Charlie Parker Trio - Kansas City Acetates Sep. 1942

A crucial element of any study of the development of the Parkerian art comes in the form of four acetates Bird cut in the Vic Damon Studios, Kansas City, in September 1942.

Backed by his old friend Efferge Ware on guitar and the very discreet Little Phil Philips on drums, he uses I’ve Found a New Baby, Body and Soul and My Heart Tells Me to play clear but final tribute to his three main mentors: Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins and (that paragon of classic alto) Johnny Hodges. Cherokee, however, signals the birth of a genius in his own right, and in far more conclusive manner than had the earlier rendering of the same piece at Monroe’s.

Parker made a gift of these discs to his great friend, Charles White. Drummer Little Phil Philips is audible only on Cherokee and I’ve Found a New Baby. The latter piece pays a double tribute to Lester Young: first, during the first chorus, there is a quotation from the famous Prez composition, Tickle Toe; then, in the third chorus, comes a note-by-note repeat of Lester’s second bridge-passage on the second take of the 1936 recording of Shoe Shine Boy.

Cherokee 0:00
My Heart Tells Me 3:11
I’ve Found a New Baby 6:31
Body and Soul 10:03

Charlie Parker - Young Bird Vol.1&2 1940-1944 (Masters of Jazz MJCD 78/79)
Charlie Parker - Intégrale Charlie Parker Vol. 1 "Groovin' High" 1940 - 1945 (Frémeaux & Associés - FA 1331)