Roy Haynes: Birds Of A Feather - A Tribute To Charlie Parker

Legendary drummer Roy Haynes joined alto saxophonist Charlie Parker's band as a teenager and some fifty years later, presents us with a ceremonial to the late, great be-bop giant. Beginning with a cast of elder statesmen such as the leader and, to a lesser extent, bassist Dave Holland, the drummer rounds out his band with an aggregation of younger talent in what might be considered an all-star gathering. Haynes' legacy, needless to state, is well documented as one of the earliest exponents of bop drumming through his thoroughly individualistic style. However, he remains very active, largely due to his wealth of outings both as a solo artist and as leader of a band which generally features pianist Dave Kikoski (who appears here), alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett, and trumpeter Roy Hargrove.

These musicians render unsurprisingly upbeat covers of eight Parker originals, such as "Moose The Mooch," "Now's The Time,"and "Yardbird Suite," while also tackling the standard "April In Paris," made famous by Bird's groundbreaking encounter with strings. Overall, Haynes is the catalyst that one might expect, while Hargrove and Garrett inject a refreshing aura into a set consisting of straightforward renditions of the originals. However, there is no shortage of excitement here, and Holland with Haynes comprise a dynamic rhythm section, a notion that should come as no revelation. Haynes' A Tribute To Charlie Parker offers a contemporary glimpse of an artist who changed the face of jazz music. Recommended.