The Best of Charlie Parker: 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection [Original recording remastered]

Charlie Parker | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 24, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Verve
• ASIN: B0002M5T5M
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,649 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #17 in Music > Jazz > Swing Jazz > Classic Big Band
  • #19 in Music > Jazz > Swing Jazz > Contemporary Big Band
  • #45 in Music > Jazz > Bebop > General AAS

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Charlie Parker's best records in his short 35 year legacy!, February 11, 2006

By 

Johnny Boy "The Record Collector" (Hockessin, DE) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best of Charlie Parker: 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection (Audio CD)

Charlie Parker will always be the greatest saxaphone player who ever lived. This CD is a fine example of why he is regarded as the best(and always will be). This the REAL DEAL people, the REAL DEAL. In 2004, Charlie Parker became one of the many stars to get a compilation in the 20th Century Masters The Millenium Collection CDs. Read on for further details.

The Millenium Collections are always great. They remaster the tracks 24.bit so the sound is awesome. Charlie Parker's compilation is cool, just like he was.

In this CD, you get several tracks you can't find easily. Among them are Autumn In New York and the underrated gem Just Friends. Both of which (in my view) are true hits. It's a shame they haven't included these 2 tracks of The Bird on other Best-ofs.

Charlie Parker has recorded on several record labels such as Dial, His Masters Voice, Savoy and more. In 1959, 4 years after his death, Verve remastered them and started releasing Charlie Parker vinyls on the Verve label. This CD is a fine example only it sounds a heck of a lot better! And when you're looking for the best-sounding Charlie Parker CD out there, this CD takes the cake. You can tell just by listening to [...] Music Samplers.

Overall this CD is highly reccommended! If you liked this one, here are some others you may like:

The Complete Charlie Parker: 1950
The Essential Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker Ken Burns JAZZ Collection

All of those are classic Parker CDs. But in terms of sound and finding the CD that will appeal to the casual and hard core fans alike, this one is the one to pick.

Highlights for me: 'K.C. Blues' and 'Just Friends'. ONE OF THE BEST CHARLIE PARKER CDS OUT IN THE MARKET!

Charlie Parker (August 29, 1920-March 12, 1955). Enjoy!!!

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy It, September 14, 2007

By 

J. S. Geers "saintsday" (Cleveland, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Best of Charlie Parker: 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection (Audio CD)

This is close to as much great music as you can buy for ten bucks, but my preference is for The Essential Charlie Parker for a dollar less. Part of that is the longer and better remastered solo on Star Eyes, not one of Parker's best known, but a real gem.
Nobody has ever displayed the complete mastery of the alto saxophone in jazz as well as Bird, and this disc gives you a good introduction as to why he is at the top of the jazz pantheon.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Introduction CD to Bird, October 16, 2009

By 

dwood78 (Long Beach, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Best of Charlie Parker: 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection (Audio CD)

This budget CD is a great way to introduce you to the music of Charlie Parker. It covers his later recordings under Norman Granz's supervision thus nothing from Dial & Savoy Records.

These 12 tracks basically gives us a look into the World of Charlie Parker. From his recordings with strings ("Just Friends" & "Autumn in New York") to a couple of songs he did for Dial/Savoy that he later re-recorded ("Loverman", "Now's the Time", & the closer) & even some Latin jazz (My Little Suede Shoes). The recordings are remastered to a T- doesn't sound like they've been taken from 78 RPM records. The musicians present in these songs are a who's who of bebop greats like Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Monk, Miles Davis, Buddy Rich, Max Roach, & John Lewis to name a few. After hearing his music, I sometimes wonder where Parker would have taken jazz had he not died so young.

In addition to the disc, there's some photos & an interesting essay that comes with the liner notes. Be forewarned: once you hear Bird's music you'll want more.