Charlie Parker Bop City

[Brad]

Is anyone familiar with this three record set from Audio Fidelity. They are audio recordings from NY spots like the Royal Roost. If you are, how’s the sound?

[JSngry]

Almost certainly Boris Rose material.

Savoy released the Royal Roost material. That's the way to go for that.

[T.D.]

Pretty sure the first LP (Royal Roost) has been released on Savoy (per Jim), which is how I have that material.

Other 2 LPs (Rockland Palace) I think are boots of live "with strings" sets which have been released at least a couple of times elsewhere.

Live at Rockland Palace - Wikipedia

I'm not really interested in this material (lots of other unheard Bird ahead of it on the priority list) so can't comment further.

Edited December 29, 2024 by T.D.

[JSngry]

Ok then...IIRC, the Rockland Palace material needed pitch correction and didn't get it until much later than this AF set.

The only issue I would recommend would be the one that T.D. referenced.

Bird is in very good form on all of this material.

[Gheorghe]

I have a 4 CD set of all the Roost recordings of Bird. 
The Rockland seems to be the same material like on the old "Bird is Free" which was here in Europe on market. For many from my generation, who lived in the later era of Free Jazz, listening to Ornette and Pharoah Sanders, this was the first approach to bop and was bought much for the title "free".......😄 

[T.D.]

If Bird is in good form, the Rockland Palace recordings could be recommendable. Depending on sound quality, which I don't know. I defer to Jim, who says it's not pitch-corrected, and would pass.

If you look on discogs for "Rockland Palace" releases, there are some later ones (possibly CD rather than vinyl) that claim to be pitch-corrected.

The Roost is on my 4-CD Savoy live set, so I'll put a pitch-corrected Rockland Palace on the wish list.

[AllenLowe]

46 minutes ago, T.D. said:

If Bird is in good form, the Rockland Palace recordings could be recommendable. Depending on sound quality, which I don't know. I defer to Jim, who says it's not pitch-corrected, and would pass.

If you look on discogs for "Rockland Palace" releases, there are some later ones (possibly CD rather than vinyl) that claim to be pitch-corrected.

The Roost is on my 4-CD Savoy live set, so I'll put a pitch-corrected Rockland Palace on the wish list.

Rockland Palace was remastered and pitch corrected by Doug Pomeroy. There is a CD available:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Legendary-Rockland-Palace-Dance/dp/B000001LZ4/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1QABCUVLXZ117&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qG-cuvDxcSIaGLr4BeH05yPGA9e8ISOOMv2N8LoWZlwoFY_hvBkzDnheWl1XjgQBc9pHs2rfoTD_l_rBG914Qyw-HA_V_bHNBuZAvHxG_3Q.ObkhEU0i8EZRm_cftnhb8ZTdVOjTl6yTCMRxnXc1vP0&dib_tag=se&keywords=charlie+Parker+rockland+palace&qid=1735493632&sprefix=charlie+parker+rockland+palace%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-3

12 hours ago, JSngry said:

Ok then...IIRC, the Rockland Palace material needed pitch correction and didn't get it until much later than this AF set.

The only issue I would recommend would be the one that T.D. referenced.

Bird is in very good form on all of this material.

Rockland Palace was speed corrected and remastered by Doug Pomeroy:

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Legendary-Rockland-Palace-Dance/dp/B000001LZ4/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1QABCUVLXZ117&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qG-cuvDxcSIaGLr4BeH05yPGA9e8ISOOMv2N8LoWZlwoFY_hvBkzDnheWl1XjgQBc9pHs2rfoTD_l_rBG914Qyw-HA_V_bHNBuZAvHxG_3Q.ObkhEU0i8EZRm_cftnhb8ZTdVOjTl6yTCMRxnXc1vP0&dib_tag=se&keywords=charlie+Parker+rockland+palace&qid=1735493632&sprefix=charlie+parker+rockland+palace%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-3

Edited December 29, 2024 by AllenLowe

[medjuck]

53 minutes ago, AllenLowe said:

Rockland Palace was remastered and pitch corrected by Doug Pomeroy. There is a CD available:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Legendary-Rockland-Palace-Dance/dp/B000001LZ4/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1QABCUVLXZ117&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qG-cuvDxcSIaGLr4BeH05yPGA9e8ISOOMv2N8LoWZlwoFY_hvBkzDnheWl1XjgQBc9pHs2rfoTD_l_rBG914Qyw-HA_V_bHNBuZAvHxG_3Q.ObkhEU0i8EZRm_cftnhb8ZTdVOjTl6yTCMRxnXc1vP0&dib_tag=se&keywords=charlie+Parker+rockland+palace&qid=1735493632&sprefix=charlie+parker+rockland+palace%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-3

Rockland Palace was speed corrected and remastered by Doug Pomeroy:

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Legendary-Rockland-Palace-Dance/dp/B000001LZ4/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1QABCUVLXZ117&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qG-cuvDxcSIaGLr4BeH05yPGA9e8ISOOMv2N8LoWZlwoFY_hvBkzDnheWl1XjgQBc9pHs2rfoTD_l_rBG914Qyw-HA_V_bHNBuZAvHxG_3Q.ObkhEU0i8EZRm_cftnhb8ZTdVOjTl6yTCMRxnXc1vP0&dib_tag=se&keywords=charlie+Parker+rockland+palace&qid=1735493632&sprefix=charlie+parker+rockland+palace%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-3

It also has one cut in stereo (done  by using a 2nd tape recorder that was present along with Chan's.) 

[mjzee]

The Doug Pomeroy remastering is a labor of love; good liner notes too.  It's hard to find; that's a really good price for the used copy on Amazon.

[Brad]

Thanks all. I have the Roost material.  Will pass on this. 

[Quasimado]

7 hours ago, mjzee said:

The Doug Pomeroy remastering is a labor of love; good liner notes too.  It's hard to find; that's a really good price for the used copy on Amazon.

Some incredible Bird ...

[medjuck]

IIRC that stereo cut was "Lester Leaps In" and was used by Clint Eastwood in "Bird". 

[Rooster_Ties]

7 hours ago, medjuck said:

IIRC that stereo cut was "Lester Leaps In" and was used by Clint Eastwood in "Bird". 

Reminds me, I’ve always wondered what all the sources were for the recordings used in the Eastwood film — and I’ve been curious to try and contrast the versions there with their re-recorded rhythm sections and such… with the originals (if any of those originals had ever been issued, or at least surfaced).

[medjuck]

I think they were all issued (i.e. no new discoveries in the film.  A couple (at least one) were originally with Lennie Tristano. 

[mjzee]

I think many of the recordings in the Eastwood film were sourced from the Dean Benedetti tapes (and then overdubbed by contemporary musicians); the Benedetti tapes themselves were subsequently issued by Mosaic.

[Gheorghe]

Well I never bought whole albums with Dean Benedetti recordings, since I just can´t enjoy pieces where the other soloists are cut out. 

That´s why I love the Roost Recordings, you have fine solos by Kenny Dorham and Al Haig on all tracks. 

Or the Boris Rose, Fred Hersch recordings from Birdland, all the solos of Diz, Fats, Bud, imangine what a loss this would be if they were cut out....
I also like the "Happy Bird" from 1951 in Boston, where I sometimes paid more attention to Wardell Gray, he never played better !