Bird Is Free

Bird Is Free is an album by Charlie Parker that documents a concert given at Rockland Palace, New York City, on 26 September 1952. In 1997, Jazz Classics released a more complete documentation of the concert with improved recording quality, Live at Rockland Palace.

Reception
The DownBeat reviewer, Leonard Feather, identified limitations of the audio quality, and added: "When Parker begins to play, however, you will forget all about distractions. ... There is brilliant, boiling, poetic Bird in a variety of attitudes here." The AllMusic review concluded: "Throughout, Parker plays with inimitable style and good humor and his quartet, featuring the great drummer Max Roach, swings effortlessly".

Track listing

 * Side 1
 * 1) Rocker (Gerry Mulligan)
 * 2) Sly Mongoose (Jamaican trad.)
 * 3) Moose the Mooche (Parker)
 * 4) Star Eyes (Gene de Paul, Don Raye)


 * Side 2
 * 1) This Time the Dream's on Me (Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer)
 * 2) Cool Blues (Parker)
 * 3) My Little Suede Shoes (Parker)
 * 4) Lester Leaps In (Lester Young)
 * 5) Laura (Raksin, Mercer)

Personnel

 * Charlie Parker – alto sax
 * Mundell Lowe – guitar
 * Walter Bishop, Jr. – piano
 * Teddy Kotick – bass
 * Max Roach – drums
 * unidentified strings on "Rocker" and "Laura"