Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie Bird and Diz

The final collaborative recording by Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie was the aptly named Bird and Diz recorded over various dates in 1949 and 1950. Aside from Parker and Gillespie the record features, Thelonious Monk (piano – just check out his vignette on "Bloomdido"), Curley Russell (bass) and Buddy Rich (drums). On "Passport" it features, Kenny Dorham (trumpet), Al Haig (piano), Tommy Potter (bass) and Max Roach (drums). While on "Visa" there's also Carlos Vidal on bongos and Tommy Turk on trombone. These sides hark back to recordings made by Bird and Diz for the Savoy and Dial labels, only here the recording quality allows the music to shine through, helping to make this an exhilarating listening experience. The sax and trumpet spar with one another, Monk, Russell and Rich creating a base-layer across which the two giants stride like gladiators. It's a be-bop bonanza!