Merry-Go-Round, recorded September 18, 1948, is a very fast rhythm changes performance by the Charlie Parker All Stars, taken at approximately 300-322 BPM in B-flat with a 32-bar AABA form based on I Got Rhythm. Parker opens with two commanding choruses of alto saxophone, followed by Miles Davis for one chorus on trumpet, John Lewis for one chorus on piano, and Max Roach for a half-chorus on drums. The extreme tempo places this performance among the most demanding in Parker's studio catalogue, and his two-chorus solo is a breathtaking display of velocity and invention. Davis meets the challenge of the tempo with admirable poise, and Lewis contributes a focused piano solo despite the relentless pace. Roach's half-chorus drum solo, propelled by his revolutionary concept of melodic drumming, brings the performance to a thrilling climax. Merry-Go-Round is the final track on The Complete Savoy and Dial Master Takes and serves as a fitting conclusion to this body of work, capturing Parker and his associates at the peak of their powers in a performance of extraordinary energy and technical mastery.
