CHARLIE PARKER
Ultimate Charlie Parker (Verve)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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Verve's Ultimate series is devoted to allowing artists with a relation to or admiration for jazz greats to select their favorite cuts and provide commentary on their selections. For the Ultimate Charlie Parker, Verve turned to one of his finest disciples, saxophonist Jackie McLean. McLean's selections may surprise some listeners, but they can't fail to please.

The first three tracks are from a Jazz at the Philharmonic date in 1946 that teamed Bird up with a saxophone line that included Willie Smith and Lester Young. There can be little argument that any chance to hear Bird and Prez blow together is a chance not to be missed. The fourth track is another 1946 JATP date that adds Coleman Hawkins to the lineup, creating a saxophone quartet of the very first order.

The fifth track skips to the next year and finds Bird at Carnegie Hall with Hank Jones, Ray Brown and Shelly Manne. The all star quartet plays a Parker original, "The Bird."

The next five cuts feature Bird and strings, and the album closes with Bird playing with Machito and His Afro-Cuban Orchestra, showing yet another dimension of the talent possessed by the most legendary alto player in jazz history. It's a legend well founded, and the music here represents some important examples of the artistry it was founded on.

Track List: After You've Gone * I Can't Get Started * Oh, Lady, Be Good! * I Got Rhythm * The Bird * Repetition * Lover * Summertime * April In Paris * Everything Happens To Me * Mango Mangue

(C) 1998 - Shaun Dale