Parker is commonly considered the greatest bebop jazz musician. In terms of influence and impact, his contribution to jazz was so great that Charles Mingus commented that if Bird were alive today, he would think he was living in a hall of mirrors. Bird's talent is compared almost without argument to such legendary musicians as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, and his reputation and legend as one of the best saxophonists is such that some critics say he was unsurpassed.
A founding figure of bebop, Parker's innovative approach to melody, rhythm and harmony have exerted an incalculable influence on jazz.. Several of Parker's songs have become standards of the repertoire, and innumerable musicians have studied Parker's music and absorbed elements of his style.
Parker became an icon for the Beat generation, and was a pivotal figure in the evolving conception of the jazz musician as an uncompromising artist and intellectual, rather than just a popular entertainer. At various times, Parker fused jazz with other musical styles, from classical (seeking to study with Edgard Varese and Stefan Wolpe) to Latin music (recordings with Machito), blazing paths followed later by others.
Parker was known for often showing up to performances without an instrument and borrowing someone else's at the last moment. At more than one venue he played on a plastic Grafton saxophone; later, saxophonist Ornette Coleman used this brand of plastic sax in his early career. On one particular occasion before a concert in Toronto, Canada, he had sold his saxophone to buy drugs, and at the last minute, he, Dizzy Gillespie and other members of Charlie's entourage went running around Toronto trying to find a saxophone. After scouring all the downtown pawnshops open at the time, they were only able to find a Grafton, which Parker proceeded to use at the concert that night. This concert is documented on the album Jazz at Massey Hall. The album is considered one of the greatest live recordings in Jazz history.
Parker's battles with alcoholism and heroin addiction ranged from his teenage years until his death from pneumonia and a bleeding ulcer at thirty-four. The toll that the drug had taken on his relatively young body was quite profound - a doctor examining Parker's body estimated him to be around sixty years old.
During his lifetime, tribute was paid to Parker when a new nightclub in New York was named Birdland in his honour in 1949.Three years later, George Shearing wrote "Lullaby of Birdland", which was named for both Parker and the nightclub.
Other phenomena also occurred in the United States after the death of Parker, particularly the use of the term "Bird lives" in graffiti throughout New York hours after his death, and later as the title of a contemporary art piece of the same name, created by sculptor Robert Graham in 1999. Despite its widespread use, Ted Joans is usually credited with its inception.
Au Privave
Charlie Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Line by Line Meaning ↴
Miscellaneous
Au Ciel, Une Etoile ...
Comm′ tous les soirs ell' pense à nous
Et je sais qu′à l'instant míme elle est au rendez-vous
Du haut du ciel
Comme un appel
Papa dis-moi: c′est comment le ciel
O¨' est maman? j′veux m'serrer fort contre elle
Au ciel brille une étoile
Sa lumière nous dit ce soir
Qu′ell' nous aime encore
Toujours aussi fort
Au ciel brille une étoile
Tout ira puisque papa est là
Alors: pleurer, non
Il n'est pas question
O-oh oh non!
Dis papa quand je voudrai
Est-c′ que je pourrai lui dir′ tous mes secrets?
Oui bien sur
Et míme j'en suis sur:
Parle-lui de toi
Et ell′ saura
Comm' tu l′aimes!
Papa dis-moi: c'est comment le ciel
O¨′ est maman? j'veux m'serrer fort contre elle
Au ciel brille une étoile
Sa lumière nous dit ce soir
Qu′ell′ nous aime encore
Toujours aussi fort
Au ciel brille une étoile
Tout ira puisque papa est là
Alors: pleurer, non
Il n'est pas question
O-oh oh non!
"... et on l′aime encore
Toujours aussi fort..."
Au ciel brille une étoile
Tout ira puisque papa est là
Alors: pleurer, non
Il n'est pas question
... o-oh oh non!
"Dors bien, papa t′aim', chérie très fort: je suis là et je s′rai toujours avec toi".
Au Ciel, Une Etoile ...
There is a star in the sky that shines down upon us.
Comm′ tous les soirs ell' pense à nous
Every night, the star thinks of us.
Et je sais qu′à l'instant míme elle est au rendez-vous
And I know that right now, it is there shining above us.
Du haut du ciel
From the high point in the sky,
Comme un appel
Like a call,
Ell' tend sa main, l′amour d′une mère n'a pas de fin ...
It reaches its hand out, for a mother's love knows no bounds.
Papa dis-moi: c′est comment le ciel
Daddy, tell me what the sky's like.
O¨' est maman? j′veux m'serrer fort contre elle
Where is mommy? I want to hold her tight.
Au ciel brille une étoile
A star shines in the sky,
Sa lumière nous dit ce soir
Its light tells us tonight,
Qu′ell' nous aime encore
That it still loves us,
Toujours aussi fort
Just as much as before.
Tout ira puisque papa est là
Everything will be okay, because daddy is here.
Alors: pleurer, non
So, don't cry,
Il n'est pas question
There is no need.
Dis papa quand je voudrai
Daddy, when I want to,
Est-c′ que je pourrai lui dir′ tous mes secrets?
Can I tell her all my secrets?
Oui bien sur
Yes, of course.
Et míme j'en suis sur:
And I am certain:
Parle-lui de toi
Talk to her about yourself,
Et ell′ saura
And she will know
Comm' tu l′aimes!
How much you love her!
... et on l′aime encore
And we still love her,
Toujours aussi fort...
Just as much as before...
... o-oh oh non!
...oh no!
Dors bien, papa t′aim', chérie très fort: je suis là et je s′rai toujours avec toi
Sleep well, I love you, sweetheart: I am here and will always be with you.
Writer(s): Charlie Parker
Contributed by Jack N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@binface9
Released on: 1958-01-01
Producer: Norman Granz
Associated Performer, Alto Saxophone: Charlie Parker
Associated Performer, Trumpet: Miles Davis
Associated Performer, Piano: Walter Bishop, Jr.
Associated Performer, Double Bass: Teddy Kotick
Associated Performer, Drums: Max Roach
Composer Lyricist: Charlie Parker
@xxczerxx
0:53 That is a real Charlie Parker motif! It's in Billie's Bounce and several other tunes, well worth learning the phrase
@luciamusic3821
everything he does hahaha
@grantkoeller8911
January 17, 1951
charlie parker - alto saxophone
miles - trumpet
walter bishop jr - piano
teddy kotick - acoustic bass
max roach- drums & percussion
@johnhawkins85
He always does that
@GeorgeRBuck
I first heard this in 1955 at the age of 15. Could't make out what was going on but it grew on me. Glad to hear people are still hearing this for the first time now - 61 years later.
@pathaleyguitar9763
you still alive mate??
@ekekelanapoleon2550
I’m 14 and in love with jazz. This will forever live on. Jesus Christ loves you
@farshimelt
I heard him 1 yr. earlier at the same age. I was stunned and still am.
@williamberry_69
OK BOOMER
@farshimelt
@Bill Berry Good to know that people can still spout cliches in place of thought.