This is a list of recordings by American jazz alto saxophonist Charlie Parker ("Bird"). Parker primarily recorded for three labels: Savoy, Dial, and Verve. His work with these labels has been chronicled in box sets. Charlie Parker's Savoy and Dial Sessions have been issued on The Complete Savoy Sessions, Charlie Parker on Dial and Complete Charlie Parker on Dial and The Complete Savoy & Dial Master Takes. His Verve recordings are available on Bird: The Complete Charlie Parker on Verve and The Complete Verve Master Takes.
Discography
Studio albums +YearTitleLabelNotes10" LPs1950Charlie Parker SextetDial1950Charlie Parker with StringsMercuryMG C-5011950New Sounds in Modern Music, Volume 1SavoyMG 9000; AKA Charlie Parker, Vol. 1; compilation?1951Charlie Parker with Strings #2MercuryMG C-5091951New Sounds in Modern Music, Volume 2SavoyMG 9001; AKA Charlie Parker, Vol. 2; compilation?1952Bird and DizMercuryMG C-5121952South of the BorderMercuryMG C-5131952New Sounds in Modern Music, Volume 3SavoyMG 9010; AKA Charlie Parker, Vol. 3; compilation?1953New Sounds in Modern Music, Volume 4SavoyMG 9011; AKA Charlie Parker, Vol. 4; compilation?1954Charlie ParkerClefMG C-157; later released as Now's The Time with alternative takes 12" LPs1953Big BandClefMG C-609Posthumous albums1961The Happy "Bird"Charlie ParkerPLP 404
Live albums +YearTitleLabelNotes1957Bird at St. Nick'sJazz Workshop1957Bird on 52nd St.Jazz Workshop1961An Evening at Home with the BirdSavoy1972Charlie ParkerPrestige2xLP; compiles Bird at St. Nick's and Bird on 52nd St.1972The Comprehensive Charlie Parker: Live Performances, Volume IESP-DiskESP-BIRD-11973Broadcast Performances: 1948–1949, Vol. 2 of 14 VolumesESP-DiskESP-BIRD-21974The Parker Jam SessionVerve2xLP; compiles Norman Granz' Jam Session, #1 and Norman Granz' Jam Session, #21975New Bird: Hi Hat Broadcasts 1953Phoenix JazzPhoenix 101975New Bird: Volume 2Phoenix JazzPhoenix 121977One Night in BirdlandColumbia2xLP1977Summit Meeting at BirdlandColumbia1977Bird with Strings: Live at the Apollo, Carnegie Hall & BirdlandColumbia1977Bird and Pres: The '46 ConcertsVerve2xLP; with Lester Young1977Bird at the RoostSavoy1978Inglewood Jam: Live at the Trade Winds 16 June 1952Jazz ChroniclesJCS 102; with Chet Baker1980One Night in ChicagoSavoySJL 11321981Live SessionsPhoenix 101982One Night in WashingtonElektra Musicianas Charlie Parker with the Orchestra1983Live at Rockland PalaceCharlie ParkerCP 5021983Parker Plus StringsCharlie ParkerCP 5131985Charlie Parker at StoryvilleBlue Note1985Bird at the Roost – The Savoy Years: The Complete Royal Roost Performances, Volume OneSavoy Jazz2xLP1986Bird at the Roost – The Savoy Years: The Complete Royal Roost Performances, Volume TwoSavoy Jazz2xLP1986Bird at the Roost – The Savoy Years: The Complete Royal Roost Performances, Volume ThreeSavoy Jazz1993Bird at the High-HatBlue Notecompiles Phoenix Jazz LP 10 and LP 12.1993Montréal, 1953Uptown1997Diz 'n Bird at Carnegie HallRoostwith Dizzy Gillespie2005Town Hall, New York City, June 22, 1945Uptownwith Dizzy GillespieBootlegs1990Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 1Philology (Italy)1990Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 2Philology (Italy)1990Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 3Philology (Italy)1990Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 4Philology (Italy)1990Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 5Philology (Italy)1990Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 6Philology (Italy)1993Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 7Philology (Italy)1994Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 8Philology (Italy)1998Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 9Philology (Italy)?Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 10Philology (Italy)?Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 11Philology (Italy)?Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 12Philology (Italy)?Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 13Philology (Italy)?Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 14Philology (Italy)?Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 15Philology (Italy)?Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 16Philology (Italy)?Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 17Philology (Italy)?Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 18Philology (Italy)?Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 19Philology (Italy)?Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 20Philology (Italy)?Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 21Philology (Italy)?Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 22Philology (Italy)?Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 23Philology (Italy)?Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 24Philology (Italy)?Bird's Eyes: Last Unissued, Vol. 25Philology (Italy)
Compilations +YearTitleLabelNotes1949The Bird Blows the BluesDial9011951Alternate Masters, Vol. 1Dial9041954Alternate Masters, Vol. 2Dial9051955The Magnificent Charlie ParkerClefMG C-646; compiles The Magnificent Charlie Parker (Album #1) (7") and The Magnificent Charlie Parker (Album #2) (7")1955Charlie Parker with StringsClefMG C-675; compiles Charlie Parker with Strings (10") and Charlie Parker with Strings #2 (10")1955Charlie Parker Memorial, Vol. 1SavoyMG-120001955The Immortal Charlie ParkerSavoyMG-120011955Charlie Parker Memorial, Vol. 2SavoyMG-120091956The Genius of Charlie ParkerSavoyMG-120141956The Charlie Parker StorySavoyMG-120791957The Charlie Parker Story #1VerveMG V-80001957The Charlie Parker Story #2VerveMG V-80011957The Charlie Parker Story #3VerveMG V-80021957Night and Day: The Genius of Charlie Parker #1VerveMG V-80031957April in Paris: The Genius of Charlie Parker #2VerveMG V-80041957Now's the Time: The Genius of Charlie Parker #3VerveMG V-80051957Bird and Diz: The Genius of Charlie Parker #4VerveMG V-80061957Charlie Parker Plays Cole Porter: The Genius of Charlie Parker #5VerveMG V-80071957Fiesta: The Genius of Charlie Parker #6VerveMG V-80081957Jazz Perennial: The Genius of Charlie Parker #7VerveMG V-80091957Swedish Schnapps: The Genius of Charlie Parker #8VerveMG V-80101962The 'Bird' ReturnsSavoyMG-121791966Newly Discovered Sides by the Immortal Charlie ParkerSavoyMG-121861970Charlie Parker on Dial, Volume 1SpotliteSpotlite 1011970?Charlie Parker on Dial, Volume 2SpotliteSpotlite 1021970?Charlie Parker on Dial, Volume 3SpotliteSpotlite 1031970Charlie Parker on Dial, Volume 4SpotliteSpotlite 1041970Charlie Parker on Dial, Volume 5SpotliteSpotlite 1051970?Charlie Parker on Dial, Volume 6SpotliteSpotlite 1061970Lullaby in RhythmSpotliteSpotlite 1071976Yardbird in Lotus LandSpotliteSPJ123; (partially?) live; reissued by Phoenix in 19771976Bird/The Savoy Recordings (Master Takes)Savoy JazzSJL-2201; 2xLP1977EncoresSavoy JazzSJL-11071977Bird in SwedenSpotliteSPJ124/125; 2xLP; as Charlie Parker and His Swedish All Stars1979Bird/Encores Vol.2SavoySJL 11291981Every Bit of ItSpotliteSPJ150D; 2xLP; December 19451981Bird & MilesPhoenix 10with Miles Davis1984The Complete Savoy Sessions Volume 1 (1944–1945)Savoy Jazz (West Germany)1984?The Complete Savoy Sessions Volume 2 (1945)Savoy Jazz (West Germany)1984The Complete Savoy Sessions Volume 3 (1947)Savoy Jazz (West Germany)1984?The Complete Savoy Sessions Volume 4 (1947–1948)Savoy Jazz (West Germany)1984?The Complete Savoy Sessions Volume 5 (1948)Savoy Jazz (West Germany)1986Birth of the Bebop: Bird on Tenor 1943StashST-2601988The Bird You Never HeardStashST-280/ST-CD-10; live1989Rara Avis Avis (Rare Bird)StashST-CD-211989The Legendary Dial Masters, Volume 1StashST-CD-231989The Legendary Dial Masters, Volume 2StashST-CD-251991The Complete Birth of the BebopStashST-CD-535; expanded reissue of Birth of the Bebop1995Young Bird, Volumes 1 & 2: 1940–1944Média 7 (France)MJCD 78/79; 2xCD1996Young Bird, Volume 3: 1945Média 7 (France)MJCD 1041996Young Bird, Volume 4: 1945Média 7 (France)MJCD 1131997Young Bird, Volume 5: 1945–1946Média 7 (France)MJCD 121
Box sets +YearTitleLabelNotes1973Charlie Parker on DialOdeon (Japan)7xLP; compiles Spotlite 101–1071978The Complete Savoy Studio SessionsSavoy5xLP; reissued 3xCD in 1986 (Japan), 1988 (Savoy Jazz)1990The Complete Dean Benedetti RecordingsMosaic7xCD; live1990Bird: The Complete Charlie Parker on VerveVerve10xCD1993Charlie Parker on DialSpotlite/Stash4xCD, 8xLP; reissue of Odeon, 19731995Complete Charlie Parker on DialJazz Classics4xCD; reissue of Spotlite, 19931998The Complete Live Performances on SavoySavoy Jazz4xCD; live2000The Complete Savoy and Dial Studio Recordings 1944–1948Atlantic8xCD; reissued 2015 on Savoy Jazz2002The Complete Savoy & Dial Master TakesSavoy Jazz3xCD2003The Complete Verve Master TakesVerve3xCD; metal box
10" shellac singles
Dial "Cool Blues" c/w "Bird's Nest" "Crazeology" c/w "Crazeology II: 3 Ways of Playing a Chorus"
Appears on
Norman Granz Jazz Concert #1 (Norgran, MG JC #1, 1950) – live; 7x7", reissued 1953 on 2xLP; reissued 1956 on Columbia over two volumes Norman Granz' Jam Session, #1 (Mercury/Clef, MG C-601, 1950) – live; compiled on The Parker Jam Session (Verve, 1974) Norman Granz' Jam Session, #2 (Clef/Mercury, MG C-602, 1950) – live; compiled on The Parker Jam Session (Verve, 1974) Jazz at the Philharmonic, Vol. 2 Jazz at the Philharmonic, Vol. 4
Jazz at the Philharmonic, Vol. 7 Jazz at the Philharmonic - The Ella Fitzgerald Set Potpourri of Jazz Jazz at the Philharmonic – J.A.T.P. at Carnegie Hall 1949 (Pablo, 2002) Various artists – Anthropology (Spotlight, 1972) – compilation Various artists – The Birth of Bop, Volume 1 (Savoy, MG 9022, 1952, 10") – compilation, one track Various artists – Bird - Diz - Bud - Max (Savoy, MG 9034, 1953, 10") – compilation, five tracks Various artists – The Jazz Scene (Clef, 1955) – compilation, two tracks Various artists – Our Best (Clef, MG C-639, 1955) – compilation, one track Various artists – Alto Saxes (Norgran, 1955) – compilation, three tracks Various artists – The Many Faces of the Blues (Savoy, MG 12125, 1957) – compilation, one track Various artists – The Jazz Hour (Savoy, MG 12126, 1957) – compilation, one track
As sideman
With Miles Davis
Collectors' Items (Prestige PRLP 7044, 1956)
With Allen Eager In the Land of Oo-Bla-Dee 1947–1953 (Uptown, 2003) – compilation; Parker appears on three tracks
With Dizzy Gillespie
Groovin' High (Savoy, 1955) – compilation In the Beginning (Prestige, 1973) – 2xLP, compilation The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (Bluebird, 1995) – compilation
With Machito
Afro-Cuban Jazz: The Music of Chico O'Farrill (Clef, MG C-689, 1956)
With Jay McShann
Early Bird (Spotlight, 1973) – as Jay McShann Orchestra featuring Charlie Parker; compilation Early Bird (1940–1943) (RCA, ?, France) – as Jay McShann, Charlie Parker; reissue Early Bird (Stash, 1991) – as Charlie Parker with Jay McShann and His Orchestra; reissue
With Charles Mingus The Complete Debut Recordings (Debut, 1990) – box set; Parker appears on Jazz at Massey Hall tracks
With Red Norvo
Red Norvo's Fabulous Jam Session (Dial 903, 1951) Once There Was Bird (Charlie Parker, PLP 408, 1962) – under Parker's name
With Bud Powell
Summer Broadcasts 1953 (ESP-Disk', ESP 3023, 1977) – live; Parker appears on two tracks
With Gene Roland
The Band That Never Was (Spotlight, 1979) – as Gene Roland Band Featuring Charlie Parker
Compilations and live albums 1948 Charlie Parker on the Air, Vol. 1 (Everest) 1949 The Metronome All Stars - From Swing to Be-Bop (RCA Camden) Bird on the Road (Jazz Showcase) Charlie Parker - Bird in Paris (Bird in Paris) Charlie Parker in France 1949 (Jazz O.P. (France)) Charlie Parker - Bird Box, Vol. 2 (Jazz Up (Italy)) Dance of the Infidels (S.C.A.M.) 1950 Charlie Parker Live Birdland 1950 (EPM Musique (F) FDC 5710) Charlie Parker at the Apollo Theater and St. Nick's Arena (Zim ZM 1007) Charlie Parker - Fats Navarro - Bud Powell (Ozone 4) Charlie Parker - Bud Powell - Fats Navarro (Ozone 9) Charlie Parker - Just Friends (S.C.A.M. JPG 4) Charlie Parker - Apartment Jam Sessions (Zim ZM 1006) The Persuasively Coherent Miles Davis (Alto AL 701) Charlie Parker - Ultimate Bird 1949-50 (Grotto 495) Charlie Parker - Ballads and Birdland (Klacto (E) MG 101) Charlie Parker at the Pershing Ballroom Chicago 1950 (Zim ZM 1003) Charlie Parker - More Unissued, Vol. 2 (Royal Jazz (D) RJD 506) 1951