Charlie Parker - Ornithology - January 1st, 1949, Royal Roost

Is the set of music recorded on New Year’s morning, 1949. Bird was on the bandstand at the Royal Roost and Boris Rose was at home with his radio and disc cutter. Kenny Dorham was now playing trumpet in Bird’s working quintet, having recently replaced Miles. Regulars Al Haig (piano) and Tommy Potter (bass) were on hand, but Max Roach was absent, replaced for the night by Joe Harris, Dizzy’s drummer.

Jumpin’ with Symphony Sid clearly begins just after the clock strikes midnight, and you can hear Bird quoting Auld Lang Syne underneath Sid’s chatter. The audience is feeling no pain, and if you want to hear Bird with his inspiration level set at “maximum” and his blood-alcohol level set at “noticeably impaired”, here’s your chance. We can give Bird a pass for drinking on New Year’s Eve, but the Royal Roost broadcasts from this period document him at every stage of inebriation.