n 1949 and 1950, Charlie Parker recorded two generous offerings of covers with a jazz quartet and a classical string orchestra. Back then, those were two separate worlds, and Parker’s insistence on bringing them together met with discredit from the jazz community. When the adventure proved a huge commercial success, it further brought him accusations of pandering to the mainstream. Still, in the end Parked was recognized as audacious and ahead of his time, and his brilliant recordings with classical strings were critically acclaimed, and are now considered iconic.

To celebrate thirty years of Culturgest, this beautiful chapter in the history of jazz will be evoked by Ricardo Toscano, himself celebrating his thirtieth birthday. Joining the Orquestra de Câmara Portuguesa led by Pedro Moreira, Toscano brings in a quartet to performs Parker’s reimagined standards in this surely memorable evening.