Listening to saxophone gymnastics on a new album of rare recordings is like watching stretch during warmups.
A new collection, 鈥淏ird in Kansas City,鈥� captures Parker鈥檚 grace and greatness in casual settings. On 13 cuts recorded in his hometown from 1941 to 1951, the bebop pioneer鈥檚 playing is largely informal and relaxed, yet still Olympian.
The material, much of it never heard before, includes two sets of private recordings with local musicians made during breaks in his travels and concludes with two unreleased songs with the Jay McShann Band. The album will be released Friday.
Parker solos from start to finish on each of the private recordings, and he鈥檚 in fine form, ideas pouring through the sort of improbable improvisations that tested the limits of his instrument There鈥檚 some crackle and hiss in the recordings, and his rhythm section can be difficult to hear, but Bird鈥檚 alto sax comes through loud and clear.
He experiments with energetic embellishments and long, elaborate phrases never to be repeated. He doesn鈥檛 always stick the landing, but it鈥檚 virtuosity at high velocity, and his melodic invention still startles.
Parker鈥檚 playful mood makes the performances especially appealing. He鈥檚 liable to insert scale practice or quotes from other tunes. On 鈥淏ody and Soul (Phil Baxter Version),鈥� he plays the same note 17 times in a row, and leaves others in the room laughing. That performance is one of seven captured via a portable wire recorder in 1951 during a late-night jam session at a friend鈥檚 home, with unknown accompanists on bass and drums.
Also included are four cuts from a studio session arranged by a friend in 1944, when Parker was with the Billy Eckstine Band. Bird is joined by drummer Edward 鈥淟ittle Phil鈥� Phillips and guitarist Efferge Ware, and his playing is especially effortless and even mellow. He makes longtime staple 鈥淐herokee鈥� sound new on the album's Vic Damone version, delves into hot club jazz on 鈥淚've Found a New Baby,鈥� and renders an especially romantic reading of 鈥淢y Heart Tells Me.鈥�
The cuts with McShann from 1941 seem tacked on. The stodgy performances haven鈥檛 aged well, and the band sounds remote, although Parker鈥檚 solo on 鈥淚鈥檓 Getting Sentimental Over You鈥� is worth a careful listen.
Judges may not give 鈥淏ird in Kansas City鈥� a perfect score of 10, but it鈥檚 still a welcome addition to Parker鈥檚 monumental catalog.
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Steven Wine, The Associated Press
