Review by Choice Review
Considering Parker's central role in the development of what is still known as "modern" jazz, it is surprising that he has not been the subject of more book-length treatments. The first section of Woideck's study is a straightforward and undecorated biographical sketch. Readers who are interested in the "mythical" Parker will want to look elsewhere--e.g., Robert Reisner's entertaining Bird: The Legend of Charlie Parker (1962), Ross Russell's novelistic and engrossing, though sometimes questionably accurate, Bird Lives (CH, Nov'73), or Gary Giddins's excellent (and more up-to-date) Celebrating Bird (1987). Woideck discusses virtually every recording session that Parker ever took part in, including live recordings, some only recently available. His discussion is more analytical and less subjective than that found in Lawrence Koch's Yardbird Suite (CH, May'89). The author convincingly divides Parker's career into four "periods." He illustrates the musical features that characterize each period with numerous musical examples and in one complete solo transcription from each period. Because of the technical nature of the musical discussion, this book will be of interest primarily to musicians. Appendixes include a select discography and the solo transcriptions. General and academic collections. K. R. Dietrich; Ripon College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Charlie Parker didn't invent jazz. He didn't even reinvent it; jazz simply transformed from big band swing into a fierce new sound called bebop, which just so happened to be cast in Parker's image. It's the Kansas City saxophonist's virtuosity that fans often consider bebop's greatest victory. The latest contribution to the University of Michigan's American Music Series fails to dispel Bird's enormous myth or transport that myth into the realm of hard fact. Perhaps Woideck's opening biographical sketch is so desultory and insecure because Parker, a womanizer and heroin addict for most of his adult life, never proved too dependable. Also, while there are frequent references to the considerable endnotes, it would have been helpful if the many important first-person quotations regarding Parker's life and career were explicitly credited. Although the year-by-year analyses and solo transcriptions that comprise the remainder of this study do go on to demonstrate an understanding of Parker's technical developments that is clearer than most such academic analyses, this volume is not likely to appeal to lay fans. (Dec.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
It would be difficult to overstate the importance of alto saxophonist Charlie "Yardbird" Parker in the history of jazz. Parker's unique sound and extremely advanced technique changed forever the way the saxophone is played. Along with fellow pioneers Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke, and others, Parker helped invent bebop, which revolutionized jazz with its frenetic tempos and complex harmonic structure. Woideck (jazz history, Univ. of Oregon) devotes the majority of this book to a well-written and accessible analysis of Parker's music, illustrating points with transcriptions from various recordings. The analysis section is subdivided by time period and also incorporates the recollections of other musicians involved in the sessions. While the untrained reader will likely find it rather rough going, Woideck has worked hard to keep his analysis accessible to anyone with a basic understanding of music. Since Parker's life story is covered in a one-chapter "biographical sketch," Woideck's book will not take the place of such successful biographies as Gary Giddins's Celebrating Bird: The Triumph of Charlie Parker (Morrow, 1987) and Robert Reisner's Bird: The Legend of Charlie Parker (Da Capo, 1975). Still, students of jazz will welcome this text; strongly recommended for all jazz collections.Rick Anderson, Penacook, N.H. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Review by Library Journal Review
