" and life-like than the later Massey Hall recording. Unfortunately, the sound of the bass has the same faintness as the other 1940's recordings featuring these musicians, and Roach appears not to have developed the forceful drive that would be the hallmark of his later playing. Al Haig sounds competent but relatively bland and predictable (his solo on "Groovin' High" contains not one but two simple Eb major scales), especially compared to a Monk or Bud. It's good to hear Don Byas (I've heard musicians call him the "Art Tatum of the tenor saxophone") on the first track and the misplaced Sid Catlett (a swing-style drummer who combines a Krupa bass-drum pulse with quick, light hands) on "Hot House." The solos are slightly extended, with both instrumentalists taking one more chorus than is the case on the 78-rpm studio releases.
For a few moments I felt closer to Diz, Bird and the 1945 milieu than ever before. A nice visit, but one that frankly is unlikely to bear much repeating.
Free Music Review: Don't Overlook This Underrated Gem!
Hit: 4 Stars
The Gillespie-Parker Town Hall CD is easy to overlook next to Monk-Parker--but that would be a loss. For one thing, the listener to this CD is privy to on-going commentary and intros by legendary jazz and beebop deejay "Symphony Sid"--offering an inside peek at the birth of some innovative tunes. Evidently Parker was (characteristically) late for the show: Sid had given lots of verbal patter to the eager crowd; Parker comes in the auditorium mid-way through the first number; the group doesn't skip a beat! Sid proceeds to tell the audience the music is going to flow rapidly because you folks sure waited long enough, and flow it certainly does--Tunisia; Salt Peanuts--the musicians playing top quality to a very appreciative crowd. Recording quality is fine for the time and place. Highlight: drummer Sydney Catlett stays for an encore despite Sid telling him he's got to be somewhere else. An all-around entertaining and informative birth of beebops by the legends experienceFree Music Review: Good to hear them stretch out
Hit: 4 Stars
When I began listening to Bebop (song 2), I was disappointed - it sounded like the mic's weren't in the same hall as the musicians. The sound quickly gets better, and is pretty good except the bass is hard to pick out. The songs are about as long as more "modern" albums from the 50's, so that's a revelation. The 4 Dizzy songs are among his best and most familiar.
I only give it 4 stars because Diz and Bird blitz through the solos. They aren't very memorable. Also, 'Hot House' doesn't do much for me. The Quintet At Massey Hall has better playing - you can hear the musical growth in the eight years between Town Hall & Massey Hall.
I recommend this because if you don't have a lot of Diz or Bird this is an interesting example of their playing. If you have a lot of Diz & Bird you'll want it to complete your collection.