On August 29, 1920, Saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker was born. He was one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time. Charlie aka “Bird” and “Yardbird” got his nickname because of his love for chicken. Parker was from Kansas City and was a self-taught Saxophonist.
He stopped going to school at the age of 15 to become a musician. With practice, he became better and better at his music.
He joined Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Christian, Kenny Clarke and Thelonious Monk at the after-hours jam sessions at the home of BeBop: Minton’s Uptown House in Harlem.
His style was revolutionary and he became the messiah of modern jazz. Parker and Gillespie formed a legendary small group during this time that played some of the greatest jazz ever. He later joined with Miles Davis taking Gillespie’s place and continued making great music.
Bird made the first “with strings” album, in which he was backed by a stringed orchestra. His recordings with Dial and Savoy remain his best work.
Miles Davis said the only time you were surprised with Bird was when he didn’t do something amazing on the bandstand. He could literally walk in off the street and start playing, and never make a mistake. His playing was fast, perky, and very bluesy, all wrapped up into one. He can make you bounce around one moment and feel his pain the next. His music is rooted in the Kansas City blues and every song he played had a blues twist to it.
