To Bird with Love

by Scott YanowFollowing his remarkable classical/jazz recording Breakthrough, clarinetist Eddie Daniels performed a set of Charlie Parker tunes with pianist Fred Hersch, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Al Foster; "This Is the Time" (an abstract rendition of "Now's the Time" has pianist Roger Kellaway sitting in. Daniels' playing is often quite remarkable throughout the program and the highlights include "East of the Sun" (which finds Hersch utilizing a synthesizer to simulate strings), "Just Friends," "Passport" and a Bird medley of three of his blues lines. Recommended.