Post Description

Crazeology - Charlie Parker

Jazz time again folks, well bebop to be precise (mostly).

I make no secret of being a huge Charlie Parker fan. Not just because he was arguably the greatest alto saxophone player ever, but because he was a pioneer.

At a time when black music was seen as something that was somehow less accomplished, and the musicians somewhat less worthy than their white counterparts (in fact it was thought that hardly any black musicians could read music, a common myth), Parker broke the mould.

He wrote, he practically invented a new genre (be bop), well maybe I exaggerate, he was certainly one of the leading lights. He also played with chord structure and melodies
and harmonies, tearing up the rule book and inventing his own style.

His sound is incredibly distinctive, despite the fact that he played on numerous saxophones as he is known to have pawned and sold many, mainly to feed his heroin and alcohol addictions.

I bought this CD mainly as it has a lot of live tracks (all except 3) and I just wanted to hear them. When I bought it, about 5 years ago it was £6.99 from HMV. You can get it for a few pounds now on Amazon.

The tracks are as follows:

1. Bird Feathers
Most people know that Parker was nicknamed 'Yardbird' as he loved fried chicken, this nickname became simply 'Bird'. This opening track is much more of a traditional set up or early bebop than some of the others. Lots of high note sax solos. but of course the contrabass, pianist and drummer all get a go too. Some of Parkers note changes are so quick they seem impossible.

2. Perdido
Bit of a classic and Parker playing very much to the audience as is heard by their response, lovely smooth key changes. Not sure who the trumpet player is, I supect Dizzy Gillespie, it is superb and he goes head to head with Parker.

3. Groovin High
Much more edgy from Parker, using more register jumps and very much in keeping with the drummer. I would imagine this was (as is) ultra cool at the time.

4. Hot House
Great drum solo starts us off then in comes Charlie with a horn full of sharps and quirky key changes, sticking very much to the high notes, this is the Parker I like, doing his own thing. Up and down the sacles and arpeggios, seemingly at will, brilliant.

5. Be Bop a Lula
Ah! I hear you cry, now I know where the 'other' song has it's roots, this aint the rock n roll version. This is sheer bebop, incredibly fast piano playing matched by parkers playing. Disjointed, quirky and sublime.

6. Crazeology
More of a 'tune' this track, yet still shocases Parkers playing....he always seemes to play in the top octave, rarely making a foray below, it is so hard to play the high notes melodically, and he does. Trumpet again, Gillespie again. Fast and furious.

7. Parker's Mood
Having just extolled the virtues of Parkers high note, fast playing we see a rare ballad, well as close as he gets anyway.....he still manages to throw in ascending and scales and descending scales with ease, to meet and decortae the melody. Smoke filled bar, barman polishing glasses, a few people milling around, this is such an evocative track.

8. Ornithology
The bird theme again. for many fans this is seminal, not me, there is something a bit 'heard it before' about it.

9. Out of Nowhere
More sweet ballad like playing, with a bit of a twist, nice.

10. Scrapple From the Apple
Another famous Parker number, much more trad' again, sweet melodies pushed to the extreme with his fast fingers just about making the beats, lovely.

11. Billy's Bounce
Boring track for me, up and down a scale, never liked this much. At least you can see the rock n roll roots.

12. Bluebird
Love this, really individual and a ***ing tune that works well with all the other instruments, really acomplished and controlled playing.

13. Cheryl
Another bebop number that kind of has a swing feel about it, until Parkers high note solo comes in, and even then it would not be amiss in the mid part of a swing tune.

14. Constellation
Really swing start to this as well, then it gets all freaky on ya, Parker having a whale of a time and showing off I reckon, the note changes are so fast it leaves me breathless just listening.

15. Don't Blame Me
Really mellow, not how I like my parker, lovely tune, lovely playing, but not wild enough for me.

16. Marmaduke
Now we are back to a bit of Parker madness, nice and fast, nice and quirky, gentle piano and drum backing and Charlie doing his thang.

17. Cheers
Interesting number, I can really here soul and funk roots in this and the influence Parker had on later music should not be underestimated.

18. My Old Flame
Not a live track, and one of Parkers best ballads. from the start it draws you in and each note is played with such precision and feeling that it sometimes (with headphones) makes me cry with joy. Perfect, just perfect. I challenge even folks that do not like jazz, not to like this. Silky and edgy all at once. This generally comes up first in seraches for Parker songs, yet is so different from the majority of his stuff.

There are some tracks that Parker made famous such as Salt Peanuts and Koko that are not on this album, yet it is for me, quite definitive and sends goosbumps up my arms.

What a tragedy that the man was on a self destruct mission from early on in life and he was taken from the World before he had a chance to shine longer.

Great introduction album to Parker, I recommend it.