OK, don't get me wrong here. Charlie Parker never truly was an afro-cuban. He merely was a 'fellow traveller'. During Parker's peak years, just when Dizzy Gillespie was provocatively showcasing Chano Pozo and his conga drum at the front of the band, 'Bird' -like many other jazz musicians at the time- got caught in the be-bop/cuban fusion thing. Between 1947 and 1952, mainly produced by Norman Granz, Parker recorded a number of afro-cuban/latin tunes, mostly with Machito and his Orchestra -including the Chico O'Farrill composed first Latin Jazz Suite featured in an earlier Jazfro selection. This was a time when jazz musicians were taking 'fusion' music beyond the confines of Afro-American tradition, before rock and funk were invented. And 'Bird' was right in the mix.
Here are samples of Parker's involvement with the emergence of Afro-Cuban jazz, beginning with Neal Hefti's seminal 'Repetition', and some afro-cuban covers of Parker tunes (though not technically latin, the Art Blakey-led cover of 'Moose the Mooche' sneaks in courtesy of some fiery conga work by the young Ray Barretto amidst the drumming extravaganza).
For a long time, Parker's contribution to Afro-Cuban jazz improvisation has been overlooked, but the recent covers featured in this selection demonstrate that Parker's music lends itself to afro-cuban rhythms, just as well as the more often latinized jazz greats.
1. Repetition / Charlie Parker / Charlie Parker 1947-1949
2. Begin The Beguine / Machito & His Orchestra / The Latin Bird
3. Moose The Mooch / John Santos & Machete / Tribute To The Masters
4. Mango Mangue / Charlie Parker / Charlie Parker 1947-1949
5. Tico, Tico / Charlie Parker / The Latin Bird
6. My Little Suede Shoes / Grant Green / The Latin Bit
7. Ah Leu Cha / Jazz On The Latin Side All Stars / Tambolero
8. Okiedoke Rhumba / Charlie Parker / Charlie Parker 1947-1949
9. No Noise / Charlie Parker & Machito & His Orchestra / The Latin Bird
10. Moose The Mooche / Art Blakey / Drums Around The Corner
