Sound of Vinyl

Alto saxophonist Charlie Parker (1920-1955) was among the most influential jazz artists ever, and one of the few indisputable geniuses of his time. This set presents the complete master takes from his recording sessions for Ross Russell's Dial label. Included here are some of Bird's most admired sides, such as "A Night in Tunisia", "Cool Blues" and "All the Things You Are", as well as the troubled "Lover Man" session, after which the saxophonist suffered a mental breakdown.

The masters from a 1945 Red Norvo date (Bird's only existing encounter with pianist Teddy Wilson, reissued on Dial) are also contained here. Also issued on Dial was the so-called "Home- Cooking" date, an amateur recording made right after Bird left the Camarillo psychiatric hospital (the session is presented here in its entirety, including the complete version of "I Got Rhythm".

As a bonus, we have added two additional complete Charlie Parker sessions from the same period, which were originally issued under the names of Sir Charles Thompson and Sarah Vaughan.

CHARLIE PARKER, alto sax, on all tracks, plus: COLLECTIVE PERSONNEL: Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Howard McGhee (tp), J. J. Johnson (tb), Erroll Garner, Dodo Marmarosa, Duke Jordan, Teddy Wilson (p), Red Norvo (vib), Barney Kessel (g), Tommy Potter (b), Max Roach (d), among others. Recorded in California and New York, 1945-47