The Jazz Giants Play Charlie Parker: Yardbird Suite

Performer: Various Artists
Distributor: Fantasy (distributor)

Notes: Producers include: Lester Koenig, Lew Futterman, Ed Michel, Orrin Keepnews, Norman Granz. Compilation producer: Eric Miller. Recorded between August 1956 and August 1990. Includes liner notes by Zan Stewart. Digitally remastered by Joe Farantino (1999, Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California). As much of a musical maverick as Charlie Parker was when he burst onto the jazz scene in the mid-'40s, his compositions have stood the test of time; several have even entered the realm of jazz standards. This Jazz Giants collection brings together 12 selections from the Bird songbook as performed by a wide range of jazz stylists. Some have a strong Bird influence in their presentation (Sonny Criss, Jackie McLean, Joe Pass, Hampton Hawes, Phineas Newborn Jr., and Harold Land), while others come from a stronger swing background, like Oscar Peterson and Clark Terry. Still others like Red Garland, Art Pepper, Joe Farrell, and Jack McDuff show an appreciation of Parker, but come up with their own spin on his classic lines. The title "jazz giants" is no mere hyperbole, as the lineup of backing musicians includes John Coltrane, Donald Byrd, Tal Farlow, George Benson, Red Holloway, Philly Joe Jones, Barney Kessel, Shelly Manne, and Wes Montgomery. But most importantly, the music on here swings. Every last track is joyously played by artists who get inside these tunes and make some exciting jazz that extends the legacy of Bird's greatest compositional moments in ways that turn the most taciturn amongst us into finger-snapping boppers. A good thing, indeed. ~ Cub Koda

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