This 17-cut compilation covers
Charlie Parker's early years with Savoy. All of this material has been released many times, and has even been packaged better. But it does serve a purpose in introducing some of the most seminal performances
Charlie Parker and his bands committed to tape at the dawn of bebop. This budget-priced disc includes all master takes and some of the most seminal compositions in the history of jazz. While it's true the Dial period is not covered here, the years 1945-48 are represented by historic cuts like "Koko," "Billie's Bounce," "Donna Lee," "Chasin' the Bird," "Parker's Mood," and "Steeplechase," to name a few. The material is all by
Bird. The earliest sides feature
Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet -- only on "Koko," and playing piano on a few cuts.
Miles Davis enters the picture later in '45, in a band that included
Max Roach,
Bud Powell, and
Tommy Potter. In 1947, pianists
Duke Jordan and later
John Lewis joined the band, as did bassist
Curly Russell.
Roach was in the band throughout, and after
Gillespie's initial stint so was
Davis. Now's the Time [Savoy Jazz] is recommended for the novice. For those who are interested in the breadth and depth of
Parker's stays with Savoy and Dial, the three-disc Complete Savoy and Dial Master Takes is recommended. ~ Thom Jurek