Charlie Parker’s “Bird In Kansas City” is released

Charlie Parker had a complicated relationship with his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, due both to its history of racial segregation and his strong ties to his family and friends.

This new series of rare photographs from 1941–1951 entitled Bird in Kansas City Chronicle of Bird's development from an up-and-coming soloist with the Jay McShann Band to a brilliant improviser who dominated the jazz landscape for decades.

Most of the songs on this October 25 release are ones you've never heard before, and some you didn't even know existed.

In addition to two unreleased 78s with the McShann band, this set includes two sets of private recordings (at the home of Bird's friend Phil Baxter and in Vic Damon's studio) made with local musicians and a very relaxed-sounding Parker. In the recordings, he has the space to really stretch himself and show us the form of jazz that was to emerge in his wake.

This is not the only major release from Bird recently.

In December Verve Records/UMe and Third Man Records reissued Charlie Parker's collection from 1957 Now it's time: The Genius of Charlie Parker No. 3as part of the Verve By Request series, pressed at Third Man Pressing in Detroit, Michigan.

The record was mastered by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound from original analog sources. Like all albums in the series, the LP was available in two audiophile pressings: 180 gram black vinyl and a limited edition 180 gram yellow vinyl variant. The Third Man Edition, which also includes a two-color silkscreen on archival French cover paper custom printed and assembled in Detroit, was available exclusively through Third Man Records and uDiscoverMusic.

Now it's time: The Genius of Charlie Parker No. 3 was the third in a series of albums that complemented Bird's 10″ clef releases of the early 1950s. The LP contains some of Parker's purest recordings and most powerful playing, with two different quartets – including a consortium of true jazz legends: pianists Hank Jones and Al Haig, bassists Percy Heath and Teddy Kotick, and drummer Max Roach.

command Bird in Kansas City.