Recorded 65 years ago today (Nov 30, 1949), Charlie Parker with Strings is one of those classic jazz recordings you must get intimately familiar with.
Don’t just take my word for it. 6 prominent alto saxophonists recently named this in their top favorites.
There’s a reason why: It holds up.
As I re-read the liner notes, I noticed that Bird himself quoted as saying “Just Friends”, from this album, was his favorite recording of himself. I can see why.
Sure, Bird crushed everything he played, but often we have to suspend our concern for recording quality in order to appreciate the brilliant music he laid down. This record is different. It’s lush and clean, and, as a man who confessed to “Trying to play clean and look for the pretty notes“, this album lives up to that aspiration.
Wow, if this whole album is as great as the one track I’ve heard so far it will be one of my favourites for a long time to come. Bringing back the two tenor tradition was a great idea ! Sounds a lot like those great Ammons & Stitt duels..
Thanks, Trinus! Yeah…we really wanted to go for that old-school vibe.
I had the Charlie Parker Story part #1 and this was the first song on the album, and i thought that cut tells the whole story. Wow