Charlie Parker - Rocker, Carnegie Hall, September 16th, 1950

Bird was recorded with strings at Carnegie Hall that Saturday night, as part of yet another JATP concert. The sound quality is clear, Bird is inspired, and, in the grand JATP tradition, the audience is enthusiastic at all the wrong times. They are inconsistent about clapping for solos, but often burst into raucous applause for the strings.

As time went on, the string section became an albatross, and memorable live performances are few. But there are good reasons to be grateful for this one. We get to hear Al Haig well-recorded on a first rate piano. Not only does he comp masterfully and take gorgeous solos, but he helps redeem the smarmy arrangements, playing with imagination and taste throughout the ensemble passages. And, if the personnel list is correct, Tommy Potter (bass) and Roy Haynes (drums) (on brushes!) round out the rhythm section. One thing is certain: the music swings much harder here than it did in the studio, and Bird rises to the occasion.