Customer Reviews

Birds of a Feather: A Tribute to Charlie Parker

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After enjoying last year's "The Roy Haynes Trio" I was anxious to hear Roy's new work and it doesn't disappoint. Roy's drum playing is revelation throughout this session. Now in his mid-seventies, he seems to just keep getting better. The group- Kenny Garrett-sax, Roy Hargrove-trumpet, Dave Kikoski-piano and Dave Holland-bass, mesh beautifully together and successfully replicate the tight sound of Parker era bebop quintets. At times they sound like the classic Roach/Brown Quintet and seconds later segue into improv that sounds as modern as any group playing today. A fine outing and highly recommended to fans of bop and post bop.

Oh no, not another bloody tribute album. Don't American jazz musicians have anything original to say? Well actually they do and this CD is spectacularly original as well as being good to listen to. The arrangements are terrific, the musicians are inspired and there have been few better jazz CD's released in the last two years. Kenny Garrett's solo on the first track lifts you out of your seat and things never slacken thereafter. Don't be shy, just buy it!

Roy Haynes assembled a quintet of the hottest contemporary jazz players to reinterpret classic bebop tunes recorded by Charlie Parker (and a couple of other standards that Parker and Dizzy Gillespie used to play). This is a hot album that is not simply a pointless attempt to do again what has already been done, but is rather the use of those old tunes to show off modern jazz sensibilities. "Ah-Leu-Cha" is incredible in its interweaving of horn voices in the opening head--hearing this you think, "ah yes, THAT's what Parker was after"--and "Yardbird Suite" has a driving force that it always deserved. In some ways, this album reminds me of the music in the film "Backbeat," in which top modern pop musicians reinterpreted early Beatles music in a way that reflected modern tastes but in so doing gave the modern listener a sense of what must have been the revolutionary force heard in the originals by the audiences who first heard it. This album is easy to listen to over and over again, and it also should provide modern musicians some guidance in thinking about how to reinterpret old tunes. It will never replace Bird's own recordings, but it's a valuable companion to them. It's a great album.

Roy Haynes surrounds himself with 4 top notch pros to create something much more than a tribute. This record has an identity all its own with Haynes preferring to do the driving from the back seat. With short but memorable solos, Haynes provides a rhythmic backdrop that is subtle but powerful allowing each virtuoso space to do their thing. And they all do it well, very well. Despite the fact that this one a one off session, these guys sound as if they've been playing together for years. Six of the tunes are Parker original that range from bop to blues, each one sizzles. I've been listening to this cd on almost a weekly basis since its release and I can't get enough of it. Definitely one of my favorites from the 2000's. This is a must have recording.

Love Letters is a great album. This one lacks passion and cohesion. It's okay, but the musicianship is no where near the Miles Davis Quintet of the late 50's etc. Either buy "Love Letters" by Roy Haynes, or get back to Miles and Parker. This one is a little flat...

This cd is pretty sweet. I just walked into HMV and lo and behold I saw this under the new releases. I hadn't heard about it and for some reason I still haven't heard too much about it. Nevertheless, the cd is really inspiring, gives you an overall feel-good rub (much like a nozzle). The playing is tight and each soloist really adds a lot. Roy's playing is phenomenal (he's always adding something), Dave is as solid as a rock, Kenny is and will always be his harmonic powerful and tasteful self, Baron is smooth, and Roy is advanced but earthy.
This cd really combines the old tunes with a modern sound, much like Corea's remembering bud powell. It's a lot of fun to listen too and I will do just that over and over. Hope you buy this cd and enjoy it.