Charlie Parker had a complicated relationship with his hometown of Kansas City, MO owing both to its history of racial segregation and to his strong ties to his family and friends there. This new set of rare recordings dating from 19411951 most of them never having been heard before and some never even having been known to exist chronicle Birds evolution from a blossoming soloist with the Jay McShann Band into a brilliant improviser who dominated the jazz landscape for decades to come. In addition to two unreleased 78s with the McShann band, this set offers two sets of private recordings (at the home of Birds friend Phil Baxter and at Vic Damons studio) made with local musicians and a very relaxed-sounding Parker who has the room to really stretch out and show us the shape of jazz that was to come in his wake

Bird Song #1 (Charlie Parker)
Bird Song #2 (Charlie Parker)
Bird Song #3 (Charlie Parker)
Cherokee Phil Baxter version (Ray Noble)
Body and Soul Phil Baxter version (Johnny GreenEdward HeymanRobert SourFrank Eyton)
Honeysuckle Rose (Fats WallerAndy Razaf)
Perdido (Juan Tizol)

Personnel: Charlie Parker (alto sax); unknown (bass); unknown (drums)
Recorded: July 1951 at the home of Phil Baxter in Kansas City, MO

Cherokee Vic Damon version (Ray Noble)
My Heart Tells Me (Harry WarrenMack Gordon)
I Found a New Baby (Jack PalmerSpencer Williams)
Body and Soul Vic Damon version (Johnny GreenEdward HeymanRobert SourFrank Eyton)
Margie (Con ConradJ. Russell RobinsonBenny Davis)
Im Getting Sentimental Over You (George BassmanNed Washington)