Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker: Town Hall, New York ...
Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker: Town Hall, New York City, June 22, 1945
The accompanying photo of the pair as skinny (literally), boyish-looking musicians belies the mature competence and pyrotechnical command of their playing. Yet to my ears the music never really catches fire. For a change, both of these progenitors sound like mere mortals, or a couple of guys playing one gig while thinking about finishing in time to catch the next one later that night. They're not "getting after" each other like gladiatorial archrivals locking horns, and the rhythm section, while flowing and assured, does little to stoke any flames. Bird's four-bar break on "Night in Tunisia" is played at a level probably beyond the conception, let alone execution, of any other musician, but it's clearly not up to the melodic/rhythmic complexity of the incredible 1947 recording.
The sound quality is adequate, perhaps more "spacious" and life-like than the later Massey Hall recording. Unfortunately, the bass has the same faintness as the other 1940's recordings featuring these musicians, and Roach appears not to have developed the forceful drive that would become the hallmark of his later playing. Al Haig sounds competent but relatively bland and predictable (his solo on "Groovin' High" contains not one but two simple Eb major scales), especially compared to a Monk or Powell. It's good to hear Don Byas on the first track and the misplaced Sid Catlett (a swing-style drummer who combines a Krupa bass drum pulse with quick, light hands) on "Hot House." The solos are slightly extended, with both instrumentalists taking one more chorus than is the case on the 78-rpm studio releases.
For a few moments I felt like a member of the audience, closer to Diz, Bird, and the 1945 milieu than ever before. A nice visit, but one that frankly is unlikely to bear much repeating.
Track Listing
Intro; Bebop; A Night In Tunisia; Groovin'High; Salt Peanuts; Hot House; Fifty Second Street Theme.
Personnel
Dizzy Gillespie
trumpetDizzy Gillespie: trumpet; Charlie Parker: alto saxophone; Don Byas: tenor saxophone (1); Al Haig: piano; Curley Russel: bass; Max Roach, Sidney Catlett (6): drums: Symphony Sid Torin: MC.
Album information
Title: Town Hall, New York City, June 22, 1945 | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Uptown Records
About Dizzy Gillespie
Tags
PREVIOUS / NEXT
Become a Sustaining Member
Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.
Help Build the Future of All About Jazz
Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.
Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.
Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.
