At the Open Door

Artist: Charlie Parker Label: Ember Category: Music Average customer rating: Format: Live Media: Audio CD Number Of Discs: 2 UPC: 658028170825 EAN: 0658028170825 ASIN: B000050IG7 Release Date: 2000-12-12

Listmania:

1. Bird Lives!! Great Charlie Parker Discs

Tracks:

1. Out Of Nowhere
2. Star Eyes
3. Cool Blues
4. East Of The Sun
5. The Song Is You
6. My Little Suede Shoes
7. 52nd Street Theme
8. Orinthology
9. Scrapple From The Apple
10. I Cover The Waterfront

Tracks:

1. This Time The Dream's On Me
2. I'll Remember April
3. My Old Flame
4. 52nd Street Theme
5. I Remember You
6. All The Things You Are
7. Hot House
8. Just You, Just Me
9. I'll Remember April
10. 52nd Street Theme

Similar Items:

1. Complete Pershing Club Sets
2. Complete Onyx Recordings
3. Montreal (1953)
4. Boston 1952
5. Complete Bird in Sweden

Customer Reviews:

Echo Chamber.......2002-12-05

Previously Unheard Performances By Charlie Parker.......2001-01-31

Since the 1970's Parker's recorded legacy has been fairly well preserved, as his studio recordings for Savoy, Dial and Verve have been reissued often, if not always well. His live recordings have also been widely available. Rehearsals, radio air checks and live performances have been issued and reissued in many forms, of sometimes of questionable legality. Fans and fellow musicians were recording Parker even before he had started performing and recording as a solo artist, and fortunately for Parker's fans, most of those recordings have survived. Very few previously unreleased performances have surfaced in recent years, however, at least until this two CD set was released in 2000.

This was recorded at the New York City's Open Door jazz club, soon after Parker's "cabaret card" (an archaic license issued by the police department) was returned to him and he was allowed to perform at New York nightspots for the first time in two years. It was a difficult period for the saxophonist and, although only 33, his health had begun a decline that would end less than two years later.

According to the liner notes, these recordings spent many years in the collection of Parker's fourth wife, Chan Richardson Parker, then were turned over to Columbia Records in the `70's. Even Parker collectors did not know of the existence of this recording until recently. I do not know whether this release is legitimate, but any previously unheard Parker is a treat for his hardcore fans.

This release is not really for the casual listener, though. The sound quality is rough, as tape recording was still in its infancy in 1953. Parker is heard clearly throughout, but the rhythm section and occasional trumpet sometimes drift in and our or microphone range. Parker is in good form throughout, and this is one of his better recorded performances from this late stage of his career. After spending two years on the road performing with pickup bands, "Bird", as his fans and friends called him, is clearly glad to be back in front of a New York crowd,, and he is supported by musicians of similar caliber.

The packaging of this set, though, is deceptive. The running time is listed at either 130 minutes or 1 hour, 30 minutes (its unclear), yet the entire two disc set checks in at under 70 minutes. Given the relatively high price, misrepresenting the time by such a significant amount is inexcusable, and costs it a star. The mediocre sound quality costs it another. Still, Parker fans will certainly want to add this to their collections.

Music CD:

1. Alms/Tiergarten (Spree) ~ Cecil Taylor
2. Jungle Exotica ~ Various Artists
3. Like Old Times ~ Nick Brignola
4. Verve Jazz Masters 26 ~ Lionel Hampton, Oscar Peterson
5. Cool Blues ~ Charlie Parker
6. Best of Esquivel ~ Esquivel
7. The Eternal Triangle ~ Mark Elf
8. Hammond Organ Favourites ~ Johnny Patrick
9. Autumn in Seattle XRCD2 ~ Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio
10. All Of Me: Sing The Songs of Frank Sinatra (karaoke)

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

You Know How We Do It ~ Ice Cube

Friend or Foe? ~ The Forces of Evil

A House Full of Friends ~ Various Artists

Down in the Park: The Alternative Anthology ~ Gary Numan

Lucidity ~ Beth Quist

Hits Series 7: Best of November 2002 ~ Various Artists

Small Town Murder Scene

Da Booty: 17 Smash Bass Hits ~ Various Artists

Victory Screwed ~ Do or Die

The Stick Up ~ Antho