Bird Is Free Explained

Bird Is Free
Type:	live
Artist:	Charlie Parker
Cover:	The Bird is Free Album Cover.jpg
Alt:	By Special Permission of the Estate of Charles C. Parker Jr.
Recorded:	26 September 1952
Venue:	Rockland Palace, New York City
Genre:	Jazz
Prev Title:	Swedish Schnapps
Prev Year:	1958
Next Title:	One Night in Birdland
Next Year:	1977

Bird Is Free is an album by Charlie Parker that documents a concert given at Rockland Palace, New York City, on 26 September 1952.^[1] In 1997, Jazz Classics released a more complete documentation of the concert with improved recording quality, Live at Rockland Palace.^[2]

Reception

The DownBeat reviewer, Leonard Feather, identified limitations of the audio quality, and added: "When Parker begins to play, however, you will forget all about distractions. ... There is brilliant, boiling, poetic Bird in a variety of attitudes here." The AllMusic review concluded: "Throughout, Parker plays with inimitable style and good humor and his quartet, featuring the great drummer Max Roach, swings effortlessly".

Track listing

Side 1

1. Rocker (Gerry Mulligan)
2. Sly Mongoose (Jamaican trad.)
3. Moose the Mooche (Parker)
4. Star Eyes (Gene de Paul, Don Raye)

Side 2

1. This Time the Dream's on Me (Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer)
2. Cool Blues (Parker)
3. My Little Suede Shoes (Parker)
4. Lester Leaps In (Lester Young)
5. Laura (Raksin, Mercer)

Personnel

• Charlie Parker – alto sax
• Mundell Lowe – guitar
• Walter Bishop, Jr. – piano
• Teddy Kotick – bass
• Max Roach – drums
• unidentified strings on "Rocker" and "Laura"

See also

• English translation of German Wikipedia Bird Is Free article with many details

External links

• Bird Is Free at jazzdisco.org

Notes and References

1. Web site: Bird Is Free: Charlie Parker . . January 14, 2023.
2. Web site: Jazz . All About . 1997-02-01 . Charlie Parker: The Complete Legendary Rockland Palace Concert album review @ All About Jazz . 2024-03-15 . All About Jazz . en.