Avant-garde tenor saxophonist
Archie Shepp created a stir in 1977 when he recorded a set of hymns and folk melodies in melodic duets with pianist
Horace Parlan. On February 6, 1980, he reunited with
Parlan for a set of blues associated with
Bessie Smith, and the following day, as a sort of sequel,
Shepp played eight songs associated with
Charlie Parker in collaboration with bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen. Although never a bebopper,
Shepp does surprisingly well on such tunes as "Moose the Mooche," "Ornithology," "Yardbird Suite" and "Confirmation," even if he makes the mistake of doubling on his erratic soprano during a few numbers.
Archie Shepp pays tribute to
Bird not by copying him, but by being creative and playing
Parker's repertoire in his own sound. Recommended.