A super nifty treatment of Charlie Parker's 'Red Cross' - US altoist Nick Green has the great Bill Charlap trio drummer Kenny Washington leading off here in a strong line-up that has trumpeter Joe Magnarelli simpatico in the front line.
According to Bird producer Ross Russell in Bird Lives: The High Life and Hard Times of Charlie (Yardbird) Parker 'Red Cross' was named after a man named Red Cross who travelled with Billy Eckstine ''as a personal valet.''
Green likes the sound of Charles McPherson - if you recall the Clint Eastwood film Bird McPherson was uncannily pukka.
'Red Cross' was first recorded by guitarist-singer Tiny Grimes' Quintet with Bird in the band in September 1944.
And down the years JJ Johnson, Roy Haynes, Thomas Chapin and most recently Rudresh Mahanthappa deliciously on Hero Trio have recorded the frantic number.
Green is up to the task and recalls even the bustle and puppyish enthusiasm of the much fêted at the time Christopher Hollyday, a shooting star in the 1980s.
Drawn from Green on the Scene out through Cellar Live on 21 April. Nick Green, photo: detail from the cover art
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