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For other persons of the same name, see Charles Parker. Charles Parker or Charlie Parker may refer to Charlie Parker, jazz musician Charlie Parker (politician, NDP MLA for Pictou
Charlie Parker
Birth name Charles Parker, Jr.
Also known as Bird, Yardbird
Born 29 August 1920 (1920-08-29)
Kansas City, Kansas
Origin Kansas City, Missouri
Died 12 March 1955 (aged 34)
New York City, New York
Genre(s) Jazz, Bebop
Occupation(s) saxophonist, Composer
Instrument(s) Saxophone
Years active 1937 - 1955
Label(s) Savoy, Dial, Verve
Website Official Site
Notable instrument(s)
Buescher, Conn, King and Grafton alto saxophones. Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Kansas City Kansas. Items for the metro area should also go to the Kansas City Metropolitan Area page Items for Kansas City Missouri Kansas ( is a Midwestern state in the central region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the American " Kansas City Missouri only Items for the metro area Kansas City Kansas or North Kansas City MO should go on their respective pages Missouri ( or) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) The City of New York New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States Bebop or bop is a form of Jazz characterized by fast Tempos and Improvisation based on Harmonic structure rather than Melody The saxophone (commonly referred to simply as sax) is a conical- bored transposing Musical instrument considered a member of the Woodwind A composer (literally meaning 'one who puts together' is a person who creates Music, usually in the medium of notation, for Interpretation and Performance A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The saxophone (commonly referred to simply as sax) is a conical- bored transposing Musical instrument considered a member of the Woodwind In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Savoy Records is the name of a US jazz Record label. Starting in the mid 1940s Savoy played an important part in popularizing Bebop. Dial Records was a United States based Verve Records is an American Jazz Record label now owned by the Universal Music Group. The Buescher Band Instrument Company was a manufacturer of musical instruments in Elkhart Indiana. CG Conn Ltd, sometimes called Conn Instruments or commonly just Conn, was a United States manufacturer of Musical instruments, especially The Grafton saxophone was an injection moulded cream-coloured plastic Alto saxophone manufactured by the Grafton company and later by 'John Dallas Ltd' The alto saxophone is a member of the Saxophone a family of Woodwind instruments invented by Adolphe Sax.
Right side view of a Conn 6M "Lady Face" alto sax with highly distinctive underslung octave key, a model that Parker is known to have used.[2][3] [4]
Right side view of a Conn 6M "Lady Face" alto sax with highly distinctive underslung octave key, a model that Parker is known to have used. CG Conn Ltd, sometimes called Conn Instruments or commonly just Conn, was a United States manufacturer of Musical instruments, especially The alto saxophone is a member of the Saxophone a family of Woodwind instruments invented by Adolphe Sax. The octave key is a key on a Saxophone or Oboe which raises the pitch of all notes by an Octave when pressed [2][3] [4]
Left side view of a Conn 6M "Lady Face"[5] alto saxophone showing highly distinctive underslung octave key.
Left side view of a Conn 6M "Lady Face"[5] alto saxophone showing highly distinctive underslung octave key. The saxophone (commonly referred to simply as sax) is a conical- bored transposing Musical instrument considered a member of the Woodwind The octave key is a key on a Saxophone or Oboe which raises the pitch of all notes by an Octave when pressed

Charles Parker, Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States The saxophone (commonly referred to simply as sax) is a conical- bored transposing Musical instrument considered a member of the Woodwind A composer (literally meaning 'one who puts together' is a person who creates Music, usually in the medium of notation, for Interpretation and Performance

Regarded during his life as a pioneer, Parker is now widely considered one of the most influential of jazz musicians, along with Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Louis Armstrong (August 4 1901 &ndash July 6 1971 nicknamed Satchmo or Sachimo and Pops, was an American Jazz Trumpeter Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29 1899 &ndash May 24 1974 was an American Composer, Pianist, and Bandleader. Parker acquired the nickname "Yardbird" early in his career,[1] and the shortened form "Bird" remained Parker's sobriquet for the rest of his life, inspiring the titles of many Parker compositions, such as "Yardbird Suite" and "Ornithology. A sobriquet is a Nickname or a fancy name usually a familiar name given by others as distinct from a Pseudonym assumed as a disguise but a nickname which is familiar Yardbird Suite is a Bebop standard composed by Charlie Parker. " Ornithology " is a Jazz standard by Bebop alto saxophonist Charlie Parker and trumpeter Benny Harris. "

Parker played a leading role in the development of bebop, a form of jazz characterized by fast tempos, virtuoso technique, and improvisation based on harmonic structure. Bebop or bop is a form of Jazz characterized by fast Tempos and Improvisation based on Harmonic structure rather than Melody In Western music, harmony is the use of different pitches simultaneously and chords actual or implied in Music. Parker's innovative approaches to melody, rhythm, and harmony exercised enormous influence on his contemporaries. In Music, a melody (from Greek μελῳδία - melōidía, "singing chanting" also tune, voice, or Rhythm (from Greek ῥυθμός - rhythmos, "any measured flow or movement symmetry" is the variation of the length and accentuation of In Western music, harmony is the use of different pitches simultaneously and chords actual or implied in Music. Several of Parker's songs have become standards, including "Billie's Bounce," "Anthropology," "Ornithology," and "Confirmation". A jazz standard is a Jazz tune that is held in continuing esteem and which is widely known performed and recorded among jazz musicians as part of the jazz musical repertoire He introduced revolutionary harmonic ideas including a tonal vocabulary employing 9ths, 11ths and 13ths of chords, rapidly implied passing chords, and new variants of altered chords and chord substitutions. His tone was clean and penetrating, but sweet and plaintive on ballads. Although many Parker recordings demonstrate dazzling virtuoso technique and complex melodic lines — such as "Koko," "Kim," and "Leap Frog" — he was also one of the great blues players. "Koko" is a 1945 recording featured on alto saxophone Charlie Parker, with trumpeters Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie. His themeless blues improvisation "Parker's Mood" represents one of the most deeply affecting recordings in jazz. At various times, Parker fused jazz with other musical styles, from classical to Latin music, blazing paths followed later by others. Latin music, includes the music of all countries in Latin America (and the Caribbean) and comes in many varieties

Parker also became an icon for the hipster subculture and later the Beat generation, personifying the conception of the jazz musician as an uncompromising artist and intellectual, rather than just a popular entertainer. Hipster, as used in the 1940s referred to Aficionados of jazz in particular Modern jazz, which became popular in the early '40s An intellectual (from the adjective meaning "involving thought and reason" is a person who tries to use his or her Intelligence and analytical thinking,

Contents

Biography

Childhood

Charlie Parker was born on August 29, 1920. He was born in Kansas City, Kansas and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, the only child of Charles and Addie Parker. Kansas City Kansas. Items for the metro area should also go to the Kansas City Metropolitan Area page Items for Kansas City Missouri Kansas City Missouri only Items for the metro area Kansas City Kansas or North Kansas City MO should go on their respective pages Charles, an alcoholic, was often absent. Alcoholism is a term with multiple and sometimes conflicting definitions Parker attended Crispus Attucks Elementary School. [2][3]

Parker displayed no sign of musical talent as a child. His father presumably provided some musical influence; he was a pianist, dancer and singer on the T.O.B.A. circuit, although he later became a Pullman waiter or chef on the railways. A pianist (/'piənɪst/ is a Musician who plays the Piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces play with an ensemble or Orchestra Theater Owners Booking Association, or TOBA, was the Vaudeville circuit for African American performers in the 1920s and 1930s Pullman Porter redirects here For the 1919 film starring Fatty Arbuckle, see The Pullman Porter The Pullman Palace Car Company, founded His mother worked nights at the local Western Union. The Western Union Company ( is a financial services and communications company based in the United States. His biggest influence however was a young trombone player who taught him the basics of improvisation. The trombone is a Musical instrument in the brass family Like all brass instruments it is a lip-reed Aerophone: sound is produced when the player’s

Parker began playing the saxophone at age 11 and at age 14 joined his school's band using a rented school instrument. One story holds that, without formal training, he was terrible, and thrown out of the band. Experiencing periodic setbacks of this sort, at one point he broke off from his constant practicing.

Early career

In 1937 Parker played a concert that included Jo Jones on drums, who tossed a cymbal at Parker's feet in impatience with his playing. Jo Jones ( October 7, 1911 – September 3, 1985) (later known as Papa Jo Jones) was an American drummer one of the most influential Cymbals are a modern percussion instrument Cymbals consist of thin normally round plates of various Cymbal alloys; see Cymbal making for a discussion of their Exasperated and determined, from that point Parker improved the quality of practicing, learning the blues, "Cherokee" and "rhythm changes" in all twelve keys. In Jazz and Jazz harmony, rhythm changes is a modified form of the Chord progression of George Gershwin 's song " I Got Rhythm " In an interview with Paul Desmond, he said he spent 3-4 years practicing up to 15 hours a day. Paul Desmond ( November 25, 1924 - May 30, 1977) born Paul Emil Breitenfeld, was a Jazz alto saxophonist and [6]. Rumor has it that he used to play many other tunes in all twelve keys. The story, though undocumented, would help to explain the fact that he often played in unconventional concert pitch key signatures, like E (which transposes to C# for the alto sax). Groups led by Count Basie and Bennie Moten were the leading Kansas City ensembles, and doubtless influenced Parker. William "Count" Basie ( August 21, 1904 &ndash April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, Organist Bennie Moten ( November 13 1894 – April 2, 1935) was a noted American Jazz pianist and band leader born in Kansas He continued to play with local bands in jazz clubs around Kansas City, Missouri, where he perfected his technique with the assistance of Buster Smith, whose dynamic transitions to double and triple time certainly influenced Parker's developing style. Henry "Buster" Smith (August 24 1904 – August 10 1991 also known as Professor Smith, was an American Jazz alto saxophonist and Mentor

In 1937 Parker joined pianist Jay McShann's territory band,[7]. Jay McShann ( January 12 1916 – December 7 2006) was an American Blues and swing Pianist, Territory bands were dance bands &mdash circa 1920s–1960s &mdash that crisscrossed specific regions of the country The band toured nightclubs and other venues of the southwest, as well as Chicago and New York City. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. The City of New York [8][9] Parker made his professional recording debut with McShann's band. It was said at one point in McShann's band that he "sounded like a machine," owing to his virtuosity without implying a lack of musicality.

As a teenager, Parker developed a morphine addiction while in hospital after an automobile accident, and subsequently became addicted to heroin. Medical uses Morphine can be used as an analgesic in hospital settings to relieve pain in Myocardial infarction pain in Heroin ( INN: diacetylmorphine, BAN: diamorphine) is a semi-synthetic opioid synthesized from Morphine, a derivative Heroin would haunt him throughout his life and ultimately contribute to his death.

In NYC

In 1939, Parker moved to New York City. The City of New York There he pursued a career in music, but held several other jobs as well. He worked for $9 a week as a dishwasher at Jimmie's Chicken Shack where pianist Art Tatum performed. Arthur Tatum Jr ( October 13, 1909 – November 5, 1956) was an American Jazz Pianist and Virtuoso. Parker's later style in some ways recalled Tatum's, with dazzling, high-speed arpeggios and sophisticated use of harmony. In Music, an arpeggio is a broken chord where the Notes are played or sung in Sequence, one after the other rather than Ringing out simultaneously In Western music, harmony is the use of different pitches simultaneously and chords actual or implied in Music.

In 1942 Parker left McShann's band and played with Earl Hines for one year. Earl Kenneth Hines, universally known as Earl "Fatha" Hines, ( 28 December, 1903 Duquesne Pennsylvania &ndash 22 April Also in the band was trumpet player Dizzy Gillespie, which is where the soon to be famous duo met for the first time. John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( October 21 1917 &ndash January 6 1993) was an American Jazz Trumpeter Unfortunately, this period is virtually undocumented because of the strike of 1942-1943 by the American Federation of Musicians, during which no official recordings were made. On August 1, 1942, the American Federation of Musicians, at the instigation of union president James Petrillo, started a strike against the major American The American Federation of Musicians ( AFM / AFofM) is a labor union of Professional Musicians in the United States and Nevertheless we know that Parker joined a group of young musicians in after-hours clubs in Harlem such as Clark Monroe's Uptown House and (to a much lesser extent) Minton's Playhouse. Clark Monroe's Uptown House, sometimes shortened to Monroe's Uptown House or simply Monroe's, was a Nightclub in New York City. Minton’s Playhouse is a Jazz club and bar located on the first floor of the Hotel Cecil at 210 West 118th Street in Harlem. These young iconoclasts included trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, pianist Thelonious Monk, guitarist Charlie Christian, and Kenny 'Klook' Clarke. John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( October 21 1917 &ndash January 6 1993) was an American Jazz Trumpeter Thelonious Sphere Monk ( October 10, 1917 - February 17, 1982) was an American Jazz Pianist and Composer. Charlie Christian (Charles Henry Christian ( 29 July 1916 &ndash 2 March 1942) was an American swing and Bebop Kenny Clarke (born Kenneth Spearman Clarke, nicknamed " Klook " and later known as Liaqat Ali Salaam, on January 9, 1914 The beboppers' attitude was summed up in a famous quotation attributed to Monk by Mary Lou Williams: "We wanted a music that they couldn't play" — "they" being the (white) bandleaders who had taken over and profited from swing music. Mary Lou Williams ( May 8, 1910 &ndash May 28, 1981) was an American Jazz Stride pianist, Composer Swing music, also known as swing jazz, is a form of Jazz music that developed in the early 1930s and had solidified as a distinctive style by 1935 in the United The group played in venues on the now famous 52nd Street including Three Deuces and The Onyx. 52nd Street is a 19 mile long one-way Street traveling west to east across Midtown Manhattan. In his time in NYC, Parker also learned much from notable music teacher Maury Deutsch. Maury Deutsch (born 1918 in New York City) is a Musician who has played the Trumpet from an early age

Bebop

By the early 1940s, Parker was a prominent figure in the emerging bebop scene. Bebop or bop is a form of Jazz characterized by fast Tempos and Improvisation based on Harmonic structure rather than Melody According to an interview Parker gave in the 1950s: one night in 1939, he was playing "Cherokee" in a jam session with guitarist William 'Biddy' Fleet when he hit upon a method for developing his solos that enabled him to play what he had been hearing in his head for some time, by building on the chords' extended intervals, such as ninths, elevenths, and thirteenths. In Music or Music theory a ninth is the Note nine Scale degrees from the root of chord (counting the root itself and also In Music or Music theory an eleventh is the Note eleven Scale degrees from the Root of a chord and also the interval In Music or Music theory, a thirteenth is the Note thirteen Scale degrees from the Root of a chord. Still with McShann's orchestra, Parker at this time realized that the twelve tones of the chromatic scale can each be quickly led melodically to any key, breaking some of the confines of simpler jazz soloing.

Early in its development, this new type of jazz was rejected and disdained by many older, more established jazz musicians, whom the beboppers, in response, called 'moldy figs'. Moldy figs are purist advocates of early Jazz, originally those such as Rudi Blesh, Alan Lomax, and James Jones who argued that jazz took a wrong However, some musicians, such as Coleman Hawkins and Benny Goodman, were more positive about its development. Coleman Randolph Hawkins ( November 21 1904 - May 19 1969) Nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean" was a prominent It was not until 1945 that Parker's collaborations with Dizzy Gillespie had a substantial effect on the jazz world. John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( October 21 1917 &ndash January 6 1993) was an American Jazz Trumpeter One of their first (and greatest) small-group performances together was only discovered and issued in 2005: a concert in New York's Town Hall on June 22, 1945 (now available on Uptown Records). Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar

On November 26, 1945 Parker led a record date for the Savoy label, marketed as the "greatest Jazz session ever". Events 43 BC - The Second Triumvirate alliance of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus ("Octavian" later "Caesar Augustus" Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Savoy Records is the name of a US jazz Record label. Starting in the mid 1940s Savoy played an important part in popularizing Bebop. The Savoy sessions produced an astounding collection of recordings. The tracks recorded during this session include "Koko" (based on the chords of "Cherokee"), "Now's the Time" (a twelve bar blues incorporating a riff later used in the late 1949 R&B dance hit "The Hucklebuck"), "Billie's Bounce", and "Thriving on a Riff. "Koko" is a 1945 recording featured on alto saxophone Charlie Parker, with trumpeters Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie. In Music, a riff is an Ostinato figure a repeated Chord progression, pattern refrain or melodic figure, often played by the Rhythm Paul Williams (1915 – 2002 was an American Blues and Rhythm and blues Saxophonist and Composer. "

Shortly afterwards, the Parker/Gillespe band traveled to an unsuccessful engagement at Billy Berg's club in Los Angeles. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Most of the band returned to New York, but Parker remained in California.

Addiction

Parker's habit caused him to miss gigs and to be fired for being high. To continue his "buzz" he frequently resorted to busking on the streets for drug money. Parker's example was typical of the strong connection between narcotics and jazz at the time.

Although he produced many brilliant recordings during this period, Parker's behavior became increasingly erratic. Heroin was difficult to obtain after his dealer was arrested, and Parker began to drink heavily to compensate for this. A recording for the Dial label from July 29, 1946 provides evidence of his condition. Dial Records was a United States based Events 1014 - Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars: Battle of Kleidion: Byzantine emperor Basil II inflicts a decisive defeat Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Prior to this session Parker drank about a quart of whiskey. According to the liner notes of, Bird on Dial Volume 1 Parker missed most of the first two bars of his first chorus on the track, "Max is making wax". When he finally did come in, he swayed wildly and once spun all the way around, going badly off mic. On the next tune, "Lover Man", producer Ross Russell physically supported Parker in front of the microphone. Ross Russell (March 18 1909 Los Angeles - January 31 2000 Palm Springs) was an American Jazz producer and author On the final Parker track recorded that evening, he begins a solo with a solid first eight bars. On his second eight bars, however, Parker begins to struggle, and a desperate Howard McGhee, playing trumpet on the session, shouts, "Blow!" at Parker. Howard McGhee (b March 6 1918 Tulsa OK - d July 17 1987 New York City) was one of the very first Bebop McGhee's bellow is audible on the recording. Some, including Charles Mingus, consider this version of "Lover Man" to be among his greater recordings despite its flaws. Charles Mingus ( 22 April 1922 &ndash 5 January 1979) was an American Jazz Bassist, Composer, Nevertheless, Bird hated the recording and never forgave Ross Russell for releasing the sub-par record (and re-recorded the tune in 1953 for Verve, this time in stellar form, but perhaps lacking some of the passionate emotion in the earlier, problematic attempt). Verve Records is an American Jazz Record label now owned by the Universal Music Group.

The night of the "Lover Man" session, Parker was drinking in his hotel room. He went down to the hotel lobby stark naked and asked to use the phone, several times. He was refused on each attempt and the hotel manager eventually locked him in his room. At some point in the night he set fire to his mattress with a cigarette, then ran through the hotel lobby wearing only his socks. He was arrested and committed to Camarillo State Mental Hospital, where he remained for six months. Camarillo State Mental Hospital, also known as Camarillo State Hospital,was a Psychiatric hospital for both Developmentally disabled and Mentally ill

Coming out of the hospital, Parker was initially clean and healthy, and proceeded to do some of the best playing and recording of his career. Before leaving California, he recorded "Relaxin' at Camarillo," in reference to his hospital stay. He returned to New York and recorded dozens of sides for the Savoy and Dial labels that remain some of the high points of his recorded output. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Savoy Records is the name of a US jazz Record label. Starting in the mid 1940s Savoy played an important part in popularizing Bebop. Many of these were with his so-called "classic quintet" that included trumpeter Miles Davis and drummer Max Roach. Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26 1926 &ndash September 28 1991 was an American Jazz Trumpeter, Bandleader, and Composer. Maxwell Lemuel Roach ( January 10, 1924 &ndash August 16, 2007) was an American Jazz Percussionist, Drummer The highlights of these sessions include a series of slower-tempo performances of American popular songs including "Embraceable You" and "Bird of Paradise" (based on "All the Things You Are"). "Embraceable You" is a popular Song, with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin. "All the Things You Are" is a song composed by Jerome Kern, with lyrics written by Oscar Hammerstein II.


Charlie Parker with strings

One of Parker's longstanding desires was to perform with a string section as he was a keen student of classical music. A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a Musical instrument that produces Sound by means of Vibrating strings In the Hornbostel-Sachs Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music Contemporaries reported that he was most interested in the music and formal innovations of Igor Stravinsky, and longed to engage in a project akin to what later became known as "Third Stream Music"; a new kind of music, incorporating both jazz and Euro-classical elements as opposed to merely incorporating a string section into performance of jazz standards. Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (Игорь Фёдорович Стравинский) ( &ndash 6 April 1971 was a Russian born Composer, considered by many to On November 30, 1949, Norman Granz arranged for Parker to record an album of ballads with a mixed group of jazz and chamber orchestra musicians. Events 1700 - Battle of Narva — A Swedish army of 8500 men under Charles XII defeats Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Norman Granz ( Los Angeles, USA, August 6, 1918 - Geneva, Switzerland, November 22, 2001) was an American An orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually fairly large with string brass woodwind sections and possibly a percussion section as well [4] The players were Parker on alto saxophone; Mitch Miller on oboe and English horn; Bronislav Gimpel, Max Hollander, and Milton Lamask on violin; Frank Brieff on viola; Frank Miller on cello; Meyer Rosen on harp; Stan Freeman on piano; Ray Brown on bass; Buddy Rich on drums; and Jimmy Carroll as arranger and conductor. Mitchell William Miller (born July 4, 1911) is an American Musician, Singer, conductor, Record producer, "Hautbois" redirects here for the strawberry variety see Hautbois strawberry. The cor anglais, or English horn, is a Double reed Woodwind Musical instrument in the Oboe family Bronislav Gimpel ( January 29, 1911 &ndash May 1, 1979) was a Polish -American Violinist, and Teacher. The violin is a bowed String instrument with four strings usually tuned in Perfect fifths It is the smallest and highest-pitched member The viola is a bowed String instrument. It is the middle voice of the Violin family, Frank Miller (1912&ndash1986 was a principal cellist and music director whose professional career spanned over a half century The violoncello (abbreviated to cello, or 'cello, plural cellos or celli —the c is tʃ The harp is a Stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicular to the soundboard. Stanley Freedman ( April 3 1920 - January 13 2001) was an American Composer, Lyricist, musical arranger Raymond Matthews Brown ( October 13 1926 &ndash July 2 2002) was an American Jazz Double bassist. The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed String instrument used in the modern symphony orchestra. Bernard "Buddy" Rich ( September 30 1917 &ndash April 2 1987) was an American jazz drummer and Bandleader In Music, an arrangement refers either to a rewriting of a piece of existing Music with additional new material or to a fleshing-out of a compositional sketch such Conducting is the act of directing a Musical performance by way of visible gestures [5] Six master takes from this session comprised the album Bird With Strings: "Just Friends", "Everything Happens to Me", "April in Paris", "Summertime", "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", and "If I Should Lose You". The sound of these recordings is unique in Bird's catalog. The lush string arrangements recall Tchaikovsky in their dramatic sweep, and the rhythm section provides a delicate swing under Bird's improvisation, blending perfectly with the orchestra. Parker's improvisations are, relative to his usual work, more distilled and economical. His tone is darker and softer than on his small-group recordings, and the majority of his lines are beautiful embellishments on the original melodies rather than harmonically based improvisations. He is always tasteful and brimming with eloquent expression. These are among the few recordings Parker made during a brief period when he was able to control his heroin habit, and his sobriety and clarity of mind are evident in his playing. Parker stated that, of his own records, Bird With Strings was his favorite. While using classical music instrumentation with jazz musicians was not entirely original, this was the first major work where a composer of bebop was matched with a string orchestra.

Some fans thought it was a "sell out" and a pandering to popular tastes. "Sold Out" redirects here For other uses see Sold Out (disambiguation or Selling Out (disambiguation. Time demonstrated Parker's move a wise one: Charlie Parker with Strings sold better than his other releases, and his version of "Just Friends" is seen as one of his best performances. In an interview, he considered it to be his best recording to that date.

Stardom

By 1950, much of the jazz world had fallen under Parker's influence. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Many musicians transcribed and copied his solos. Legions of saxophonists imitated his playing note-for-note. In response to these pretenders, Parker's admirer, the bass player Charles Mingus, titled a tune "Gunslinging Bird" (meaning "If Charlie Parker were a gunslinger, there'd be a whole lot of dead copycats") featured on the album Mingus Dynasty. Charles Mingus ( 22 April 1922 &ndash 5 January 1979) was an American Jazz Bassist, Composer, Mingus Dynasty is an Album by Charles Mingus, recorded and released in 1959, and was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in In this regard, he is perhaps only comparable to Louis Armstrong: both men set the standard for their instruments for decades, and few escaped their influence. Louis Armstrong (August 4 1901 &ndash July 6 1971 nicknamed Satchmo or Sachimo and Pops, was an American Jazz Trumpeter

In 1953, Parker performed at Massey Hall in Toronto, Canada, joined by Gillespie, Mingus, Bud Powell and Max Roach. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Massey Hall, located at 178 Victoria Street downtown Toronto, was built in 1894 by architect Sidney Badgley and financed by Hart Massey of Massey-Harris Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell ( September 27[[ 924]] &ndash July 31[[ 966]] in New York City) was an American Jazz pianist, usually considered Maxwell Lemuel Roach ( January 10, 1924 &ndash August 16, 2007) was an American Jazz Percussionist, Drummer Unfortunately, the concert clashed with a televised heavyweight boxing match between Rocky Marciano and Jersey Joe Walcott and as a result was poorly attended. Rocky Marciano ( September 1, 1923 – August 31, 1969) born Rocco Francis Marchegiano, was the heavyweight champion of the world Arnold Raymond Cream ( January 31, 1914 – February 25, 1994) better known as Jersey Joe Walcott, was a world heavyweight Thankfully, Mingus recorded the concert, and the album Jazz at Massey Hall is often cited as one of the finest recordings of a live jazz performance, with the saxophonist credited as "Charley Chan" for contractual reasons. Jazz at Massey Hall is a Jazz Album featuring a live performance by "The Quintet" on 15 May 1953 at Massey Hall

At this concert he played a plastic Grafton saxophone; later, saxophonist Ornette Coleman used this brand of plastic sax in his early career. The Grafton saxophone was an injection moulded cream-coloured plastic Alto saxophone manufactured by the Grafton company and later by 'John Dallas Ltd' Ornette Coleman (born March 9, 1930) is an American saxophonist Violinist Trumpeter and Composer. Parker had sold his alto 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 Parker 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. A pawnbroker is an individual or business entity that offers monetary loans in exchange for an item of value to the given pawn broker

Parker was known for often showing up to performances without an instrument and borrowing someone else's at the last moment. A number of photos show him holding a Conn 6M saxophone [10] with its unique and highly distinctive "underslung" octave key. CG Conn Ltd, sometimes called Conn Instruments or commonly just Conn, was a United States manufacturer of Musical instruments, especially The octave key is a key on a Saxophone or Oboe which raises the pitch of all notes by an Octave when pressed [11][12][13]However, there are also photos showing Parker holding various other alto saxophones with the more conventional octave key arrangement i. The alto saxophone is a member of the Saxophone a family of Woodwind instruments invented by Adolphe Sax. e. mounted above the crook of the saxophone[14][15]. Parker is known to have played a King 'Super 20' alto saxophone made specially for him in 1947.

Death

Parker died while watching Tommy Dorsey on television in the suite at the Stanhope Hotel belonging to his friend and patroness Nica de Koenigswarter. Tommy Dorsey ( November 19 1905 &ndash November 26 1956) was an American Jazz Trombonist, Trumpeter Stanhope Hotel is a 16-story building at 995 Fifth Avenue in New York City, across Fifth Avenue from Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum Baroness Pannonica "Nica" de Koenigswarter ( 10 December 1913 &ndash 30 November 1988) was a British Bebop Though the official cause of death was (lobar) pneumonia and a bleeding ulcer, his death was hastened by his drug and alcohol abuse. Pneumonia is an inflammatory illness of the Lung. Frequently it is described as lung Parenchyma / alveolar inflammation and abnormal Bleeding, technically known as hemorrhaging / haemorrhaging (see American and British spelling differences) is the loss of Blood from Ulcers are healing wounds that develop on the skin mucous membranes or eye Alcoholism is a term with multiple and sometimes conflicting definitions The coroner mistakenly estimated Parker's 34-year-old body to be between 50 and 60 years old.

Parker left a widow, Chan Parker, a stepdaughter, Kim Parker, who is also a musician, and a son, Baird Parker; their later lives are chronicled in Chan Parker's autobiography, My Life in E Flat (1998). Chan Richardson ( 29 June 1925 in New York City, New York - 9 September 1999 in Étampes, France

Musical approach

Despite many of the compositions which bear his name being based on earlier pieces from the American songbook, Parker's legacy as a deviser of jazz standards is significant. Such pieces include "Anthropology", "Confirmation", and "Yardbird Suite", which have been performed by numerous other musicians. " Anthropology " is a Bebop -style Jazz composition written by Saxophonist Charlie Parker and Trumpeter Dizzy " Confirmation " is a Bebop standard composed by Saxophonist Charlie Parker in 1946. Yardbird Suite is a Bebop standard composed by Charlie Parker. Like his solos, his compositions are characterised by long, complex melodic lines and a minimum of repetition - generally speaking, an eight-bar segment will not contain any repeated motifs or sequences.

Awards and recognitions

Grammy Award

Charlie Parker Grammy Award History[6]
Year Category Title Genre Label Result
1974 Best Jazz Performance By A Soloist First Recordings! Jazz Onyx Winner

Grammy Hall of Fame

Recordings of Charlie Parker were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, which is a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old, and that have "qualitative or historical significance. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences The Grammy Hall of Fame Award is a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old and that have "qualitative Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. "

Charlie Parker: Grammy Hall of Fame Awards[7]
Year Recorded Title Genre Label Year Inducted
1945 "Billie's Bounce" Jazz (Single) Savoy 2002
1953 Jazz At Massey Hall Jazz (Album) Debut 1995
1946 "Ornithology" Jazz (Single) Dial 1989
1950 Charlie Parker with Strings Jazz (Album) Mercury 1988

Inductions

Year Inducted Title
2004 Jazz at Lincoln Center: Nesuhi Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame
1984 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
1979 Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame

National Recording Registry

In 2002, the Library of Congress honored his recording "Koko" (1945) by adding it to the National Recording Registry. Jazz at Massey Hall is a Jazz Album featuring a live performance by "The Quintet" on 15 May 1953 at Massey Hall " Ornithology " is a Jazz standard by Bebop alto saxophonist Charlie Parker and trumpeter Benny Harris. Charlie Parker with Strings is a 1950 (see 1950 in music) Album by Charlie Parker, accompanied by strings The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded by the Recording Academy to "performers who during their lifetimes have made creative contributions of outstanding See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. The Library of Congress is the De facto National library of the United States and the research arm of the United States Congress "Koko" is a 1945 recording featured on alto saxophone Charlie Parker, with trumpeters Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->The recordings preserved

U. S. Postage Stamp

Year Issued Stamp USA Note
1995 32 cents Commemorative stamp U.S. Postal Stamps Photo (Scott #2987)[8]

Memorials and tributes

Musical tributes

Other tributes

Charlie Parker in popular culture

Music

Other

Selected discography

See also Charlie Parker discography

Parker made extensive recordings for three labels — Savoy and Dial best document his early work, while Verve is representative of his later career:

Many live recordings, of varying quality, are also available. This is a list of Charlie Parker ' s major recordings Studio Recordings Parker recorded extensively for three labels Savoy Records: A small selection of the many are listed below:

Special mention should be made of the legendary Dean Benedetti recordings, a huge trove of live material recorded by an obsessive fan. Charlie Parker with Strings is a 1950 (see 1950 in music) Album by Charlie Parker, accompanied by strings Jazz at Massey Hall is a Jazz Album featuring a live performance by "The Quintet" on 15 May 1953 at Massey Hall Dean Benedetti was a supporting band-mate and good friend of saxophone player Charlie Parker. Long thought lost or merely mythical, these eventually resurfaced and were released as a set by Mosaic Records. Mosaic Records is an American specialist Jazz Record label, founded in 1983 by Michael Cuscuna and Charlie Lourie to issue coherent limited edition

Bibliography

Transcriptions

References

  1. ^ there are many contradictory stories of the name's origin [1]
  2. ^ google books
  3. ^ birdhops.net
  4. ^ Russell, Ross (1973). Bird Lives! The High Life & Hard Times of Charlie (Yardbird) Parker. New York: Charterhouse. ISBN 0-306-80679-7. Page 273.
  5. ^ Priestley, Brian. Chasing the Bird: The Life and Legacy of Charlie Parker. Oxford University Press: New York, New York, 2006. Page 169.
  6. ^ Grammy Awards search engine
  7. ^ Grammy Hall of Fame Database
  8. ^ Charlie Parker: 32 cents Commemorative stamp

External links


Persondata
NAME Parker, Charlie
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Parker, Charles "Bird", Jr. This article is about Peter King the alto saxophonist For the tenor saxophonist and manager of Ronnie Scott's, Pete King see Pete King.
SHORT DESCRIPTION Saxophonist, Composer
DATE OF BIRTH 29 August 1920
PLACE OF BIRTH Kansas City, Kansas
DATE OF DEATH 12 March 1955
PLACE OF DEATH New York City, New York

The saxophone (commonly referred to simply as sax) is a conical- bored transposing Musical instrument considered a member of the Woodwind A composer (literally meaning 'one who puts together' is a person who creates Music, usually in the medium of notation, for Interpretation and Performance Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Kansas City Kansas. Items for the metro area should also go to the Kansas City Metropolitan Area page Items for Kansas City Missouri Kansas ( is a Midwestern state in the central region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the American " Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) The City of New York New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous
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