The Essential

Charlie Parker | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 3, 1992)
• Original Release Date: November 3, 1992
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B000001E03
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,611 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Import exclusive two disc compilation. Details TBA. Metro. 2004. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars There are better "starter" collections of Charlier Parker; this is not "the" essential Charlie Parker, October 14, 2006

By 

Steve Frazier (Seattle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essential (Audio CD)

OK, the music, of course, rates 10 stars, for there is some great music here. But Polygram has labeled this "the" essential Charlie Parker, when it really isn't. This is music from the various record companies that Charlie Parker recorded for in the late 40's and early 50's under the producer Norman Granz, generally known as the Verve group of companies, eventually bought up by Polygram. Since it only contains Verve product it isn't really a representative sample of Charlie Parker's recordings.

A much better value for your money (if you want only one purchase of Charlie Parker material) is the box set by Proper Records called "Boss Bird." It's ASIN number B000069DWX (just paste this ASIN number in the search bar to find it). This is a 4 CD set, and you can usually find great used copies here at Amazon for around 15 dollars.

It contains four full CD's of music from throughout Bird's career: early recordings, the essential recordings for Savoy and Dial with Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis that made him famous, and a nice sample of the later Verve years. It's a terrific set, and well worth owning.

If you really want to keep your purchase down to less than 4 CD's, try the one-disc compilation that was part of the "Ken Burns Jazz" series. It's just a single CD, contains the great recordings from throughout Bird's career. Even cheaper is the Charlie Parker CD from the Ken Burns Jazz Collection, which his ASIN number B000050I3S; you can usually buy copies under 5 bucks here at Amazon.

As for this particular CD that I am reviewing here: there is some fine stuff, but they are being too tricky with the title, since it's just a slice of Parker's career. If you do want a "best of" album of the Verve years there is a two-CD sampler floating around Amazon that is a better deal.

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The One and ONLY, February 27, 2002

By 

nadav haber (jerusalem Israel) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Essential (Audio CD)

Many Jazz saxophone players say they got Bird "figured out". Even 47 years after his death they still try to play like him.

Listening to Bird on this CD you just know that no one can figure Bird out, nobody played like him and nobody will.

The music here is from the late 40's early 50's. Miles Davis is no longer the sideman. The rhythm section is sometimes not quick enough to pick up on Bird's rhythmic changes - for Bird had a sense of rhythm I only heard in Armstrong's early solos.

The genious that overflowed from Bird is evident in his sound, rhythm, melodic invention and harmonic explorations. Listening to Bird has been one of life's pleasures for me, and this CD is no exception.
This is music that should be listened to by all music lovers, regardless of their favorite genre.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential, August 19, 2005

By 

Antonio Palacios "Gimme music!" (Peru) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Essential (Audio CD)

As the title says, this is a great selection of the finest Charlie parker themes. A perfect introduction to anyone who wants to dig in Bird's music. Include classics like: Confirmation, KC Blues and Now's the time. The CD cover art is brilliant too, don't you think?