Charles Christopher "Bird" Parker, Jr (29th August 1920 – 12th March 1955) … Read Full Bio ↴Charles Christopher "Bird" Parker, Jr (29th August 1920 – 12th March 1955) was a U.S. bebop saxophonist and composer. Early in his career Parker was dubbed Yardbird; this was later shortened to "Bird" (or sometimes "Yard") and remained Parker's nickname for the rest of his life, and inspiration for the titles of his works such as "Ornithology and Yardbird suite".
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.
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.
Body & Soul
Charlie Parker Lyrics
My heart is sad and lonely
For you I sigh, for you dear only
Why haven't you seen it
I'm all for you body and soul
I spend my days in longing
And wondering why it's me you're wronging
I tell you I mean it
I'm all for you body and soul
I can't believe it
It's hard to conceive it
That you'd turn away romance
Are you pretending
It looks like the ending
Unless I could have just one more chance to prove, dear
My life a wreck you're making
You know I'm yours for just the taking
I'd gladly surrender myself to you body and soul
My life a wreck you're making
You know I'm yours for the very taking
I'd gladly surrender myself to you body and soul
For you I sigh, for you dear only
Why haven't you seen it
I'm all for you body and soul
I spend my days in longing
And wondering why it's me you're wronging
I tell you I mean it
I'm all for you body and soul
It's hard to conceive it
That you'd turn away romance
Are you pretending
It looks like the ending
Unless I could have just one more chance to prove, dear
My life a wreck you're making
You know I'm yours for just the taking
I'd gladly surrender myself to you body and soul
My life a wreck you're making
You know I'm yours for the very taking
I'd gladly surrender myself to you body and soul
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Paul Michael Barry, Phil Simpson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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wyndhl eodumegwu
This is a 22-year-old Charlie Parker, very creative and ahead of his time.
Had he real competition, Parker would have given us all that and more for which his few today's critics are asking.
Nonetheless, Parker's solos are as logical, coherent, melody-relevant, haunting and spiritually bluesy as any today - 73-years later.
Still the best - ever!
Ask John Coltrane - if you could have
Lorenzo de' Medici
1:30 to around 1:54
is some of the hippest stuff around. No altissimo. No crazy changes. The genius of Bird IMHO is how he was able to do so much with so little.
There are guys faster than Bird -- louder, higher, more licks, even standing higher: on top of more innovations (trane changes, woody shaw pentatonics etc).
But I still come back to Bird.
Transcribe this and take it to the piano. I'm never less than blown away how everything just "lays right" rhythmically, harmonically, and melodically when it comes to Yardbird Parker.
Bryan Olsheski
I think of this piece of music and how brilliant it is. And then I think of all the music that he created afterwards and I realize just how blessed we are, those of us that understand, to have had Charlie Parker amongst us and to have given us so much.
pedro a. cantero
Durante la Navidad de 1968 que pasé junto a Elke, oímos este disco inolvidable en la casita de su abuelo, fondeada en las brumas del Báltico, cercana a Kiel. Al compas de la guitarra de Efferge Ware, un tanto djanguiana, sentí como “Body and soul” se trenzaba y pian piano daba vuelo al saxo hasta dejarle planear en las alturas. Solo entonces, se acelera el compás alentando el paso de quienes gozamos de aquel son. Ella y yo bailamos en el ensueño de la hora efímera que ambos músicos propiciaban, incluso cuando el disco ya agotado, seguíamos acoplados al ritmo que irrigaba nuestras venas .
Bryan Olsheski
Beautiful
Paqallqu
pedro a. cantero muy lindo todo lo que decis
jpcannavo
It’s not just how great he was “during his time”. There is a force and depth to his conception that in his best playing remains unsurpassed to this day. Birds playing transcends era. Were he to be reborn and backed by a modern rhythm section, he would sound utterly fresh and valid, in no way dated, and as compelling as anyone. The test of this is in my deep study (as a Jazz Musician) and listening to all of modern Jazz. I’ll listen, to Coltrane, Rollins, Pat Martino, George Benson, Art Pepper, Tubby Hayes, Stitt, Bergonzi, Brecker, Tyner, Kenny Garrett, Methany, Paul Desmond, Monk, Oscar Peterson, Clifford Brown - I’ll dig all of them, transcribe there solos, appreciate all of it- and then after months and I go back to Bird and my jaw drops and I’m blown away, and he sounds even better than he did before. That is the category of the likes of Beethoven, Bach and Mozart.
Joseph Cannavo
Ole Birger Pedersen
@Alex Howard He is not coparing anybody, if you'll please read him correctly . He only sais that even he has been digging all those gentleman, je allways return to Parker as the greatest ever.
Skin EyemIn
@Alex Howard Point taken. But, who has really been trying to sound like Paul Desmond? Or, Dave Brubeck? Name someone. Go ahead....; I'll wait.
Alex Howard
@Skin EyemIn Its weird that you are dictating to someone else what should be on their list of jazz musicians they like the most. Its completely subjective and plenty of people think Paul Desmond is one of the greats. No one likes the "jazz police", dont be that guy.
Skin EyemIn
First of all, Paul Desmond should not even be on your list (What's that shit about?). Secondly....., Sonny Rollins, even more so than Trane at times, is definitely right up there with Bird in his own way. Monk is has always been his own lane. Dexter Gordon and Bud Powell should be on your list. Also, there was no other type of heavy "jazz" music to get into when Bird was 22.., which was why he, Dizzy, Bud Powell and a hand full of other "super heroes" developed and created the bebop concept, to move music and the executing of "jazz" improvisation forward.
joxe bono
Yes