Given that most jazz historians consider Bird"s early Savoy recordings to be his best, this 4-CD set occupies some rarefied air in the world of jazz reissues. The first three CDs consist of his Royal Roost broadcasts from September 1948 through March 1949; this material has been reissued before, but never with such good sound and judicious editing (emcee Symphony Sid is not as ubiquitous or as annoying). And disc four includes a rare 1947 concert in New York with Diz and John Lewis among others, plus a Chicago date with two members of the Windy City"s first family of jazz, the Freemans. Together, it"s the complete performance recordings of Charlie Parker"s early years, assembled for the first time and absolutely essential. Salt Peanuts; Ornithology; Groovin" High the birth of bebop!