Charlie Parker
Alto Sax, Tenor Sax
March 12, 1955 (Age 34) died
August 29, 1920 Birthday
Kansas City, Kansas, U.S. Birthplace
charlieparkermusic.com Website
Social
About
Charlie Parker, also known as "Bird," was a pioneering American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, and bandleader who played a key role in the development of bebop. He rose to prominence in New York City during the 1940s, collaborating with other jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. Parker's innovative technique, marked by rapid tempos, intricate melodies, and advanced harmonies, revolutionized jazz and set the standard for modern improvisation. He led his own quintet, performed internationally, and recorded many iconic tracks such as "Ornithology," "Koko," and "Parker's Mood." Parker also struggled with heroin, alcohol abuse and mental illness throughout his life. He passed away in 1955 at the young age of 34.
Trivia
Charlie Parker got his nickname, “Yardbird" (later shortened to "Bird"), in 1940 after his tour bus hit a chicken and Parker insisted it be cooked for dinner. Four of Charlie Parker's recordings were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Birdland, the renowned New York jazz club, opened in 1949 and was named after Charlie Parker to take advantage of his extraordinary popularity at the time.
Early Life
Charlie Parker was born in Kansas City, Kansas in 1920 and moved to Kansas City, Missouri as a child. Growing up in a lively jazz hub, Parker was surrounded by the sounds of swing, blues, and gospel. He started playing the saxophone at age 11 and then joined his high school band at age 14. He dropped out of school a year later to pursue music full time and began playing with local bands. After a humiliating experience at a jam session with the Count Basie Orchestra, Parker dedicated himself to practicing 15 hours a day. In 1937, a much improved player, he joined Jay McShann's orchestra and in 1939 he made his way to New York City.
Charlie Parker Solos
1948
Alto Sax solo - Barbados - 1948
4/4 swing in F major at 167 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Au-Leu-Cha - 1948
4/4 swing in F major at 178 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Constellation - 1948
4/4 swing in C major at 334 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Parker's Mood - 1948
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 79 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Parker's Mood - 1948
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 73 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Perhaps - 1948
4/4 swing in C major at 201 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Marmaduke - 1948
4/4 swing in F major at 195 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Steeplechase - 1948
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 176 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Merry-Go-Round - 1948
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 300 BPM
1947
Alto Sax solo - This Is Always - 1947
4/4 ballad in E♭ major at 73 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Dark Shadows - 1947
4/4 swing in E♭ major at 93 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Bird's Nest - 1947
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 291 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Cool Blues - 1947
4/4 swing in C major at 164 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Relaxin' At Camarillo - 1947
4/4 swing in C major at 198 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Cheers - 1947
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 227 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Carvin' The Bird - 1947
4/4 swing in E♭ major at 228 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Stupendous - 1947
4/4 swing in E♭ major at 232 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Donna Lee - 1947
4/4 swing in A♭ major at 226 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Chasin' the Bird - 1947
4/4 swing in F major at 190 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Cheryl - 1947
4/4 swing in C major at 186 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Buzzy - 1947
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 217 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Milestones - 1947
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 156 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Little Willie Leaps - 1947
4/4 swing in F major at 227 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Half Nelson - 1947
4/4 swing in C major at 190 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Sippin' at Bells - 1947
4/4 swing in F major at 211 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Dexterity - 1947
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 224 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Bongo Bop - 1947
4/4 swing in C major at 162 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Dewey Square - 1947
4/4 swing in E♭ major at 182 BPM
Alto Sax solo - The Hymn - 1947
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 322 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Bird of Paradise - 1947
4/4 swing in A♭ major at 117 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Embraceable You - 1947
4/4 ballad in F major at 76 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Bird Feathers - 1947
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 226 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Klact-Oveeseds-Tene - 1947
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 250 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Scrapple From The Apple - 1947
4/4 swing in F major at 201 BPM
Alto Sax solo - My Old Flame - 1947
4/4 ballad in F major at 68 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Out of Nowhere - 1947
4/4 ballad in G major at 65 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Don't Blame Me - 1947
4/4 ballad in C major at 66 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Drifting on a Reed - 1947
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 211 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Quasimodo - 1947
4/4 swing in E♭ major at 140 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Charlie's Wig - 1947
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 195 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Bongo Beep - 1947
4/4 swing in C major at 187 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Crazeology - 1947
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 258 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Another Hairdo - 1947
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 192 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Bluebird - 1947
4/4 swing in E♭ major at 127 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Klauntsance - 1947
4/4 swing in F major at 306 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Bird Gets the Worm - 1947
4/4 swing in A♭ major at 364 BPM
1946
Alto Sax solo - Diggin' Diz - 1946
4/4 swing in C major at 204 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Moose the Mooche - 1946
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 211 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Yardbird Suite - 1946
4/4 swing in C major at 212 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Ornithology - 1946
4/4 swing in G major at 223 BPM
Alto Sax solo - A Night In Tunisia - 1946
4/4 swing in D minor at 175 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Max Making Wax - 1946
4/4 swing in C major at 330 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Bebop - 1946
4/4 swing in F minor at 316 BPM
1945
Alto Sax solo - Warmin' Up A Riff - 1945
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 230 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Billie's Bounce - 1945
4/4 swing in F major at 161 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Now's The Time - 1945
4/4 swing in F major at 130 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Anthropology - 1945
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 227 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Meandering - 1945
4/4 ballad in E♭ major at 60 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Ko-Ko - 1945
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 302 BPM
1944
Alto Sax solo - Tiny's Tempo - 1944
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 212 BPM
Alto Sax solo - I'll Always Love You Just The Same - 1944
4/4 swing in C major at 91 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Romance Without Finance - 1944
4/4 swing in E♭ major at 188 BPM
Alto Sax solo - Red Cross - 1944
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 208 BPM