Who could possibly not know more about Charlie Parker than someone who has actually played his very notes? We've talked with Charles McPherson on this subject several times before on All That Jazz and We'll have a batch of new questions to ask the maestro. We'll patch a live hook-up via telephone with Charles McPherson at home in San Diego. There has recently surfaced Bird w/ strings charts heretofore not known to have been part of that repertoire, things written by George Russell ( ! ) and Charles has seen and performed these charts a couple years ago at Jazz at Lincoln Center. We'll ask about this.
Charles McPherson's humanity, long studies and dedication to craft, have served him well. The product of his work and accomplishments on disk since 1960 (16 years with Mingus) stand as testament to the powers of pure spirit in action. He is articulate, incisive, and always penetrating in conversation, same as when he's playing saxophone. He also has a brand-new album out -- THE JOURNEY (Capri) -- that we'll be taking a peek at. No mere disciple, he, like the rest of us, still marvels at the achievement of Charlie Parker and always includes at least one Bird tune on all his releases, and that's his inheritance.
