Search - Quintet, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie :: Jazz at Massey Hall

Such Limitless Potential...

Randy Ramzinski | admin@audioetc.info | 01/11/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This concert has the makings of something quite magical. Five of the best bebop musicians ever taking to the same stage. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to it's potential. Apparently Bird, Diz, and Powell were all drunk...with Bird being the worst offender. And Diz kept leaving the stage to go watch a big heavyweight boxing match that was being broadcast. Bird also forgot to bring his sax so he was playing a cheap alto borrowed from a local music store. Bud was on leave from a mental institution and required supervision, so he wasn't exactly at his best to start with. Moreover, Bird and Diz left the stage for more than half the concert leving just a trio performing. Max was impeccables that night, however, playing an amazing set with some powerful solos. Mingus was tight as well, at least as much as could be heard. The sound recording is ok on 3 or 4 tunes and dreadful on the rest.



This recording is sad because it had so much potential. If it was recorded properly and the musicians in shape and wanting to perform at their best this could have been one for the ages. As it is, you get some decent bebop from three drunk guys (one of them being a mental patient), and a fantastic rhythm section recorded by an amateur through a third rate PA system at Massey Hall. So this recording is nice but hardly magical."

Nostalgia

BrianS | California | 07/04/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"What a treat to hear this music again. I originally owned this album back in '59. Actually, some of the pieces seem different from the album I owned back then. Still, to hear Perdido through that oh so familiar echo of Massey Hall was wonderful. As a teenager I only enjoyed the music -- I had no idea I was listening to the giants of jazz in the '50's. This CD is a real treasure (and the sound quality is better than the original record -- as I remember). Enjoy!"