Charlie Parker - Bird on 52nd ST / 1948 torrent

Note: The sound quality may scare off the casual listener.



Charlie Parker
Bird on 52nd Street
1948



The sound quality of BIRD ON 52ND ST. is poor.

Nevertheless, despite surface noise and an imbalanced "mix" (Duke Jordan's piano and Miles Davis' trumpet can hardly be heard), there are some outstanding examples of Parker's art. At the time of this recording Parker had just returned from recuperating in a mental hospital in California and was, surprisingly, playing better than ever. Here, on tracks like "The Way You Look Tonight," "Hot House" and "Dizzy Atmosphere," Parker's soulful, dazzlingly mercurial lines animate the space they occupy like strings of fire. Especially prominent is the dialogue Parker establishes with drummer Max Roach, the two of them seeking out the hidden rhythms of each song - horn, snare and cymbal creating new shifting structures inside the standard 4/4 time signature.

Sound quality issues aside, BIRD ON 52ND ST. is essential for collectors and a fine example of Bird's conceptual and technical fluency on stage.

This is Charlie Parker relaxed and mellow, telling his story over a dozen or more choruses, displaying a sense of humor broader than the (generally) more cerebral and cosmic humor that came out of the strict studio environment.



CD / 1994 / “Restored and Remastered” / 320Kbps



Tracklist:
1 52nd Street Theme 2:17
2 Shaw 'Nuff 1:31
3 Out of Nowhere 3:02
4 Hot House 2:14
5 This Time the Dream's On Me 2:20
6 A Night in Tunisia 3:27
7 My Old Flame 3:22
8 52nd Street Theme 1:02
9 The Way You Look Tonight 4:41
10 Out of Nowhere 2:33
11 Chasin' the Bird 1:45
12 This Time the Dream's On Me 3:28
13 Dizzy Atmosphere 2:56
14 How High the Moon 3:37
15 52nd Street Theme 1:15



Personnel:
Charlie Parker, alto saxophone
Miles Davis, trumpet
Duke Jordan, piano
Tommy Potter, bass
Max Roach, drums



Recorded in New York in 1948.



Chasing the bird.

:)