PARKER, Charlie (1920-1955).

Small format concert poster for an appearance by Charlie Parker ‘BIRD… And His All Stars’ at the Open Door, New York, on Sunday 21 November 1954, presented by Bob Reisner and Sophie Naimon. Parker scholar Lawrence O. Koch records that ‘The Open Door sessions were frequented by many of Parker’s former sidemen, such as Bud Powell, Al Haig, and Max Roach… The sessions were often fun battles of the Kansas City type…’, noting, however, that at this time – only five months before Bird’s untimely death – Parker and club owner Robert Reisner ‘often had disagreements because of Bird’s perverse behaviour. He would leave the club and never return for the end of the engagement, or fall asleep on the stand, or perhaps not even show up’. Koch, 303.

Letterpress printed in black on white card stock, 280 x 179 mm. Provenance: The Norman R. Saks Collection (Vail, pl.99).

[With:] a concert handbill for Charlie Parker ‘BIRD… AND HIS ALL STARS’ at the Open Door, New York, on Sunday 30 May 1954. Letterpress printed in black on pale pink paper stock, 216 x 137 mm.