The 14 tunes (73 min.) on this CD were recorded on the 20th & 22nd of November, 1950, in Hälsingborg and Malmö, Sweden, and besides some standard melodies, the CD includes several Parker original be-bop classics. The music here represents all that was recorded with Charlie Parker on this visit to Sweden, which was his second – and last – trip to Europe. In spite of the less-than-perfect sound quality, these private recordings catch Charlie Parker – the greatest modern jazz musician of all time – at the peak of his powers: he was obviously in a good mood, playing clear, singing lines and in total control of the saxophone.
The CD is comprised of two concerts, plus a jam session, and all the time Parker is accompanied by basically the same competent Swedish rhythm section, led by the famous trumpeter Rolf Ericson. Neither the Swedish fans nor the musicians who played with Parker during his one-week visit were ever the same afterwards, and you won’t be, either. |
