Cole Porter Songbook

Charlie Parker | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 16, 1991)
• Original Release Date: April 16, 1991
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B0000046VH
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #249,626 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Introduction to Parker's and/or Porter's Music, February 16, 2000

By 

Anthony G Pizza "trivialtony" (FL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cole Porter Songbook (Audio CD)

With the release of this songbook collection, Charlie Parker achieves instrumentally what labelmate Ella Fitzgerald (and, of course, Frank Sinatra) did vocally: join an elite group of first-rate Cole Porter interpreters.

It helps having fine support (including drummers Buddy Rich, Max Roach, and Art Porter, bassist Teddy Kulick and pianist Oscar Peterson). It also helps to overcome obstacles (some fussy big-band/string arrangements and an dissapointing pop rendition by Gil Evans on the first "In The Still Of The Night.") Highlights include a blues-based "I Love Paris" (featuring bass/drum interplay sounding like a funereal rumba), Parker floating sheets of jazz like a magic carpet above the sweet strings of "Easy to Love," and an unusually somber version of the wistful "Just One Of Those Things." This provides an outstanding first step in appreciating Parker; to know the lyrical master Porter better, check out "Frank Sinatra Sings The Classic Cole Porter" on Capitol, or Ella Fitzgerald's legendary "Cole Porter Songbook" on Verve.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Having it both ways!, January 7, 2008

By 

Nikica Gilic - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cole Porter Songbook (Audio CD)

Can you at the same time enjoy Parker's brilliant and furious improvisations and Porter's beautiful melodies? At the first glance the answer would be now and, in spite of strings at most numbers, this compillation proves that the giant of be-bop obviously found something intriguing in Porter's work (as did numerous other giants of jazz)...

Sure, at a few songs Parker shows the signs of faltering, but the most of his performances sound near his highest level, and some are even with a fine modern big band featuring Oscar Peterson (p), Bill Harris (tb), Bernie Privin (tp) and even Freddie Green on rhythm guitar!

This is recommended both to Parker fans and to Porter fans...

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars When two genius meet, February 17, 2007

By 

Mr. Yves F. Dantec "Frenchy Gerry" (Lake Hiawatha, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cole Porter Songbook (Audio CD)

it is an excellent CD. Charlie Parker demonstrates how great he is and the quality of the Cole Porter songs allowed him to exceed our expectation. For Jazz fans.