Unpublished and rare shots from Charlie Parker’s fertile Los Angeles days on the new Bird In LA collection released exclusively for RSD Black Friday

For the first time, Charlie Parkers productive and historical first three trips to The angel were brought together as Bird In LA, a 28-track collection of mostly unreleased and incredibly rare recordings that will be released on 2CD or 4LP black vinyl via Verve / UMe exclusively as RSD First for Record Store Day Black Friday November 26thNS. The albums will be available at participating independent record stores or ordered online from selected retailers. Visit recordstoreday.com to find participating locations.

Recorded between 1945 and 1952, the performances collected and presented chronologically on Bird In LA are replaced by the only known recordings of. highlighted Billy Bergs At December 17, 1945, three previously unknown JATP recordings from the Shrine Auditorium November 22, 1948 and the complete recordings of the legendary July 1952 Party around Jirayr Zorthians Bohemian Altadena Ranch. The collection contains comprehensive track information with detailed information on recording dates and personnel and is rounded off by informative liner notes from the album’s producer. John Burton, which provides an in-depth story of Bird’s fertile LA days and the significance of those incredible shots.

Although Bird and Dizzy performed with Billy Berg for two months, no recordings of the performances have surfaced, although they were broadcast live on local radio. These recordings, which are a cross section of the December 17th The program, presented here in its entirety for the first time and mastered from the original discs, comes from a pair of homemade 10-inch acetate discs discovered by extraordinary bird detectives Bob Bregman and Norman Saks, also known as “Yardbird, Inc.” As Burton exclaims in the Liners: “What follows is, in my opinion, one of the most incredible of all Parker shots, the purchase of this set alone is worthwhile. How High the Moon ‘topic, but in a call-and-response manner that is quite rare in their recorded collaborations. Bird begins his solo with staccato notes that are like stamping a foot to attract attention before unleashing a perfectly executed vortex that turns into a lyrical solo that is blown with such force that you get the distortion like the red ones Lines of the home recorder hears. At the end of the first chorus, Gillespie shouts ‘Go, go, go, go!’ and Bird takes another chorus before a chorus by Jackson and then a fiery solo by Gillespie, which is broken off at the end of his first chorus when the cutter runs out of space. “

The first half of Bird In LA also includes recordings of Parker and Gillespie’s appearance on the Armed Forces Radio Service’s Jubilee show in December 1945; a compact arrangement of “Salt Peanuts” from NBC’s nationally aired variety show “Drene Time” sponsored by Proctor and Gamble to promote Drene shampoo; five songs, recorded at the Finale Club in Little Tokyo with the Charlie Parker Quintet Miles davis and Joe Albany; a brilliant version of “Cherokee”, recorded for the AFRS “Jubilee” in March or April 1946 accompanied by Nat “King” Cole trio and Buddy rich; and ends with three previously unknown recordings of Bird at The Shrine with Jazz At The Philharmonic. While the performance was widely viewed as inferior to Parker, it’s included here for historical reasons, or as Burton explains, “Because they’re birds. Every surviving fragment of this giant should be available for study, the better we appreciate and understand its greatest achievements. “

The second half of this captivating musical time capsule begins two performances Jirayr Zorthians Ranch in Altadena: who is now notorious July 14, 1952 Party where Parker, his bandmates and most of the audience reportedly undressed in a rowdy late-night get-together on Zorthian’s 27 acre hill ranch in the foothills above Pasadena, and two weeks later a second performance with a young 22-year-old Chet Baker on trumpet, in one of his first recordings. Zorthian, an eccentric artist who died in 2004 at the age of 92 after surviving and graduating from the Armenian Genocide as a child YaleShe loved talking about this fateful festival. Once, when he was entertaining Burton in person, the party was on a Monday when the musicians weren’t working, and Bird, characteristically late, insisted on having a thin dip in the ranch swimming pool before playing. Several songs were included in the band’s performance, the spirited version of “A Night In.” Tunisia“and” Ornithology, “shouts Zorthian,” take it off, “and Bird commits, which leads to many others undressing and making a wild party even wilder. The performance was recorded by the brother of Bird’s friend the artist Julie McDonald, and it was obtained from Zorthian’s second generation personal tape recording.

The Zorthian party, along with many of Parker’s other LA adventures, comes to life in Z2 Comics ‘innovative graphic novel, “Chasin’ the Bird,” which was widely acclaimed last year in honor of Parker’s 100th birthday. Beautifully told by the author / artist Dave Chisholm and colored by DreamWorks Animation Director Peter MarkowskiThe new adapts to one of the sunnier but darker chapters in Vogel’s life as it explored Vogel’s relationship with the characters and events he encountered during his time in LA including recording some of his signature songs, a brief but influential sojourn at the home of the famous jazz photographer William Claxton, and many others who were in the orbit of the jazz genius.

Experienced together, Bird In LA serves as the perfect soundtrack and accompaniment to the graphic novel. The mere appearance of the rare recordings on Bird In LA is a major cultural event and a significant addition to the Parker catalog.

charlieparkermusic.com

Bird In LA Tracklist:

CD:

Disc one
December 17, 1945
Billy Bergs Supper Club, Hollywood, California
Dizzy Gillespie and his orchestra with Charlie Parker
Staff: Dizzy Gillespie, tpt, Charlie Parker, how, Milt Jackson, vb, Al Haig, pno, Ray Brown, bs, Stan Levey, dr, except 2, Harry “The Hipster” Gibson, pno and vocals, Slim Gaillard, MC, Billy Berg, Final announcement

1. Intro to I Waited for You in How High the Moon (incomplete) 4:11
2. Intro dialogue with Gibson in Handsome Harry the Hipster (incomplete) (no Parker) 4:15
3. Cement mixer (fragment) in Intro into Blues (fragment) 1:20
4. Dizzy Atmosphere (fragment) (no Parker improvisation) 1:04
5. FiftySecond Street Theme in the final announcement 1:53

Possibly 10th of December, 17 or 29, 1945
AFRS “Anniversary”, NBC Studios, Hollywood, California
Dizzy Gillespie and his orchestra with Charlie Parker
Staff: Dizzy Gillespie, tpt, Charlie Parker, how, Al Haig, pno, Ray Brown, bs, Stan Levey, dr, Ernie “Bubbles” Whitman, MC

6. Groovin ‘high in the 5:47 notice
7. Intro dialogue with Gillespie in Shaw ‘Nuff into Announcement 4:51
Add to Milt Jackson, vb
8. Introductory dialogue with Gillespie in Dizzy Atmosphere in Announcement 4:36

January 24, 1946
“Drene Time”, NBC Studios, Hollywood, California
Dizzy Gillespie Septet
Staff: Dizzy Gillespie, tpt and voc, Charlie Parker, as, Lucky Thompson, ts, Milt Jackson, vb, Al Haig, pno, Ray Brown, bs, Stan Levey, DR, Rudy Vallée and Harry “The Hipster” Gibson MCs

9. Intro dialogue between Vallee and Gibson in Salt Peanuts 3:40

Mid-March 1946
The Finale Club, Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California
Charlie Parker Quintet
Staff: Charlie Parker, how, Miles davis, tpt, Joe Albany, pno, Addison Farmer, bs, Chuck Thompson, dr, unknown MC

10. Billie’s jump 3:45
11. Ornithology 5:04
12. All the things that you are 5:13
13. Blue ‘n’ Boogie 5:15
14. Anthropology in announcement 2:51

Probably March or April 1946
AFRS “Anniversary”, NBC Studios, Hollywood, California
Staff: Charlie Parker, Benny Carter and Willie Smith, as, Nat “King” Cole, pno, Oscar Moore, g, Johnny Miller, bs, Buddy rich, dr, Ernie “Bubbles” Whitman, MC.

15. Introductory discussion in Cherokee in Announcement 4:22

November 22, 1948
Jazz at the Philharmonic, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California
Staff: Charlie Parker, how, Al Haig, pno, Tommy Potter, bs, JC Heard, dr

16. Ornithology 4:11
17. Dizzy atmosphere 5:39
18. Out of nowhere 3:35

Disc two

July 14, 1952
Party at Jirayr Zorthian’s Ranch, up on Fair Oaks Avenue, Altadena, California
Staff: Charlie Parker and Frank Morgan, how, Don Wilkerson, ts, Amos Trice, pno, David Bailey, bs, Larance Marable, DR

1. Scrap apple (incomplete) [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, CP, DW. FM, AT] 5:44
2. Au Privave / Dance of the Unbelievers [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, AT; CP, DW and FM exchange fours] 13:11
3rd night in Tunisia [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, AT] 7:33
4. How high the moon / ornithology [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, AT, CP, DW] 7:31
5. Party chatter to a hugging you [Soloist: CP] 3:45
6. Hot house [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, CP exchanges with LM] 7:07
7. Cool blues [Soloists: CP, FM, DW, CP and FM exchange choruses, DW, FM] 12:15
March 8 noodles / Dixie 4:12

Probably July 28, 1952 on Zorthian’s ranch
Personnel: As above, but added Chet Baker, tpt

9. Scrap the apple [Soloists: FM, DW, CP, CB, AT, DB,
CP exchanges with LM] 13:14

Probably July 1952, unknown location, Los Angeles, California
Personnel: Probably as above, but omit Don Wilkerson and Chet Baker

10. Au Privave (incomplete) [Soloists: CP, FM] 4:28

LP
LP 1
page A
December 17, 1945
1. Intro to I Waited for You in How High the Moon (incomplete) 4:11
2. Intro dialogue with Gibson in Handsome Harry the Hipster (incomplete) (no Parker) 4:15
3. Cement mixer (fragment) in Intro into Blues (fragment) 1:20
4. Dizzy Atmosphere (fragment) (no Parker improvisation) 1:04
5. FiftySecond Street Theme in the final announcement 1:53
Possibly 10th of December, 17 or 29, 1945
AFRS “Anniversary”, NBC Studios, Hollywood, California
Dizzy Gillespie and his orchestra with Charlie Parker
6. Groovin ‘high in the 5:47 notice

Side B
1. Introductory dialogue with Gillespie in Shaw ‘Nuff into Announcement 4:51
2. Introductory dialogue with Gillespie in Dizzy Atmosphere in announcement 4:36
3. Introductory dialogue between Vallee and Gibson at Salt Peanuts 3:40

LP 2
page A
1. Billies jump 3:45
2. Ornithology 5:04
3. All the things that you are 5:13
4. Blue ‘n’ Boogie 5:15

Side B
1. Anthropology in announcement 2:51
Probably March or April 1946

AFRS “Jubilee”, NBC Studios, Hollywood, California
2. Introductory discussion in Cherokee in Announcement 4:22
November 22, 1948

Jazz at the Philharmonic, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California
3. Ornithology 4:11
4. Dizzying atmosphere 5:39
5. Out of nowhere 3:35

LP 3
page A
July 14, 1952
Party at Jirayr Zorthian’s Ranch, up on Fair Oaks Avenue, Altadena, California
1. Scrap apple (incomplete) [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, AT; CP, DW and FM exchange fours] 5:44
2. Au Privave / Dance of the Unbelievers [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, AT; CP, DW and FM exchange fours] 13:11

Side B
1st night in Tunisia [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, AT] 7:33
2. How high the moon / ornithology [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, AT, CP, DW] 7:31
3. Party chatter to a hugging you [Soloist: CP] 3:45

LP 4
page A
1. Hot house [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, CP exchanges with LM] 7:07
2. Cool blues [Soloists: CP, FM, DW, CP and FM exchange choruses, DW, FM] 12:15
Side B
March 1st Noodles / Dixie 4:12

Probably July 28, 1952 on Zorthian’s ranch
2. Scrap the apple [Soloists: FM, DW, CP, CB, AT, DB,
CP exchanges with LM] 13:14
Probably July 1952, unknown location, Los Angeles, California
3. Au Privave (incomplete) [Soloists: CP, FM] 4:28

SOURCE Verve / UMe