''Birdhouse'' is an album by the American jazz saxophonist Fred Anderson, released in 1996 on

Okka Disk Okka Disk is an independent American jazz record company and label founded in Chicago by Bruno Johnson in 1994. Okka began as a rock music label, but Johnson soon changed direction to record free jazz.

. The title refers to Anderson's Chicago club that closed in 1978. Three pieces are played by a quartet with pianist Jim Baker and long-time collaborators bassist Harrison Bankhead and drummer

Hamid Drake Hamid Drake (born August 3, 1955) is an American jazz drummer and percussionist. By the close of the 1990s, Hamid Drake was widely regarded as one of the best percussionists in jazz and improvised music. Incorporating Afro-Cuban, Indian, and Afr ...

. "Like Sonny" is dedicated to saxophonist

Sonny Stitt Edward Hammond Boatner Jr. (February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982), known professionally as Sonny Stitt, was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of his ...

.Original Liner Notes by Peter Kostakis The final song, "Waiting for M.C.", is an Anderson-Drake duo from the sessions for the album '' Destiny'' (1994) by pianist Marilyn Crispell

Reception

In her review for AllMusic, Joslyn Layne stated: "''Birdhouse'' finds tenor sax great Fred Anderson leading his quartet through four originals that cover a spectrum of moods." The authors of the '' Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings'' wrote: "''Birdhouse'' never quite fires, perhaps because the pianist is so restrictive, though 'Like Sonny', a tribute to Sonny Stitt with no hint of pastiche, is worth the wait."

Track listing

:''All compositions by Fred Anderson except as indicated'' # "Birdhouse" - 18:55 # "Bernice" - 16:11 # "Like Sonny" - 15:33 # "Waiting for M.C." (Fred Anderson - Hamid Drake) - 12:20

Personnel

* Fred Anderson - tenor sax *Jim Baker - piano *Harrison Bankhead -

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

References

{{Authority control Fred Anderson (musician) albums Okka Disk albums 1996 albums