On May 15, 1953 “The Quintet” gave a concert at Massey Hall in Toronto, Canada.  “The Quintet” consisted of “Dizzy” Gillespie on trumpet, Charlie “Bird” Parker playing alto saxophone, Bud Powell at the piano, bassist Charles Mingus and Max Roach on drums.  The performance was recorded and released as “Jazz at Massey Hall” by Mingus’ Debut label later in that same year. It was the only time the five musicians recorded together, and it was the last time Bird and Dizzy recorded together.

The concert was poorly attended as it conflicted with the “Jersey Joe“ Walcott vs. Rocky Marciano heavyweight title bout, and thus there were insufficient funds to pay the musicians.  It is said that Gillespie kept leaving the stage while others were soloing so he could check on updates from the fight.  Powell reportedly arrived drunk for the gig, and because he played a plastic alto sax in violation of certain contractual agreements Parker had, he was listed on the original issue of the record as ”Charlie Chan."  Mingus overdubbed some of the bass parts with Roach on drums in the studio after the concert and before release of the record.

The event was billed by some as “the greatest jazz concert ever,” and the recordings have been re-released several times over the years, each time with additional material.  The album was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1995 and is recognized by the Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings as an “essential recording.”

Here is a link to the original 10" LP recorded at that night’s concert:

"JAZZ AT MASSEY HALL"