New Charlie Parker Release: "Unheard Bird - The Unissued Takes"

On July 1, Verve/UMe will be releasing Unheard Bird - The Unissued Takes, a collection of 58 previously unknown Charlie Parker studio recordings. These are alternate takes from sessions organized by Norman Granz for the Mercury and Clef record labels (later incorporated into Granz's Verve label). The recordings were discovered as part of a "cache of material" owned by one of Granz's associates.

The collection includes cuts from a number of landmark recording dates: Bird with Strings; a Latin session with Machito; a Cole Porter project with big band; 14 tracks with Parker's quintet featuring Kenny Dorham; and 10 tracks from the session with Dizzy, Monk, Curly Russell, and Buddy Rich. 20 master takes are also included; notes are by Phil Schaap.

More information in the link above. This promises to be the most important release of Parker material since the Benedetti tapes - and with studio quality sound!