Charlie Parker with Strings: The Master Takes

From Jazziz
In the 1940s, Norman Granz was a jazz visionary in several ways; one of these was his incorporation of strings into a variety of recordings. Granz ultimately attracted some of the best jazz artists of the era (and of all time). He managed a yet-to-be-duplicated balance of commercialism and risk-taking, of business and art, that led to the recording of some of jazz's landmark recordings. Charlie Parker With Strings (now on Verve, originally on Clef) is generally acknowledged as the first release to feature a jazz soloist backed by violins. It was just the beginning. Arguably the greatest improviser of all time, Charlie Parker was reputed to have been interested in doing a strings album for years. Granz gave him the opportunity to do it, with strings arranged and conducted by Jimmy Carroll (who was working for Granz at the time). Bird's album was monumental in more than the fact that he added strings - it was also an album of all standards, with Parker clearly stating each melody. "Just Friends" became Parker's biggest-selling single and the record of which he was said to have been most proud.


Track Listings

1. Just Friends - Charlie Parker, Klenner, John
2. Everything Happens to Me - Charlie Parker, Adair, Tom
3. April in Paris - Charlie Parker, Duke, Vernon
4. Summertime - Charlie Parker, Gershwin, George
5. I Didn't Know What Time It Was - Charlie Parker, Rodgers, Richard
6. If I Should Lose You - Charlie Parker, Rainger, Ralph
7. Dancing in the Dark - Charlie Parker, Schwartz, Arthur
8. Out of Nowhere - Charlie Parker, Green, Johnny
9. Laura - Charlie Parker, Raksin, David
10. East of the Sun (And West of the Moon) - Charlie Parker, Bowman, Brooks
11. They Can't Take That Away from Me - Charlie Parker, Gershwin, George
12. Easy to Love - Charlie Parker, Porter, Cole
13. I'm in the Mood for Love - Charlie Parker, McHugh, Jimmy
14. I'll Remember April - Charlie Parker, DePaul, Gene
15. What Is This Thing Called Love? - Charlie Parker, Porter, Cole
16. April in Paris - Charlie Parker, Duke, Vernon
17. Repetition - Charlie Parker, Hefti, Neal
18. Easy to Love - Charlie Parker, Porter, Cole
19. Rocker - Charlie Parker, Mulligan, Gerry
20. Temptation - Charlie Parker, Brown, Nacio Herb
21. Lover - Charlie Parker, Rodgers, Richard
22. Autumn in New York - Charlie Parker, Duke, Vernon
23. Stella by Starlight - Charlie Parker, Young, Victor
24. Repetition - Charlie Parker, Hefti, Neal