One dollar--still worth something
A few years back, when I was home in Rock Hill visiting my family, I drove to Woody's Music Store to buy my brother a gift certificate for his birthday. In front of the store stood a huge bin of records, partially sorted, all for $3.50 or less. There was a jazz album I'd been hoping to try out at the time--most likely Miles Davis--so I thought I'd search through the bin. I have a record player. It can't do stacks or anything, but it's nice to have around. As much as I like technology, it's hard to beat the extra cracks and pops that you get on a record, especially when you're playing older music. Somehow, they just seem to add authenticity to the overall sound.
Anyhow, as I was looking for this album, which I never found, I came across a record called "Byrdland" by Charlie Byrd. I picked it up because the cover art was neat, it was only $1.00, and mostly because I was thinking of Charlie "Bird" Parker. Imagine my surprise when I played the record for the first time and discovered the music was not the bebop saxophone sound I was expecting, but a Latin-inspired jazz guitarist!
Still, though the price and my name confusion lead me to purchase this album, it quickly became one of my favorites. The sound is so unusual--distinctively jazz yet inspired by everything from bossa nova to Arabic themes--and so soothing that the music suits itself well to study or relaxation. It is fast enough to be appropriate for a romantic evening with dancing and subtle enough to enjoy with coffee in the morning.
When I finally bothered to look at the back of the album, I discovered notes by Anthony Tuttle.
Anyhow, as I was looking for this album, which I never found, I came across a record called "Byrdland" by Charlie Byrd. I picked it up because the cover art was neat, it was only $1.00, and mostly because I was thinking of Charlie "Bird" Parker. Imagine my surprise when I played the record for the first time and discovered the music was not the bebop saxophone sound I was expecting, but a Latin-inspired jazz guitarist!
Still, though the price and my name confusion lead me to purchase this album, it quickly became one of my favorites. The sound is so unusual--distinctively jazz yet inspired by everything from bossa nova to Arabic themes--and so soothing that the music suits itself well to study or relaxation. It is fast enough to be appropriate for a romantic evening with dancing and subtle enough to enjoy with coffee in the morning.
When I finally bothered to look at the back of the album, I discovered notes by Anthony Tuttle.
If there are boundaries to the realm that is Byrdland, then Charlie's latest album, like his others, fails to define them . . . The sound? The Sound is All--jazz-orientated [sic] in mood and mood and scope, yet at times possessing a Baroque delicacy, at others a brooding Moorish flavor, then again an oriental sound or a flash of flamenco fire . . .This is a great but short album, and if you get a chance, I recommend you give it a shot. You can buy a CD featuring both Byrdland and Brazilian Byrd at Amazon.com.
posted by megan at
2:24 PM
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