Phil Meloy Posted June 28, 2004 Report Posted June 28, 2004 I'm thinking about getting the 4 CD set "The Complete Savoy Sessions". Any comments? Quote
king ubu Posted June 28, 2004 Report Posted June 28, 2004 I'm thinking about getting the 4 CD set "The Complete Savoy Sessions". Any comments? Get the 8CD Complete Savoy & Dial set! This might help: http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...highlite=parker Some threads discuss probably exactly what you're looking for! ubu Quote
brownie Posted June 28, 2004 Report Posted June 28, 2004 (edited) The Savoys are good but the Dials are best! Complete Bird recordings from the two labels are currently available in single boxes. Edit: Ubu beat me to the box Edited June 28, 2004 by brownie Quote
BruceH Posted June 29, 2004 Report Posted June 29, 2004 The Savoys are good but the Dials are best! Complete Bird recordings from the two labels are currently available in single boxes. Yes!! You can take that to the bank. Get the Savoys after getting the complete Dials would be my advice. Quote
king ubu Posted June 29, 2004 Report Posted June 29, 2004 The Savoys are good but the Dials are best! Not so sure I would agree, but then you've lived with these so much longer than I. I had the Savoy LP box as my very first Parker acquisition after the Massey Hall (which was among my first CDs, and I got it actually mostly as I was getting into Mingus then). The Savoy recordings might have some weak moments, some erratic playing, not as much consistency as the Dials, but then there's such great moments on the Savoy! Nothing beats Koko! (And those stories about who was on piano during what parts are a funny read, too...) bottomline: get the Dials, get the Savoys, after that get the 4CD live set on Savoy, then get the Verve stuff, then start on all that live recordings... ubu Quote
Phil Meloy Posted June 29, 2004 Author Report Posted June 29, 2004 (edited) Thanks guys for all the good advice. The Savoy recordings have turned up in the racks of my local second-hand CD store so I think I'll grab them while the opportunity is there. Also what specific live recordings would you suggest? My expectations for sound quality on recordings from the 1940's are not unreasonable but the sound quality on a few Parker things I've listened to in the past has put me off to some extent in investigating further. Some guidance in this area would be greatly appreciated. Both the Washington Concerts and the quintet at Massey Hall have already been recommended to me. Edited June 29, 2004 by Phil Meloy Quote
king ubu Posted June 29, 2004 Report Posted June 29, 2004 They're both good. No: the Massey Hall is of course not good, but FREAKIN' GREAT! As I said, i'd go with the 4CD set on Savoy. Quote
Clunky Posted June 29, 2004 Report Posted June 29, 2004 the Uptown Boston 1952 set is excellent and in pretty good sound, highly recommended Quote
Phil Meloy Posted June 29, 2004 Author Report Posted June 29, 2004 (edited) bottomline: get the Dials, get the Savoys, after that get the 4CD live set on Savoy, then get the Verve stuff, then start on all that live recordings... This sounds like a pretty good course of action ubu. The only Parker I've got so far is the 2 CD "Yardbird Suite" compilation (apart from some early stuff with the Jay McShann Orchestra which I don't really listen to due to the quality of the sound recording). I'll grab the Savoy studio stuff while it's in the second-hand rack at a reasonable price and progress from there. As for live recordings I've already ordered the Quintet at Massey Hall and "Now's the Time" which someone else recommended. I take it that the 1947 concert at Carnegie Hall with Dizzy Gillespie is included on the 4 CD Savoy live set you mentioned. Thanks everyone for your advice. It's been a big help in sorting out just exactly what is out there. Edited June 29, 2004 by Phil Meloy Quote
Harold_Z Posted June 29, 2004 Report Posted June 29, 2004 The only Parker I've got so far is the 2 CD "Yardbird Suite" compilation (apart from some early stuff with the Jay McShann Orchestra which I don't really listen to due to the quality of the sound recording). Quote
Phil Meloy Posted June 29, 2004 Author Report Posted June 29, 2004 (edited) That's interesting Harold. I'm sure you're right about there being better quality one's available but I don't mind the sound quality on this compilation. In any case it's another I came across in the second-hand rack at a good price and it is this CD that got me into listening to Charlie Parker. I would recommend it as a good entry level purchase for someone wishing to check out Parker for the first time but maybe you could suggest something else. Edited June 29, 2004 by Phil Meloy Quote
LAL Posted June 30, 2004 Report Posted June 30, 2004 Some recommended 50s live material (CD releases): - Complete Legendary Rockland Palace Concert (Jazz Classics) - The Washington Concerts (Blue Note) - Bird at the High Hat (Blue Note) - C.P At Storyville (Blue Note) I haven't any of them (not going to start), but there must be loads more good live recordings on the multi-dozen Bird's Eyes series by Philology. Quote
Harold_Z Posted June 30, 2004 Report Posted June 30, 2004 My intro to Bird was a Dizzy Gillespie Savoy lp called "Groovin' High". It contained the Guild sides and I was happy with the sound on the lp. When the cd era arrived I still liked the sound on this lp better than the reissues such as the above mentioned "Yardbird Suite" set. I know Denon reissued this lp on cd, but I've never heard it and don't know how the sound on it is. I have the "Complete Savoy/Dial" set and I DO like the sound on that. Quote
brownie Posted June 30, 2004 Report Posted June 30, 2004 Lend also an ear to the Royal Roost sides (with Kenny Dorham, Al Haig, etc...). They should be easily available and the Bird is in full flight on those! Quote
LarryCurleyMoe Posted July 1, 2004 Report Posted July 1, 2004 (edited) One of my favorite Bird recordings is that awesome 4 cd set that Ember has released "Complete" Charlie Parker at Birdland - has all those tasty recordings of Bird & Co. ca. 1950 - killer Bud Powell and Diz too...booklet in set is pretty cool. Possibly also issued on a label other than Ember - I remember Columbia records had a part of this set out some years ago on vinyl... Gotta recommend that Rockland Palace session too! Edited July 1, 2004 by LarryCurleyMoe Quote
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