Charlie Parker only visited Europe twice, in May 1949 at the Jazz Festival in Paris, and, for just over a week in November 1950, he visited Sweden with a side trip to Copenhagen, Denmark. The tour attracted much attention throughout the jazz world. After that he never returned to Europe again.
The recordings during this tour were only made for study purposes. Originally the music was recorded at the wrong speed and has so far never been adjusted. For the first time all the tracks are now complete and corrected to the right pitch – and the music has probably never sounded better on any edition!
Some of the recordings were made at concerts with a buzzing audience and people dancing – hence the live feeling. The musicians are relaxed and the atmosphere informal. Their joy at playing on stage with Parker is truly palpable to the listener. Some songs from the nightly jam sessions just get better and better by each track and Charlie Parker has rarely played as inspiring as at the jam in Helsingborg.
See the full booklet
here
The Dance Hall Amiralen, Malmö
The Swedish group:
1. Fine and Dandy 4’35
2. Out of Nowhere 3’33
3. All the Things You Are 8’04
Parker replaces Domnérus:
4. Anthropology 5’52
5. Cheers 6’36
6. Lover Man (Oh Where can You Be?) 1’55
7. Cool Blues 4’28
Folkparken, Helsingborg
The Swedish group:
8. Fine and Dandy 4’59
9. Out of Nowhere 4’56
Parker replaces Domnérus:
10. Anthropology 7’06
11. Scrapple from the Apple 7’46
12. Embraceable You 2.41
13. Cool Blues 6’41
The Swedish group:
14. Hershey Bar 4’58
15. Mean to Me 5’09
16. Move 1’04Parker replaces Domnérus:
17. Star Eyes into All the Things You Are 10’14
18. Strike Up the Band 5’26
The restaurant Sjöcrona, Helsingborg
Late night jam session:
19. Body and Soul 11’38
20. Fine and Dandy 5’40
21. How High the Moon into Ornithology 3’46
