ProJazz.net

“This superb album was recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in November of 1980. All of the principals have passed on, so it’s that much more of a treat. Trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie fronted the group of Ray Brown (bass), Milt Jackson (vibraphone), Hank Jones (piano), Philly Joe Jones (drums) and James Moody (tenor sax and flute), and the few thousand folks in attendance must have been delirious with joy.

What a magnificent collection of musical geniuses. The tribute to Charlie Parker (Bird) by his contemporaries, all of whom were at the top of their game at the performance, is rife with stunning performances.” – Mark E. Gallo/AllAboutJazz.

“A sextet of jazz royalty gathered onstage in Montreal on Nov. 24, 1980, to pay tribute to Charlie Parker. The evening was recorded superbly.

One might think that such an occasion would result in a landmark jazz record. This was not the case. A limited-edition LP was printed, and then the tapes went into storage. Twenty-six years later, Concert of the Century gets its due, with a CD and a double vinyl album.

The band—trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, tenor saxophonist James Moody, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, pianist Hank Jones, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Philly Joe Jones—is crazy good, and the fidelity is delicious. Everyone is miked well, especially Jones, whose bomb-dropping is captured in full brilliance. The concert may have been staged more than three decades after bebop’s heyday—and some of these guys were there at the creation—but this is every bit as fresh and alive as Diz ’n Bird at Carnegie Hall.” – Steve Greenlee/JazzTimes.

Track listing:
A1 Blue ‘N’ Boogie
A2 If I Should Lose You
B1 Darben The Redd Foxx
B2 Time On My Hands
C1 Get Happy
C2 The Shadow Of Your Smile
D1 Bass Solo / Manhã De Carnaval / Work Song
D2 Stardust

Personnel:
Ray Brown – bass
Philly Joe Jones – drums
Hank Jones – piano
James Moody – tenor saxophone, flute
Dizzy Gillespie – trumpet
Milt Jackson – vibraphone

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Label: Justin Time ‎– JUST 259-1
Series: Justin Time Essentials Collection
Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP
Country: USA & Canada
Released: 2016