What makes PARKER'S MOOD so special, and so refreshingly different from your typical Bird blowing session, is the sense of intimacy and interchange, as trumpeter, bassist and pianist take on these complex rhythms and melodies, gathered in a circle, live to two-track, without the aid of a drummer. As a result, PARKER'S MOOD is full of surprises. Not the least of which is the recorded sound, which is resoundingly deep and full of detail, with a real sense of air and space. Much of the credit must go to McBride, whose enormous beat ("Marmaduke"), witty arco work ("Steeplechase") and thundering blues drive ("Red Cross"), and authentic downhome funk ("Star Eyes") are as close to an ideal acoustic bass sound as this generation of players has yet produced. The taciturn, reticent qualities which distinguish Stephen Scott's piano playing, make him and ideal partner in these proceedings. On "Laura" his serene, bell-like chords frame Hargrove's taut delivery of the melody in dreamy shades of turquoise and green, and his solo makes thoughtful use of space and dynamic contrasts to bring home the point--sweet and romantic without blubbering all over the chords. And check out his solo on "Bongo Bop"--the brother can swing. And Hargrove, always known for his chops, seems to find a new gravity in Bird's intricate melodies, from the muted joy of "Dexterity" through the dancing whimsy of "Chasin' The Bird."