Some Swedish Schnapps For Charlie Parler & Arne Domnerus

The availability of some live Swedish performances by Charlie Parker on CD, ‘Charlie Parker & Arne Domnerus in Sweden - November, 22, 1950, (OKTAV), certainly is welcome. Parker is heard with a fine Swedish Band that does not sound intimidated playing with him. Trumpeter Rolf Erickson is especially noteworthy with his brash, fat-toned solo on Cheers. Parker is also heard on Anthropology, Lover Man, and a nice arrangement of Cool Blues. He is in fine form and the band acquits itself well.

Three other tracks feature the same band with a Swedish Parker disciple, Arne Domnerus. Opening with ‘Fine and Dandy, which some will remember as the theme of The Bugs Bunny Show, Domnerus shows quite a bit of Parker’s influence although perhaps a little bit of Lester Young’s style mixed in. Out of Nowhere, was a staple of Parker’s repertoire and nicely done by the Swedes here and I imagine Parker enjoyed hearing these musicians who obviously not only idolized him but displayed their musical indebtedness to him.

It should be noted that this November 22, 1950 recording from Marno, Sweden clocks in at under 40 minutes, but that is the only negative one can raise about it.

This review originally appeared in the July 2008 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 306) and I likely received my review copy from that publication.