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.
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divvy1400yam600
I have just switched from the Lester Young solo on Broadway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LO_moU99qc
Charlie Parker is a highly skilled but unfortunately feelingless technician.
A left wing socialist 5 year project manager. The audience is irrevelant.
Play fast enough and all is well.
Lester Young is a highly skilled MUSICIAN.
His playing has context and direction and communicates WITH an audience.
The scores reveal this quite clearly !
divvy1400yam600
@Matthew Lee First of all I say quite explicitly that Charlie Parker was highly skilled... I repeat WAS highly skilled.
BUT
Let us look at how long bebop has actually lasted.
It never had universal appeal and over the years it has virtually vanished from sight. Latched on to bebop were much less skilled musical technicians who could rattle round the chords (when any sound made would do )and play fast.
(see the slight deviations to melody followed by arpeggios around 5th intervals of Art Tatum)
Quite frequently bebop appeals to self regarding left wing intellectual types who raise their own self esteem by knowing their taste is superior to those who approve of the music of Lawrence Welk. (which may be true)
I am a hopeless practising pianist who could not play a fastish Bb blues but neither could I play for example the 3rd movement of Mendellsohn's piano concerto.
Perhaps you could tell me of the harmonic changes that Parker and Gillespie introduced.
Not in Jazz but in music in general !
Ricardo da Mata
This is the greatest jazz solo of all times.
Ricardo da Mata
@Hernan Martinez I agree with you 100%.
Hernan Martinez
with cherokee and just friends...also Bird
Talli Kimani Music
Hands down. No contest.
TheArchiveOfWonder
Great work!
Pablo Held
nice job Zach!!
David Jordan
Thanks. I appreciate you putting in concert key. Love Yard!!
divvy1400yam600
I have just switched from the Lester Young solo on Broadway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LO_moU99qc
Charlie Parker is a highly skilled but unfortunately feelingless technician.
A left wing socialist 5 year project manager. The audience is irrevelant.
Play fast enough and all is well.
Lester Young is a highly skilled MUSICIAN.
His playing has context and direction and communicates WITH an audience.
The scores reveal this quite clearly !
divvy1400yam600
@Matthew Lee First of all I say quite explicitly that Charlie Parker was highly skilled... I repeat WAS highly skilled.
BUT
Let us look at how long bebop has actually lasted.
It never had universal appeal and over the years it has virtually vanished from sight. Latched on to bebop were much less skilled musical technicians who could rattle round the chords (when any sound made would do )and play fast.
(see the slight deviations to melody followed by arpeggios around 5th intervals of Art Tatum)
Quite frequently bebop appeals to self regarding left wing intellectual types who raise their own self esteem by knowing their taste is superior to those who approve of the music of Lawrence Welk. (which may be true)
I am a hopeless practising pianist who could not play a fastish Bb blues but neither could I play for example the 3rd movement of Mendellsohn's piano concerto.
Perhaps you could tell me of the harmonic changes that Parker and Gillespie introduced.
Not in Jazz but in music in general !
Ian Munoz
@divvy1400yam600 I’m rolling on the floor from how stupid this comment is. Let’s hear you on a rhythm changes brother🤣