In Case You Missed It: NPR’s “Fresh Air” reviews ‘Dizzy Gillespie & Friends “Concert Of The Century – A Charlie Parker Tribute’ (out now)
December 6, 2016 BY Nettwerk
On Nov 24th 1980, Dizzy Gillespie invited 5 jazz legends – Milt Jackson, James Moody, Hank Jones, Ray Brown, & Philly Joe Jones – to join him in Montreal to play tribute to the legendary Charlie Parker. A limited quantity bootleg LP of the concert soon appeared and then disappeared from the marketplace and the tapes lay dormant for over 30 years. Today, NPR’s “Fresh Air” reviews the pristinely restored Concert of the Century – A Charlie Parker Tribute (out now via Nettwerk/Justin Time Records) that also contains two bonus items that were not available on the initial limited release: a Milt Jackson excursion on Ralph Rainger’s “If I Should Lose You” and an eight-minute bass solo by Ray Brown that incorporates Luiz Bonfá’s “Manhã de Carnaval” and Nat Adderley’s “Work Song” into his performance.
Altogether, these six musicians have brought their talents to more than a thousand of jazz’ finest recordings – spanning more than half a century of jazz expression at its highest levels – and with more than 300 years of combined recognition at the upper levels of the jazz pantheon.
Listen To the NPR’s “Fresh Air” review here: http://www.npr.org/2016/12/06/504556146/6-jazz-virtuosos-share-the-stage-in-the-concert-of-the-century
