Jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker was born on August 29, 1920, in Kansas City. Parker was arguably the most influential jazz musician of all time. As Len Lyons puts it, "If you have never heard Charlie Parker, the experience could permanently change the way you think about music." Parker led the development of bebop, which differed from the straightforward, dance-able tunes of the swing era, replacing these with rapid tempos, fragmented asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that did more than just keep time.
In his 101 Best Jazz Albums, Lyons recommends two of Parker's albums:
The Very Best of Bird (Warner Brothers 2WB 3198, 2 LPs) (Purchase the vinyl at Amazon.com.)
Bird/The Savoy Recordings (Master Takes) (Savoy SJL 2201, 2 LPs) (Purchase the vinyl at Amazon.com.)
Jim Determan (who has updated the Lyons list for CD) also recommends the following:
The Legendary Dial Masters, Vols. 1 and 2 (Jazz Classics) (Purchase the CD at Amazon.com.)
Best of The Complete Savoy & Dial Studio Recordings (Purchase the CD at Amazon.com.)
The Complete Savoy & Dial Master Takes (Purchase the CD at Amazon.com.)
The Complete Savoy & Dial Studio Recordings 1944-1948 (Purchase the CD at Amazon.com.)
About the latter three, Determan says, "Three reissues let you choose the depth to which you want to delve into this material. These recordings are the basis of bop, so I would recommend the 3 CD Complete Master Takes set, which covers most of what was on the two double albums [Len Lyons] recommended. If you’re not sure and want to try out just a cross-section, then pick up the first disk. If you already know you are a serious fan, then you may be inclined to go for the Complete Recordings."
Parker's Septet plays "All the Things You Are" here:
Bix Beiderbecke: According to The Davenport Dispatch-Argus, the German American Heritage Center in Davenport (Iowa) is presenting a major exhibit on jazz legend and Davenport native Bix Beiderbecke in July and August.
John Coltrane: At By Common Consent, Jason K. discusses John Coltrane's "spiritual awakening," which led to "A Love Supreme" and "Ascension."
Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock: At The Guardian, John Fordham has a brief review of the recent London concert by Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock and shares a clip of their joint concert in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1978.
Miles Davis: Several reviews of the new box set, Miles Davis at Newport: 1955-1975, The Bootleg Series Vol. 4, have appeared. These include:
Miles Davis: Jazz.Izzin discusses the tune, "Concierto De Aranjuez (Adagio)," from the Miles Davis album, Sketches of Spain. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Miles Davis, Erroll Garner, Charlie Parker: According to JazzTimes, Savoy Jazz will reissue five titles from its catalog on July 31, including Miles Davis’s First Miles, Erroll Garner’s Penthouse Serenade, and Charlie Parker Memorial Vol. 1.
Charles Mingus: Jazz.Izzin discusses the Charles Mingus tune, "Fables of Faubus." (The song is available on the album, Mingus Ah Um, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Sonny Rollins: New Jazz United shares a clip of the Sonny Rollins Quintet playing "Tennessee Waltz." (The song is available on the album, Falling in Love with Jazz, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Ornette Coleman: New Jazz United shared a clip of Ornette Coleman performing "Love Words." (The song is available on the album, Of Human Feelings, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Miles Davis: According to Jazz Times, the 2015 Newport Jazz Festival will honor Miles Davis with several events to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Davis’s first appearance at the festival.
Miles Davis: New Jazz United shared a clip of Miles Davis performing "Freedom Jazz Dance." (The song is available on the album, Miles Smiles, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Duke Ellington: According to The Jazz Line, BMG has acquired New York-based independent Verse Music Group and will take ownership of its repertoire of songs and recordings, including those by Duke Ellington.
Benny Goodman: According to The Jazz Line, Yale University has digitized and preserved the personal film reels of bandleader Benny Goodman.
Keith Jarrett: At The Ottawa Citizen, Peter Hum lists his favorite CDs of the year so far, including Keith Jarrett's Creation. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Charles Mingus: New Jazz United shared a clip of Charles Mingus performing "Love Chant." (The song is available on the album, Pithecanthropus Erectus, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Charlie Parker: New Jazz United shares a clip of the Charlie Parker Quartet playing "I'll Walk Alone." (The song is available on the album, Charlie Parker at Storyville, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Bill Evans: At The Wall Street Journal, author Megan Marshall discusses Bill Evans's recording of "Some Other Time." (The song is available on the album,
The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Art Tatum: New Jazz United shares a clip of Art Tatum and Roy Eldridge playing "Night and Day." (The song is available on the album, Art Tatum-Roy Eldridge Quartet, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Cannonball Adderley, Somethin' Else. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Ornette Coleman, The Shape of Jazz to Come. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Eric Dolphy, Far Cry. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Charlie Parker, The Complete Savoy & Dial Master Takes. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Miles Davis: According to JazzTimes and All About Jaz, Columbia/Legacy will release Miles Davis at Newport 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 4 in July. (Pre-order the album from Amazon.com.)
Miles Davis: At Open Culture, Josh Jones recounts several stories from the early 1970s, when Miles Davis opened for Neil Young, Steve Miller, and other groups.
Dizzy Gillespie: As part of All About Jazz's "One LP" series, jazz trumpeter John Faddis talks about the 1954 Soul Mates album that featured Dizzy Gillespie and Roy Eldridge. (Purchase the vinyl record from Amazon.com.)
James P. Johnson: At Jazz Lives, Michael Steinman discusses two of James P. Johnson's 1939 piano solos, "Blueberry Rhyme" and "If Dreams Come True."
Thelonious Monk: According to JazzTimes and All About Jazz, Concord Music Group will reissue the 15-CD Thelonious Monk anthology, The Complete Riverside Recordings, in May.
Charlie Parker: Ehsan Khoshbakht shares a photo of Charlie Parker unpacking his saxophone at the Royal Roost in New York City in 1949 at Take the "A" Train.
Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses Louis Armstrong's March 1940 recording of "You've Got Me, Voodoo'd" and "Hep Cats' Ball." (The songs are available on the album, The Complete Louis Armstrong Decca Sessions 1935-46 , which can be purchased from Mosaic Records.)
Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi talks about the night Louis Armstrong and His All Stars played a dance at the University of Kansas student union, just after Kansas had lost in the NCAA basketball championship game.
Louis Armstrong: At Jazz Lives, Michael Steinman discusses the connections between trumpeter Humphrey Lyttelton and Louis Armstrong.
Thelonious Monk: As part of Capital Public Radio's "Falling Love Supreme" series, James McGrew talks about Thelonious Monk's album, Genius of Modern Music, Volume One. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Charlie Parker: According to JazzTimes, Opera Philadelphia will present the world premiere of "Charlie Parker’s Yardbird," an opera based on the life of Charlie Parker in June.
Sonny Rollins: According to Marc Myers in his Weekend Wax Bits, Sonny Rollins will receive an honorary degree from the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the University of Hartford in Connecticut in May.
Miles Davis: All About Jazz reviews Listen to This, Victor Svorinich's book about Miles Davis's 1969 album, Bitches Brew. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)
Duke Ellington: At Take the "A" Train, Ehsan Khoshbakht discusses the restoration of three Duke Ellington films: "Black and Tan Fantasy," "Symphony in Black," and "Bundle of Blues."
Billie Holiday: At About Last Night, Terry Teachout shares a video of John Hammond's 1978 CBC interview, talking about “discovering” Billie Holiday.
Miles Davis: According to JazzTimes, Concord Music Group will release the second volume of its Miles Davis reissues from the Prestige catalog, Miles Davis—The Prestige 10-Inch LP Collection, Vol. 2, in April.
Bill Evans: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a link to a clip of Bill Evans playing in Norway just weeks before he died in 1980.
Charlie Parker, one of the most influential jazz musician of all time, died on March 12, 1955, in New York City. The official causes of death were listed as lobar pneumonia and a bleeding ulcer. The coroner who performed his autopsy mistakenly estimated Parker's 34-year-old body to be between 50 or 60 years of age.
Parker was buried in Kansas City's segregated Lincoln Cemetery over the objections of his partner, Chan Parker, who knew that Parker never wanted to return to the city of his birth. Dizzy Gillespie paid for the funeral arrangements.
Len Lyons put it best when he said, "If you have never heard Charlie Parker, the experience could permanently change the way you think about music." Parker led the development of bebop, which differed from the straightforward, dance-able tunes of the swing era, replacing these with rapid tempos, fragmented asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that did more than just keep time.
In his 101 Best Jazz Albums, Lyons recommends two of Parker's albums:
The Very Best of Bird (Warner Brothers 2WB 3198, 2 LPs) (Purchase the vinyl album from Amazon.com.)
Bird/The Savoy Recordings (Master Takes) (Savoy SJL 2201, 2 LPs) (Purchase the vinyl album from Amazon.com.)
Unfortunately, both are available only on vinyl. Instead, Jim Determan (who has updated the Lyons list for CD) recommends the following:
The Legendary Dial Masters, Vols. 1 and 2 (Jazz Classics) (Purchase the CD at Amazon.com.)
Best of The Complete Savoy & Dial Studio Recordings (Purchase the CD at Amazon.com.)
The Complete Savoy & Dial Master Takes (Purchase the CD at Amazon.com.)
The Complete Savoy & Dial Studio Recordings 1944-1948 (Purchase the CD at Amazon.com.)
About the latter three, Determan says, "Three reissues let you choose the depth to which you want to delve into this material. These recordings are the basis of bop, so I would recommend the 3 CD Complete Master Takes set, which covers most of what was on the two double albums [Len Lyons] recommended. If you’re not sure and want to try out just a cross-section, then pick up the first disk. If you already know you are a serious fan, then you may be inclined to go for the Complete Recordings."
Dizzy Gillespie: At Rifftides, Doug Ramsey discusses Dizzy Gillespie's 1987 concert in Stuttgart, Germany. (The complete 1987 session is available on YouTube.)
Ornette Coleman's The Shape of Jazz to Come. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Sonny Rollins's The Bridge. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz." (The song is available on the album, Fats Waller 1942-1943, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
John Coltrane: Open Culture discusses John Coltrane's album, A Love Supreme, which was released 50 years ago, in February 1965. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Eubie Blake: On his birthday, February 7, Eubie Blake was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.
Chick Corea: As reported in JazzTimes, the Grammy Awards for jazz were announced on February 8. Winners included Chick Corea for Best Improvised Jazz Solo, "Fingerprints," and Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Trilogy. (The song is available on the album, Trilogy, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Chick Corea: Curt's Jazz Cafe previews the 2015 Grammy nominees for Best Improvised Jazz Solo, including Chick Corea's "Fingerprints." Curt's Jazz Cafe also previews the 2015 Grammy nominees for Best Instrumental Jazz Album, including Chick Corea's Trilogy.
Bill Evans: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a 1976 radio interview with Bill Evans.
Duke Ellington: At Air & Space, Richard Jurek writes about Duke Ellington’s 10-minute vocal ode to the first moon landing and provides a video of Ellington's performance.
Bill Evans: Marc Myers shares the first draft of Bill Evans's liner notes for the Miles Davis album, Kind of Blue, at JazzWax.
Billie Holiday: According to All About Jazz, Legacy Recordings will celebrate Billie Holiday's 100th birthday by releasing The Centennial Collection, 20 Essential Lady Day Recordings, on March 31, 2015. JazzTimes shares the track list from the album.
Carmen McRae: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses Carmen McRae's 1957 album, Carmen for Cool Ones. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Wayne Shorter: At Nextbop, Sebastien Helary provides a full concert video of Wayne Shorter's performance at the 2014 Stockholm Jazz Festival. (Note that the video expires on February 18, 2015.)
Duke Ellington: The Jazz Line reports that New York’s highest court, the State Court of Appeals, has denied Duke Ellington‘s heirs the right to retry a lawsuit against EMI Music Publishing.
Best book: Herbie Hancock: Possibilities by Herbie Hancock with Lisa Dickey (Viking). (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)
Best composer: Wayne Shorter.
Billie Holiday: At In These Times, Johann Hari recounts Harry Anslinger, the first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, and his "war" on Billie Holiday. The same story is told at Politico.
Charlie Parker: Open Culture discusses Ode to a Highflying Bird, Rolling Stone's drummer Charlie Watts's children’s book about Charlie Parker. (Purchase the book from AbeBooks.)
Bessie Smith: The Jazz Line reports that Queen Latifah "had no idea who Bessie Smith was" when she was approached about playing the singer in a biopic.
"Christmas In New Orleans" by Louis Armstrong. (The song is available on the album, What a Wonderful Christmas, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
"Jingle Bells" by Duke Ellington & His Orchestra. (The song is available on the album, Jingle Bell Swing, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
"Good Morning Blues" by Ella Fitzgerald. (The song is available on the album, Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
"What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" by Ella Fitzgerald. (The song is available on the album, Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
"White Christmas" by Charlie Parker All-Stars. (The song is available on the album, Jingle Bell Jam, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Chick Corea: New Jazz United shares a video of the Chick Corea Elektric Band's recording of "Elektric City." (The song is available on the album, The Chick Corea Elektric Band, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a video of the Miles Davis Quintet performing "It Never Entered My Mind." (The song is available on the album, Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Earl Hines: On December 28, his birthday, Earl Hines was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.
Charlie Parker: At Jazz Truth, George Colligan reviews Stanley Crouch's book, Kansas City Lightning: The Rise And Times of Charlie Parker. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)
Sonny Rollins: New Jazz United shares a video of the Sonny Rollins Quartet playing "My Reverie." (The song is available on the album, Tenor Madness, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Count Basie: At The Telegraph, Ivan Hewett reviews the Warner Jazz release, Count Basie: Original Album Series. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
John Coltrane: At The Paris Review, Sam Stephenson talks about Cuthbert Ormond Simpkins’s 1975 book, Coltrane: A Biography. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)
John Coltrane: The Wondering Sound staff list their 25 top jazz albums of 2014, including John Coltrane's Offering: Live at Temple University (honorable mention). (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Chick Corea, Trilogy. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Sonny Rollins, Road Shows, Vol. 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Charlie Parker: New Jazz United shares a video of the Charlie Parker Quintet playing "White Christmas." (The song is available on the album, Complete Royal Roost Broadcasts, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Sun Ra: At Perfect Sound Forever, Kris Needs provides the third installment of his "ultimate guide" to Sun Ra's music.
Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi continues his series on Larry L. King's profile of Louis Armstrong in the November 1967 issue of Harper's with Part 3, Part 4, and Conclusion.
Chick Corea Trio, Trilogy, for Best Jazz Instrumental Album. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Chick Corea, "Fingerprints," from Trilogy for Best Improvised Jazz Solo.
Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a video of Miles Davis's live 1970 performance of "It's About That Time." (The song is available on the album, Live at the Fillmore East, March 7, 1970: It’s About that Time, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Herbie Hancock: At All About Jazz, Nenad Georgievski reviews the November 27 concert by Herbie Hancock in Belgrade, Serbia.
Keith Jarrett: At All About Jazz, Karl Ackermann reviews the Keith Jarrett album, Keith Jarrett/Charlie Haden/Paul Motian: Hamburg '72. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Sonny Rollins: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a video of Sonny Rollins on Ralph Gleason's "Jazz Casual" television show from March 1962.
Cecil Taylor: At Take the "A" Train, Ehsan Khoshbakht discusses the music of Cecil Taylor and shares a 1986 audio file of Taylor on Marian McPartland's "Piano Jazz."
Louis Armstrong: At All About Jazz, C. Andrew Hovan reviews the new Mosaic release, Louis Armstrong & The All Stars: Complete Newport 1956 & 1958. (Purchase the album from Mosaic Records.)
Count Basie: At Take the "A" Train, Ehsan Khoshbakht shares a video of an interview with Count Basie during his first tour of Sweden in 1962.
John Coltrane: Richard Brody writes about the John Coltrane album, Offering: Live at Temple University, at The New Yorker.
Duke Ellington: Ehsan Khoshbakht shares a video from Duke Ellington's first trip to Finland in February 1963 at Take the "A" Train.
Charlie Parker: According to Jeff Tamarkin at JazzTimes, Mosaic Records has released a nine-disc box set, The Complete Dial Modern Jazz Sessions, which includes all of Charlie Parker’s sessions for Dial from 1946-47. (Purchase the album from Mosaic Records.)
Sun Ra: At Music and More, Tim Niland reviews the Sun Ra album, My Brother the Wind, Volume 1. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
John Coltrane: At The Daily Beast, Ted Gioia speculates on what John Coltrane might have achieved had he not died at age 40.
Duke Ellington: According to BillboardBiz, New York's highest court will hear arguments by Duke Ellington's heirs, who are attempting to reinstate their lawsuit against publisher EMI and are seeking half the royalties from the foreign sales of Ellington's music.
John Coltrane: New Jazz United shares a recording of John Coltrane playing "The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost" from 1965. (The song is available on the album, Meditations, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Miles Davis, Charlie Parker: New Jazz United shares a recording of Miles Davis and Charlie Parker playing "Embraceable You" from 1947. (The song is available on the album, Bird & Miles, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
Herbie Hancock: At Music and More, Tim Niland reviews the new release, Herbie Hancock - The Warner Bros. Years 1969-1972. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Clifford Brown: At All About Jazz, Nick Catalano shares a recording of Clifford Brown being interviewed by Willis Conover for Voice of America radio in 1956, shortly before Brown's untimely death.
John Coltrane: At All About Jazz, Robert Bush reviews the John Coltrane album, Offering: Live At Temple University. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
Charlie Parker: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses Charlie Parker's work with string orchestras.
Charlie Parker: At Take the "A" Train, Ehsan Khoshbakht discusses Charlie Parker's appearance at the Royal Roost, a New York jazz club, in 1949.
Wayne Shorter: At Today is the Question, Ted Panken shares an interview with Wayne Shorter on the musician's favorite Blue Note recordings and other topics.
Lester Young: On August 27, his birthday, Lester Young was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.
Lester Young: At New England Public Radio, Tom Reney shares a video of Lester Young playing with Lee Young's Esquires of Rhythm in Hollywood in May 1941.
