<3 BIRD is Kevin Sun’s love letter to the towering father of modern jazz, Charlie Parker. In a concise but wide-ranging program of 12 original compositions and three arrangements, Sun draws electrifying and futuristic conclusions from Parker’s musical innovations.
With <3 BIRD, Sun proves himself a formidable contributor to the continuing legacy of Parker’s music in this new century. In doing so, he also shares his vision for future directions in jazz and even more creative work to come.
"An outstanding recording...The album acknowledges the past, lives in the present and looks to the future... The spirit of Charlie Parker is very much alive on this one, an album that seems to bring new discoveries with every listen. Highly recommended.”
– Miguel Zenón, saxophonist/composer
★★★★☆
— DownBeat Magazine (December 2021)
"...an engaging, delightful excursion into Birdology"
– Hot House Jazz Guide
"Of all the centennial tributes to Charlie Parker that did or did not happen, I can’t think of one that honors the protean and soaring spirit of Charlie Parker more appropriately than Kevin Sun’s does here"
— Let's Call This
"...tremendous compositional acuity and flawless execution."
— JazzTrail
“...radically inventive original compositions inspired by Charlie Parker.”
— Jazziz
"..utterly brilliant."
– Art Music Lounge
"...Birding it up all so ingeniously."
— Marlbank
"Finally, a jazz tribute album that doesn't try to put arms on the Venus de Milo."
– Jay Harvey Upstage
"It is clear Sun has spent some serious time thinking about his approach to Parker’s work."
— London Jazz News
"...Sun captures the spirit of Charlie Parker so much so that young hipsters won't know the originals from the covers."
– Midwest Record
"However you categorize it, though, this is classy music."
– Music Street Journal
"...ένα πολύ μελετημένο άλμπουμ σύγχρονης και απαιτητικής jazz"
– Vinyl Mine
"...alle Bebop-beschlagen, eloquent und mit einer modernen, ebenmässig glatten Coolness."
– Jazz'N'More
"...det tok kun kort tid å skjønne at Sun hadde gått inn i Charlie Parkers univers på et helt spesielt vis og tatt det videre slik utvilsomt Bird ville satt pris på."
– Nettavisen
"...det hele er bare deilig!"
– salt peanuts*
1. Greenlit 04:16 video
2. Adroitness, Part I 01:22
3. Adroitness, Part II 02:41
4. Composite 01:36
5. Onomatopoeia 03:49
6. Dovetail 07:02
7. Cheroot 02:13
8. Du Yi's Choir 05:24
9. Big Foot 04:41
10. Sturgis 01:42
11. Schaaple (Intro) 00:44
12. Schaaple from the Appel 04:30
13. Salt Peanuts 03:50
14. Arc's Peel 01:00
15. Talck-overseed-nete (Klact-oveereds-tene) 04:07
Kevin Sun ⋅ tenor saxophone & clarinet*
Adam O’Farrill ⋅ trumpet (1, 10, 11, 12, 13)
Max Light ⋅ guitar (5, 8, 15)
Christian Li ⋅ piano & Fender Rhodes (2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 13)
Walter Stinson ⋅ double bass
Matt Honor ⋅ drums
*sheng on “Du Yi’s Choir” only
Recorded by Aaron Nevezie at The Bunker Studio, Brooklyn, NY on February 26 & 27, 2021 ⋅ Mixed by Juanma Trujillo ⋅ Mastered by Eivind Opsvik at Greenwood Underground ⋅ Produced by Kevin Sun ⋅ Art direction and photography by Kevin Sun ⋅ Layout and additional photography by Diane Zhou
All songs composed by Kevin Sun (The Kevin Sun Music / ASCAP) except the following, arranged by Sun:
“Big Foot” and “Klacto-veereds-tene,” composed by Charlie Parker
“Salt Peanuts,” co-composed by Dizzy Gillespie and Kenny Clarke
