In December 1947 Bird stepped on stage in Carnegie Hall as part of Norman Granz’ grandiose project, ‘The Jazz Scene’. 5 000 copies of this magnificent album, regrouping six 78s, were published, with twelve new titles interpreted by Duke Ellington, Neal Hefti, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins (the famous Picasso), Ralph Burns, Willie Smith, Machito and Charlie Parker who had come along to cut The Bird sided by Hank Jones, Ray Brown and Shelly Manne.
Charlie Parker was not yet under contract with Norman Granz. On 17 December he had recorded his final session for Dial, one of his two ‘exclusive’ labels. Due the diktat coming from the Musicians’ Syndicate which insisted on more striking, he had to wait until September 1948 before breaking free from Savoy.
On the day in question, in New York’s Harry Smith Studios, Parker was in the splendid company of Miles Davis, Curley Russell and Max Roach, with John Lewis on the piano. One of Bird’s master-pieces was recorded, Parker’s Mood, an improvised blues piece. In blues particularly, Parker had the knack of condensing his ideas, retaining the essential. His solos in Billie’s Bounce, Parker’s Mood and Mohawk can be classed among the greatest aesthetic successes in jazz. The enigmatic title Ah-Leu-Char (according to his common-law wife, Chen, it means ‘I’ll eat cha’) is yet another composition based on I Got Rhythm, signed by Parker but with its originality stemming from John Lewis. As was common at the time, Parker begins his final chorus with a glance back to The Kerry Dancers, an Irish folk tune, composed in 1879 by Lynam Molloy.
In late 1948, Charlie signed up with Norman Granz and could thus benefit from the impresario’s organisation. Neither Savoy nor Dial could compete with Granz’ financial means or marketing methods. Moreover, Granz was more attentive to his followers. Parker was to reap the rewards.
Parker’s dream to concentrate on strings later became obsessional. Perhaps it developed when Artie Shaw added a string section to his band in 1941, which already appealed to Bird and, eight years later, for the opening of Bop City on 14 April, he was billed with a string band playing semi-classical music.
*
Seven months later, Bird set foot in Mercury Studio along with three violins, an alto, cello, oboe, harp and a rhythm section. The orchestra was led by Jimmy Carroll who was also behind the arrangements. After the first recording session, Norman Granz recalled that Bird left the studios without having playing a single note, feeling stunned by the beauty of the sounds. Six tunes were cut finally, all standards. The producer had advised, with Bird’s approval, to opt for titles signed by better composers rather than bluesy numbers...
Alain Tercinet (English adaptation by Laure Wright)
Source : https://www.fremeaux.com/fr/513-charlie-parker-quintessence-vol-2-3700368459386-fa245.html#tracklist
Charlie Parker
The Quintessence
New York, Los Angeles,
Toronto
(1947-1954)
Tracks
Cd. 1
1 Repetition (Parker) 2:59
2 Parker's Mood (Parker) 3:06
3 Al Leu Cha (Parker) 2:58
4 Steeplechase (Parker) 3:06
5 Just Friends (Klenner, Lewis) 3:33
6 If I Should Lose You (Robin, Rainger) 2:48
7 Ko-Ko (Parker) 5:05
8 Bird of Paradise (Parker) 6:12
9 Little Willie Leaps (Parker) 5:54
10 This Time the Dream's on Me (Arlen, Mercer) 6:22
11 Visa (Parker) 3:05
12 Leap Frog (Parker) 2:33
13 Relaxin' with Lee (Parker) 2:49
14 Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite (O'Farrill) 4:14
15 Au Privave (Parker) 2:50
16 K. C. Blues (Parker) 3:33
17 Anthropology (Parker, Gillespie) 5:08
18 A Night in Tunisia (Paparelli, Gillespie) 5:02
*
Cd. 2
1 Happy Bird Blues (Parker) 2:53
2 Back Home Blues (Parker) 2:54
3 Blues for Alice (Parker) 2:53
4 Lover (Rodgers, Hart) 3:12
5 Funky Blues (Hodges) 13:30
6 Rocker (Mulligan) 3:54
7 Moose the Mooche (Parker) 4:51
8 Lester Leaps in (Young) 4:32
9 The Song is You (Kern, Hammerstein II) 3:00
10 Cosmic Rays (Parker) 3:19
11 Perdido (Tizol, Drake) 8:16
12 All the Things You Are (Kern, Hammerstein II)/52nd Street Theme (Monk, Clarke) 7:55
13 Confirmation (Parker) 3:04
14 Chi-Chi (Parker) 3:09
15 Cherokee (Noble) 3:06
*
Featuring Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Mundell Lowe, Barney Kessel, John Lewis, Lou Stein, Ben Webster, Charlie Shavers, Stu Williamson, Milt Miller, Roy Haynes, Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Stan Kenton, Don Bagley, Hank Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Ray Brown, Thelonious Monk, Wardell Gray, etc.
Recorded in various locations, between December 1947 and February 25, 1954
See the complete artwork