Virtuoso guitarist Pasquale Grasso kicks off Birdland's Charlie Parker Centennial Celebration, performing solo and trio with legendary drummer Kenny Washington and bassist Ari Roland. Grasso -- "The best guitar player I've heard in maybe my entire life," according to Pat Metheny -- is from Italy, living in NYC, where he has recorded an acclaimed series of solo guitar EP's for Sony Masterworks. His latest, "Solo Bird", features songs composed by or made famous by Charlie Parker.
Pianist and Vocalist and Oklahoma native Champian Fulton continues Birdland's Charlie Parker Centennial Celebration. Her new release "Birdsong," features eleven carefully chosen compositions written by and/or made famous by Charlie Parker. "I wanted to focus not only on his originals, but on his recordings that I consider to be some of the most beautiful songs ever recorded," said Champian, "these songs are classic Bird, with rangy and dramatic melodies, romantic lyrics and adventurous chord changes." "Birdsong" is currently WRTI's Jazz Album of the Week. Buy tickets here.
9/8 @ 7pm ($20)
Joe Lovano Us Five "Birdsongs"
featuring James Weidman, Peter Slavov, Otis Brown III, Francisco Mela Charlie Parker Centennial Celebration
Exclusively for Radio Free Birdland's Charlie Parker Centennial celebration, Cleveland native saxophonist Joe Lovano, "one of the most creative saxophonists going," (Boston Globe) revisits his recording, "Bird Songs," a thrillingly adventurous, thoroughly modern, and uniquely personal look at one of the most influential figures in jazz history. Lovano's dynamic band, Us Five, is the perfect vehicle for this exploration. The Los Angeles Times says, "leave it to restless tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano to take the idea of a tribute and turn it on its head... Lovano and his band expertly show the many ways these classics can still throw sparks." Featuring: James Weidman (piano) Peter Slavov (bass) Otis Brown III and Francisco Mela (drums).