By Joel Roberts
As if there's not enough gold in its own vaults, Blue Note is now mining the considerable recorded riches of Elektra Musician, a label Blue Note boss Bruce Lundvall headed in the 1980s. For starters, Blue Note is re-releasing four albums worth of material never before available on CD in the United States, including two live Bill Evans albums from the last year of the brilliant pianist's life; a pairing of saxophonist Stan Getz and the underrated pianist Albert Dailey; and a collection of classic Charlie Parker live sides.
The two Bill Evans discs are taken from a single concert performance in Paris in 1979, less than a year before Evans' death. The first disc, The Paris Concert, Edition One, focuses on covers, both classic ("My Romance," "I Loves You Porgy" and contemporary (Paul Simon's "I Do It For Your Love"). The second disc includes four Evans originals, plus a 17-minute take on Miles Davis' "Nardis."
Both discs make the case that Evans' final trio, with bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Joe La Barbera, was one of his best, approaching the almost uncanny group empathy and sensitivity of his first trio with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian.
Poetry, the aptly titled Getz/Dailey duo recording, is a real find, mostly for the opportunity it provides to hear the unfortunately overlooked Dailey in a lead role.
One of Getz's favorite piano players, Dailey was a former Jazz Messenger and also recorded with the likes of Freddie Hubbard, Elvin Jones and Archie Shepp. But he never really received the recognition he deserved prior to his death a year after this 1983 session. Indeed Getz says in the album liner notes that he made this recording specifically to help heighten Dailey's profile in the jazz world.
Dailey proves himself to be a top-notch modern-mainstream pianist on this set of bebop standards, including beautiful solo piano renditions of "Round Midnight" and "Lover Man." He makes a strong argument for being included among the top tier of jazz pianists of his generation. Getz is in fine form here as well, though he mostly lets Dailey take center stage.
The Charlie Parker release, The Washington Concerts, features eight tracks from a rare 1953 big band date with a solid local orchestra led by Joe Timer. What's remarkable here (but hardly surprising) is the level of Bird's performance given that he had never rehearsed with the band and was unfamiliar with the arrangements. But you'd never know it to listen to his well-crafted, perfectly thought out solos, as he appears to anticipate where the band is heading at every turn.
Rounding out the CD are six previously unreleased tracks recorded with a septet (featuring Zoot Sims and Charlie Byrd) and a quartet (featuring Max Roach) at Washington's Howard Theater in 1952 and 1953. Though the sound quality of these small-group concerts leaves something to be desired, there's plenty of Parker magic to go around. The album closes with an interview with trumpeter Red Rodney recalling his days with Bird's band.
Bill Evans - Paris Concert, Edition One
Personnel: Bill Evans, piano; Marc Johnson, bass; Joe LaBarbera, drums.
Track listing:: I Do It For your Love; Quiet Now; Noelle's Theme; My Romance; I Loves You Porgy; Up With The Lark; All Mine; Beautiful Love
Bill Evans - Paris Concert, Edition Two
Personnel: Bill Evans, piano; Marc Johnson, bass; Joe LaBarbera, drums.
Track listing:Re: Person I Knew; Gary's Theme, Letter to Evan; 34 Skidoo; Laurie; Nardis; Interview.
Stan Getz/Albert Dailey - Poetry
Personnel: Stan Getz, tenor saxophone; Albert Dailey, piano.
Track listing: Confirmation; A Child Is Born; Tune Up; Lover Man; A Night In Tunisia; Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most; 'Round Midnight.
Charlie Parker - The Washington Concerts
Personnel: (1) Charlie Parker, alto sax, with Joe Timer's Orchestra. (2) Charlie Parker, alto sax; Jack Holliday, piano; Franklin Skeete, bass; Max Roach, drums. (3) Charlie Parker, alto sax; Bill Shanahan, piano; Charlie Byrd, guitar; Mert Oliver, bass; Don Lamond, drums; Zoot Sims, tenor sax; Charlie Walp, trumpet.
Track listing: Fine and Dandy; These Foolish Things; Light Green; Thou Swell; Willis; Don't Blame Me; Something to Remember you By/Blue Room; Roadhouse; Ornithology; Out of Nowhere; Cool Blues; Anthropology; Scrapple from the Apple; Out of Nowhere/Now's the Time; Interview with Red Rodney.
