PLAYLIST NEW ALBUM RELEASES BLAZING ACROSS THE MUSICAL FIRMAMENT.Byline: Fred Shuster Music Writer ONE OF the most overlooked aspects of be-bop great Charlie ``Bird'' Parker's genius was his flair for brilliantly catchy melodies. Whether you appreciate the alto saxophonist's rhythmic and harmonic gifts, there's no denying the universal appeal of tunes like ``Koko,'' ``Chasin' the Bird'' and ``Scrapple scrap·ple n. A mush of ground pork and cornmeal that is set in a mold and then sliced and fried. [Diminutive of scrap1.] Noun 1. From the Apple,'' songs as close to pop perfection as anything crafted by Lennon-McCartney. Added to the resiliency of those melodies, of course, were dizzyingly lyrical, musically groundbreaking solos and the playful tempos of Parker's first-rate accompanists. All burners are firing in the just-issued ``Best of the Complete Live Performances on Savoy,'' a marvelous single-disc distillation of 1998's four-disc package. The album is drawn from material performed in 1948 and 1949 by small groups under Parker's leadership and broadcast from New York's Royal Roost club. We asked the disc's executive producer, Steve Backer, what makes those dates special. Q: What is revealed in Bird's live performances compared to his studio work? In the studio, you're struggling toward perfection. On the bandstand, you're sailing into the unknown. You can absolutely hear the difference. Bird was a meteorite meteorite, meteor that survives the intense heat of atmospheric friction and reaches the earth's surface. Because of the destructive effects of this friction, only the very largest meteors become meteorites. and one way or another, his message gets across to you regardless of the environment. Q: How did you decide on the new set's 13 tracks, which are trimmed down from the original 61? Diversity and quality of performance and sound. Plus, we wanted to represent the various bands Parker used on the dates. And we wanted to show the very best material. Q: Do you imagine any jazz musician in our lifetime will have an impact similar to Bird? You don't find a lot of people who are meteorites Meteorites See also astronomy. aerolithology the science of aerolites, whether meteoric stones or meteorites. Also called aerolitics. astrolithology the study of meteorites. Also called meteoritics. in any field. He was just so inherently brilliant and apparently born with rhythmic, melodic and harmonic genius. It's like Mozart at the age of 8 was playing for the court when someone who was 80 couldn't play one musical phrase. It's almost metaphysical what Bird was about. So, no, I can't see any similar impact. Talents like Bird don't happen often in any lifetime. CHECK THESE OUT (other new releases): GREGORY ISAACS Gregory Anthony Isaacs (born 15 July, 1950) is a Jamaican reggae musician. Isaacs was born in Fletchers Land, Kingston, Jamaica. In the 1970s, he emerged as one of the most prolific and popular recording artists in Jamaica. , ``Night Nurse'': The instantly contagious title track made this sultry Jamaican crooner's reputation around the world. One of the last classic albums of reggae's golden age, remastered. VELVET UNDERGROUND, ``The Velvet Underground & Nico (Deluxe Edition)'': The influential 1967 debut, featuring ``All Tomorrow's Parties,'' ``Femme femme adj. Slang Exhibiting stereotypical or exaggerated feminine traits. Used especially of lesbians and gay men. n. 1. Slang One who is femme. 2. Informal A woman or girl. Fatale'' and Andy Warhol's famous banana peel, remastered with bonus tracks. PROFESSOR LONGHAIR Professor Longhair (pseudonym of Henry Roeland Byrd) (1918–80) blues musician; born in Bogalusa, La. As a pianist and singer, he was an innovator of postwar New Orleans rhythm-and-blues. , ``Big Chief'' and ``Rum & Coke'': The amazingly inventive New Orleans New Orleans (ôr`lēənz –lənz, ôrlēnz`), city (2006 pop. 187,525), coextensive with Orleans parish, SE La., between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, 107 mi (172 km) by water from the river mouth; founded piano man in two top-notch reissues. Next Tuesday: WILSON PICKETT Wilson Pickett (March 18, 1941 – January 19, 2006) was an American R&B/Rock and Roll and soul singer. Known for his raw, raspy, passionate vocal delivery, he recorded some of the most incendiary soul music of the twentieth century. : ``Essentials'' CAPTION(S): 4 photos Photo: (1) no caption (Charlie Parker Noun 1. Charlie Parker - United States saxophonist and leader of the bop style of jazz (1920-1955) Bird Parker, Charles Christopher Parker, Parker, Yardbird Parker ) (2 -- 4) no caption (CD covers) |
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