The Bebop Era in CBS Jazz Masterpieces series

★★★★

   The era of deep political and economic crisis was also the crucial moment in the history of 20th century music. Many historians see this movement as an effect of 2nd world war, but its range shows it could have been a reaction for wider cultural processes including rise of totalitarian regimes and social crisis changing traditional social preferences. In fact, late 30’s and early 40’s marked the dark period of European history, were even dance music was in shade of marching bands. On the other hand, those were the years of great changes in American culture. Participation in war, economic boom and redefinition of world politics were the background of various social movements marking the general change of American and global culture. It was also the turning moment of great change between traditional and modern jazz – first bebop, than hard bop and cool jazz, the outburst of new tendencies rapidly reshaped great part of musical culture.
   The bebop style became recognized as a new style in early 1940’s, although some elements of this trend were presented earlier in Kansas City school and in some swing big bands during 1930’s. Many big bands especially from Kansas City metropolitan area were evolving new style and played music including elements of the new style. Unlike swing and earlier styles being offshoot from popular dance music, in bebop era jazz became genre of artistic. In place of dance structures with improvised choruses typical for swing music, bebop introduced more free style of improvisations based on harmonies and some variations loosely connected to the theme. Fast tempos and virtuosity didn’t left too much place for doubts – main purpose of this music was just to create listener’s impression. Such attitude makes bebop closer to idea of concert music than traditional Dixieland hot style.

Jazz – The Bebop Era (1987)

   The compilation of bebop masterpieces remastered from original analog tapes is a try to comprise the vast spectrum of most creative jazz recordings from 1942-1951. The long list of few dozens of albums in CBS Jazz Masterpieces series presents best albums published as re-editions of complete remastered recordings. Some compilations were made to show best of CBS artists, like Louis Armstrong, Count Basie or Billie Holiday, some are dedicated to one type of recordings, vocalists, combos or big bands. One of such editions is compilation showing most representative bebop era recordings. It’s needless to say, with just one LP is just impossible to fulfill such promise. But still this selection of 14 tracks can be both informative and nice to listen.
   One can find here selected recordings of artists forming foundations of new style and late masterworks like classical live performance of Ornithology by Charlie Parker Quintet with Fats Navarro, Bud Powell, Curly Russell and Art Blakey in Birdland, June 30th, 1950 or 'Round Midnight played by Charlie Parker & The All-Stars with Gillespie, Powell, Tommy Potter and Roy Haynes in Birdland, March 31st, 1951. The perfect example of full-blown bebop style is Double Date recorded by legendary band Metronome All-Stars (band traditionally assembled of winners in annual Metronome magazine readers poll) with solos by Billy Bauer (g), Lennie Tristano (p), Serge Chaloff (bs), Lee Konitz (as), Buddy DeFranco (cl), Kai Winding (tb), Stan Getz (ts), Dizzy Gillespie (tr), Eddie Safranski (b) and Max Roach (dr). In fact whole of this short piece is a series of virtuoso solos connected by few bridges. Arranged by Pete Rugolo this was small musical jewel joining jazz with elements of contemporary classical music. The same artists besides Dizzy Gillespie were played in No Figs. The harmonic progression of this tune is based on the same sequence as Donna Lee. Choruses here are longer and slower tempo gives a chance to react on fellow musicians solos. Both tracks were recorded January 10th 1950. Great stuff in every phrase!

Metronome All-Stars – Double Date / No Figs (1950)

   Every track of this collection is worth of noteworthy. With hard to find recordings of orchestras led by Cootie Williams, Woody Herman, Gene Krupa, Claude Thornhill, Chubby Jackson and Elliot Lawrence, with Dizzy Gillespie’s All-Stars and Metronome All-Stars album brings whole league of unforgettable artists. Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Clarke, Lennie Tristano, Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Tadd Dameron, Woody Herman and arrangers Gerry Mulligan and Gil Evans are most recognizable but there are many others. Great solo of Miles Davis in Don’t Blame Me played with Tadd Dameron Quintet at the International Jazz Festival May 8th, 1949 in Paris. Great musicians are merged with perfectly bebop themes starting and ending with two Thelonious Monk’s themes Epistrophy recorded by Cootie Williams & His Orchestra, and 'Round Midnight recorded by Charlie Parker & The All-Stars. Four stars for good taste, quality of remastering and edition deciding every position in CBS Jazz Masterpieces series has its place in good collection.

Charlie Parker – Ballads and Birdland

★★★

   Much part of music techniques, but it concerns also other fields of artistic work, was focused on giving possibly objective vision of reality. In invention of printing (1492) first aim was number of copies, but some kind of side effect was the spelling and semantic discipline. In history of fine arts this tendency has an effect in inventions of colors and geometric perspective. Famous camera obscura technique was predecessor of photography or in fact it was photography where human was active agent before invention of chemical processing. In music the history of notation was also connected the developing process of changes. After invention of photography art has changed. It took off the reality imaging, but as before it was based on talent to compose good, stable or dynamic picture, it was mixing realism with symbolism and building narrative composition. In effect phonographic records in early 20th century as the photography in 19th century created fast esthetic change. Arts and music has been released of its mimetic aims and instrumental adequacy. 

   Probably the main genre where music has changed rapidly was jazz, and the crucial moment was bebop, the first moment jazz became avant-garde art over its starting dance usage. The recording technique generated the change and ironically new phonographic industry has missed the moment the bebop was born. Leading artists were recording sweet dance hits for years while their live performances were known only for small club audience. This underground spirit was probably most powerful jazz legend, giving it more than esthetic context. And in fact jazz in 1950’s was more political issue than any other part of artistic activity. 

Charlie Parker – Ballads and Birdland (1952)

   Although mainstream companies had been forcing easier, softer touch of jazz music, some independent producers were recorded and in next decades publish unique materials in small, private companies. One of such records was Charlie Parker’s New York club recordings from 1950 and 1952. Originally album was produced by Mark Gordon for Klacto label in 1968 and then reissued by ZuZazz Records in 1988 in mid-price series. Album comprises recordings made during four evenings. First side is 5 songs played in Birdland. First two (Ornitology and 52 Street Theme) Charlie Parker recorded in September 20, 1952 in quartet with Duke Jordan – piano, Charles Mingus – bass and Phil Brown – drums. Next set of three songs (How High the Moon, Embraceable You and 52 Street Theme) is unique document of Charlie Parker and Modern Jazz Quartet meeting at Birdland November 1, 1952. Parker’s alto sounds together with Milt Jackson – vibraphone, John Lewis – piano, Percy Heath – bass and Kenny Clarke – drums. All of them were known for their recordings with Parker, but not as a band.

   Second side presents two Café Society recordings. First set is Bewitched, Summertime, I Cover the Waterfront, Gone with the Wind, Easy to Love and 52 Street Theme recorded May 23, 1950, second comprises 52 Street Theme, Just Friends and April in Paris recorded last days of the same month. Both were recorded by the same quintet Charlie Parker – alto sax, Kenny Dorham – trumpet, Al Haig – piano, Tommy Potter – bass and Roy Haynes – drums. As it is document of jazz history, it is worth to remember the 1952 Birdland announcements are by Bob Garrity, while 1950 Café Society the host was Charlie Parker. Parker’s improvisations exceeded traditional melodic, harmonic and rhythmic patterns. He returns to root functions of music elements making it the way known from folk music. How this was is possible? After half century of recorded music, it was question of time when musicians will free of notation patterns. This is what has changed performed music. The way of listening changed the way of understanding and creating music. Every new medium sooner or later becomes a technique of an art. And art is a technique ruled by an esthetic idea, isn’t it?

Charlie Parker – Jazz Tracks

★★★

   Today is the anniversary of the birth of the great musician, one of most famous figures in history of jazz. After II world war jazz changed its character, from utilitarian, predominantly dance music, it changed after war into a part of existential lifestyle, fashion and clubbing in Paris. This was the moment jazz become fully autonomic part of musical culture with its own means of expression and deep semantics. Primary importance had Parker’s solutions in the way to improvisational freedom of modern jazz. He started the renewing jazz esthetics by turning to blues and breaking swing forms with emphatic, emotional changes in melodics and rhythm. In his improvisations he was as brilliant as original.
   Born August 29, 1920 in Kansas City, Charlie Parker was saxophonist who revolutionized modern jazz as improvised music, changing creative patterns, and has left imprint of his own creative personality in every theme he composed, every improvisation he recorded. He has set his own tracks, which became the basic tracks for next generations of jazz musicians. Charlie Parker lived only 35 years but his achievements are more important than of any other alto saxophonist in his generation. Early Parker recordings from the era of 78 rpm records were the subject of deep concern in next decades. These tracks were constantly republished in sixties and seventies in various settings and programs on LPs, later on CDs. One of such editions is the choice of top creative performances released in Jazz Tracks series by Bellaphon label (BJS 40174) in 1977.

Charlie Parker – Jazz Tracks (1977)

   Base for Bellaphon edition were 78 rpm recordings from 1947. Most of them are live recordings taken during four gigs of shorter than three months period of autumn 1947. Three songs (Bongo Beep, Klactoveedestene, Dewey Square) are recordings of Charlie Parker’s Quintet with Miles Davis (tp), Duke Jordan (p), Tommy Potter (b) and Max Roach (dr) and another four songs (Air Conditioning, Quasimodo, Craseology and Bird Feathers) were played by the same lineup plus J. J. Johnson (tb). These sessions were well recorded giving adequate image of what musicians intended to fit in three-minute recordings. It is interesting fact in these 7 recordings there’s only 12 seconds of difference between shortest (2’54”) and longest (3’06”).
   On the opening of second side are some recordings from Carnegie Hall concert September 29th, 1947. Parker played here with Dizzy Gillespie (tp), John Lewis (p), Al McKibbon (b) and Joe Harris (dr).  Two pieces A Night in Tunisia and Groovin’ High are roughly divided into two parts each. The technician did this in the way he has to. Having one recorder he just muted Parker’s solo in A Night in Tunisia (one of most inspired moments on this record), changed plate and started at the beginning of Gillespie’s solo. In Groovin’ High the same was done much better, during the bridge between Bird’s and Gillespie’s solos. The fate of other two was even worst. Parker’s Confirmation was brutally muted with no continuity, the same with Gillespie’s Dizzy Atmosphere cut just after trumpet solo. The last three tunes (The Song Is You, My Funny Valentine, Cool Blues) are outtakes from Carnegie Hall presentation September 25th, 1954. Parker was playing there in quartet with John Lewis (p), Percy Heath (b) and Kenny Clarke (dr).
   There are two major mistakes in the program of the album – opening piece is listed both on back cover and on label as Bird Feathers, while in fact the recorded tune is Bongo Beep. The same comes with No 6 listed as Bongo Bop which was Bird Feathers. Maybe somebody just switched these pieces, but in this case the one didn’t see the difference between Bongo Bop and Bongo Beep. And these are definitely two different themes, and both are beautiful, light and witty with original and unique Bird’s touch. Despite some editorial mistakes and faults, this record is still worth to remember. Jazz collectors were given here with 14 classical Bird recordings of unbelievably witty and light solos. Three stars for the whole album should be fair. 

Parker, Gillespie, Powell, Roach, Mingus – Jazz at Massey Hall

   Probably the best parts of Charlie Parker’s discography are recordings of his live performances. Between many of his phenomenal recordings some are really best pretenders to be considered “the greatest jazz concert ever”. One of them was really sold under this slogan. It was album published in 1953 called Jazz at Massey Hall. It is 4th album in catalogue of America Records (6053). It is recording of public concert which took place in Massey Hall Toronto on May 15, 1953. The lineup of this concert was a real all stars quintet consisted of best jazz musicians not only this time – Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Charlie Mingus and Max Roach. This recording became immediate success. It was republished in many editions as a vol. 4 of Parker’s series under the Saga Eros label (ERO 8031), as Charlie Parker All Stars Jam under Jazz World label (JW 77007) and in many other editions.

   This was the highest moment for compliance of bebop. After the radio ban was ended in 1945, bebop became fast growing wave of new culture. It was much more than new style only. The post-war shock leading to a different perspective not only on society, economy, and politics but also in the music has made new attitude possible. What was hipster before the war, become intellectual and socially radical in early fifties. This was new space for avant-garde searching’s for new means of expression. What is important, this time there was no place for empty aesthetical gesture and artists were trying to create their own vision of human condition. Some of most radical musicians have seen their destiny in modern jazz, which was freeing this time from dance music. Charlie Parker and musicians playing in his All Stars were avant-garde of this trend.

Charlie Parker – Jazz at Massey Hall (1953)

   The interesting feature of this recording is Parker’s instrument. In Toronto he played on Grafton saxophone – plastic instrument patented in 1945 and produced through the fifties in London. In May 1953 Parker in radio broadcast explained he was looking for different sound. In fact he was bound by the contract not to play any other instrument during concerts in US, so performance in Toronto was challenging opportunity. And generally the instrument sounds very good, sometimes maybe it’s too dark, but this can be an intentional effect. Parker was not quite happy with it and sold this instrument in pawnshop. In 1994 it was bought in Christie’s auction for £ 93500 and now is in possession of American Jazz Museum in Kansas City, the hometown of Charlie Parker.
   Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie are soloists in long term artistic partnership. They complement each other in how they sounding, how they create solos and build emotional impact. This time there were no division on melodic instruments and rhythmic section, whole group was creating musical narratives. Since Perdido, where loosely constructed, full of invention solos played Parker, Gillespie and Bud Powell, Parker and Gillespie play with dialoguing half improvised sections. And this is exploding in quite modern way in Salt Peanuts. After Parker-Gillespie duo play, Powell plays solo and then Max Roach has his legendary drums solo. All the Things You Are is beautiful opposition to energetic program of this concert with beautiful solos and even improvising correspondence with soloing Mingus. Phrases in Parker’s solo can be seen as his revelation.
   Bud Powell and Max Roach played beautiful solos in Wee – both are hot and modern. The same one can say about first solo in Hot House played by Charlie Parker with strong emotional background. After this solo Dizzy Gillespie played more intellectually and with some distance – then Powell gave his show with virtuoso discipline, subsequenced with next perfect solo by Mingus. His double-bass solo in Hot House was quite rare this time. Last solos on this album are just revelation of something would happen in later years. Every one Parker, Gillespie and Powell played their solos like they were just opening for next decade, for hard-bop and free, for Coltrane and Coleman. Auditorium reactions for Powell’s solo show how this message was clear in 1954.

Charlie Parker – Live Performances

★★★

   Jazz is undoubtedly the musical symbol of 20th century. It is considered as an expression of collective self as much as movies and culture of mass production. Among many phenomenal jazz performers only few became legends of 20th century. Otherwise than in cinema, where visual image constitutes a product, in music value comes out of musical creativity but popularity is build in most cases on different kinds of narration. Most effective since romanticism were stories on premature death. Sometimes this kind of legend gives only short life but when it concerns composer like Mozart, Schubert, it is only pretext for real recognition of great personality. This is also the case of iconic modern jazz artist Charlie Parker. Known also under his nickname Bird (shortened form of Yardbird), Parker died before reaching 35 years of age.

   Even 57 years after Charlie Parker’s death his musical heritage is still considered as a turning point in the history of jazz. He was the one who fully expressed young generation’s point of view and broke bonds with swinging and dancing music of prewar orchestras. His improvisations were more freely, passing altering chords in virtuoso passages and fast tempos. His improvised choruses have clear intellectual distance and flexible, sometimes even abstract emotional significance. The typical band had changed. Modern jazz combos’ lineups were reduced to saxophone and trumpet, piano or guitar, bass and drums, sometimes with second saxophone or trombone. This gave totally new sound and much wider space for improvisation. And while theme has became to be only a starting point, improvisation was more and more important, becoming the central topic of every performance.

Charlie Parker’s – Live Performances (1978)

   The history of creating bebop style is in fact hard to trace. There are almost no recordings of early concertos in clubs. Some tracks remained only as radio recordings of live performances. These recordings were compiled on two Charlie Parker’s albums published by ESP label in 1972 as Live Performances and in 1973 as Broadcast Performances. These recordings have been published in various sets and selections. In 1978 Live Performances vol. 1 has been republished in Poland by Polskie Nagrania. First volume of Parkers radio broadcasting recordings has special feature. Opening A-Side Tiger Rag was recorded September 20th, 1947 by legendary Barry Ulanov’s All Stars Modern Jazz Musicians where Parker played together with his long time trumpet partner Dizzy Gillespie, clarinetist John La Porta, pianist Lennie Tristano, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Max Roach. 
   The main part of the album is the seven recordings of Charlie Parker All Stars from Royal Roost club in New York. Two sessions were taken December 11th and 25th, 1948 – first lineup with Miles Davis (Groovin’ High, Big Foot, Ornithology and Slow Boat to China) and second with Kenny Dorham (Half Nelson, White Christmas, Little Willie Leaps). The rest of musicians in both quintets were Charlie Parker, pianist Al Haig, bassist Tommy Potter and drummer Max Roach. Program of second volume were live recordings of both lineups of Charlie Parker All Stars from Royal Roost from September 4th, 1948 and January 1st, 1949. Technical quality of this recordings sometimes can be little disappointing, especially when it is limiting the information about interpretations, phrasing, articulation. But this is still a chance for getting to know the real beginnings of modern jazz.