Charlie Parker With Strings

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The words “Supervised by Norman Granz” are appended after the title <i>Charlie Parker With Strings</i>. Those familiar with the troubled genius of bebop can intuit that “supervising” Bird was typically a difficult if not impossible task. As Tad Hershorn breaks it down in his book <i>Norman Granz: The Man Who Used Jazz for Justice</i>, Granz had exclusive rights to record Parker from 1948 until the alto saxophonist’s death, and through much of it Parker was a wreck, firmly in the grip of addiction. Yet in late November 1949, Parker was able to record six tracks for Mercury with a jazz rhythm section and a chamber group of three violin, viola, cello, oboe/English horn, and harp. The strings idea would prove influential: Clifford Brown followed suit on <i>Clifford Brown With Strings</i> in 1955; Stan Getz recorded with strings on his celebrated 1961 album <i>Focus</i>. The concept in Parker’s case was all standard, no original, in marked contrast to much of his output. More songs were recorded in July 1950 and January 1952, but the Verve packages we know today as <i>Charlie Parker With Strings</i> (including the Complete Master Takes and the Deluxe Edition) stem from what was originally something a piecemeal effort on Mercury’s part. While Granz was certainly concerned with commercial success (and he got it—the “Just Friends” single, Hershorn note, was Parker’s best-selling record ever), it would be facile to assume this was some attempt to neuter the fiercest of improvisers with a misplaced easy-listening format. Parker’s interest in classical music, as well as his desire to try new things beyond the conventional small jazz group, is well-established. He was especially drawn to the 20th-century innovations of Stravinsky and other, who stretched harmony and rhythm in ways that the master bebopper admired. Sadly, Parker was unable to develop this thread in his music any further. .

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