Charlie Parker!

The main reason I remember "Branded" was because of that opening scene shown every week without fail, ha.

Yeah, I remember "Rawhide" , that goes way back, there was another similar show I barely recall called "Branded".

js wrote: Yeah, I like all the old spaghetti westerns he did.

Hey John it was "Rawhide" he was in not "Wagon Train"  Got me wires crossed, realised when I saw the post go up. My excuse is I just got out of bed  You can tell what shows I watched as a kid

js wrote: Early in his career it was hard to tell if he was into acting.

I used to watch "Wagon Train"..........."Head em' up and move em' out". "Yee hah"   What about 'Where Eagles Dare" John. seriously though he made the best western ever being "The Unforgiven"

I agree that, being one of Eastwood's earliest attempts at directing, the story moves slowly and the whole thing is quite dark but I admire how he avoided glamorizing Bird or ignoring his addictive personality that so hampered his art.  I'm sure if Clint had it to do over he'd take some pointers from the fabulous "Ray" biopic and brighten the mood a bit.  Still, I'd enthusiastically recommend it to anybody who is curious about why Parker is so revered.  Now, if only someone would dare to take on Miles! 

Early in his career it was hard to tell if he was into acting.

Awesome movie..........directed by Clint Eastwood, Forest Whitaker is Bird. I nearly watched it myself ( again) just the other night. I really don't believe anyone else could have done as good a job as Clint Eastwood being into Jazz the way he is. The film was released in 1988........23 years ago ........can't believe its that long back.

Interesting that you guys are talking about CP.  I'm in the process of re-watching Clint Eastwood's somber "Bird" over several nights (haven't seen it in ages) and it really points out what a troubled man he was who, despite his addictions and bad habits, made some incredible music that will live forever.

js wrote: ^ I'm not crazy about the collections that only have his solos instead of the whole song, but get this, I just came back from a record store that had a couple of those "Charlie Parker on Dial" collections. I bought "Volume 6" which has a very young Miles on trumpet playing the be-bop.

Sounds very similar to the one I have been playing John  You know there is only actually four tracks with Parker on that one. 11 listed but all the others are alts or false starts. Still good though. Parker sounds great. The other stuff is with a vocalist Rubber Legs Williams. Like to add, no nothing about Rubber Legs. Only ever heard him on that album, never looked though either. Who was Rubber legs Williams?  I will look at him in the near future. With a name like that, maybe he was an absolute boozer

^ I'm not crazy about the collections that only have his solos instead of the whole song, but get this, I just came back from a record store that had a couple of those "Charlie Parker on Dial" collections. I bought "Volume 6" which has a very young Miles on trumpet playing the be-bop.