Bird's best bop on Verve

[sal]

After recently purchasing the Complete Savoy & Dial Master Takes set, I'm looking to complete my collection of Charlie Parker's bebop studio work. I saw a CD "Bird's best bop on Verve", which looks quite good, but I don't know if there is anything else on Verve I should be getting. I know that Verve is releasing a "Complete Verve Master Takes" set later this year.

My question is, should I get the single CD, or wait for the master takes set? I really am not interested in Bird's sessions with strings, so I'm thinking that the "Best bop on Verve" disc might be good, but I don't want to miss any of his other bop recordings that might have missed the single CD and will end up on the Master Takes set.

Can anyone help me make a decision?

[jazzbo]

Sal, my two cents: wait for the collection of masters. I say this for several reasons. One: the sound is likely to be the best possible for the material. Two: there's likely to be good notes. Three: you're going to have all the masters, and that's better than having one quarter of the masters! I think you'll learn to like all the material. I never thought I would want the material with strings. . . but I was wrong, I love the material with strings and have sought out the live material that he recorded with strings as well. I think there's a chance that might happen with you, and I think there's a good chance you'll like all the material in the set. . . It's BIRD!

[Brad]

Sal,

You should definitely wait. This is only one cd, a sort of best of. Even if you don't like strings, you'll be getting material from Jazz at the Philharmonic, the Jazz Scene (absolutely wonderful cd, btw), material from his Quartet and Quintet and the the jam session that took place in Hollywood in 1952 (material with Bird, Johnny Hodges, Charlie Shavers, Barney Kessel, Ben Webster, etc. -- this stuff really cooks!).

Now, the strings. Even if you don't like it, he makes this come alive, Bird floating on top of a strings is really good: Just Friends (a classic!), Laura, April in Paris, I'll Remember April. You just can't go wrong. Hey, Lon's right, it's Bird B)

[pryan]

That set of masters looks particularly appealing to me, considering the relatively low amount of Bird I do have in my collection. Add another one to the list...

Re: the strings sessions, I must agree with Lon and Brad, there's some marvellous playing by Bird on that disc.