Download Charlie Parker:Charles "Charlie" Parker, Jr.

(Charles "Charlie" Parker, Jr. (August 29,
1920 – March 12, 1955), also known as "Yardbird" and "Bird”, he was an American jazz
saxophonist and composer.)
MUSICAL STYLES & FAMOUS RECORDINGS
TEVON SMALLPIECE
DAVID JONES
YANNIER ALVAREZ
PRINCE WHITE
DECEMBER 18, 2012
 Parker was a jazz soloist who influenced a leading
figure in the development of bebop.
 Parker introduced a change of tone ideas, including
rapid passing chords, new variants of altered chords,
and chord substitutions.
 He had different tones that ranged from clean and
penetrating to sweet and somber.
 Parker recordings was an example of complex
melodic lines, which sometimes combined jazz with
other musical genres, like the blues, classic, and
Latin.
 Most of Parkers famous recording were based off of
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his childhood nickname “Bird”.
Yardbird Suite
Ornithology
Bird Gets the Worm
Bird of Paradise
 In the late 1930’s Charlie started to practice on his
music, it is said he spent up to 15 hours a day for
about 3 to 4 years practicing. Bands led by count
Besie and Bennie Moten had a huge influence on
Charlie and his music. For the most part Charlie
played with local bands in clubs around Kansas City,
Missouri.
 In 1939 Charlie Parker moved to New York City in
order to pursue a life in music. Besides music Charlie
had a number of jobs one including being a dish
washer at a local food place called Jimmie's Chicken
Shack. After a few years Charlie went to play with a
man named Earl Hines for one year. He then played
his music at a large amount of night clubs around the
Harlem area.
 He first started playing the saxophone at age 11
 3–4 of which he practiced up to 15 hours a day
 He played with local bands around Kansas and
Missouri. where he perfected his skills
 In 1938, He joined pianist Jay McShann‘s bands
were he made his debut.
 Charlie ‘’Bird Parker won many awards. He won
Grammy award he won best performance by a soloist
.
Grammy Hall of Fame Awards
1945- Billies Bounce Award
1953- Jazz at Massey Hall award
1946- Ornithology Award
 Charlie left a legacy that most jazz musicians would
never forget. To start with he knew his roots and was
proud of where in came from.
 Mr. Bird was a innovator who represented
modernism. Many remembered Charlie as a jazz
musician who took jazz to various levels.
 Charlie took pride in what he did, and embraced it to
become a better musician. The early bird was also
known as Ko-ko and is still remembered as first best
bebop ever recorded
 Played saxophone
 Attend Lincoln High School
 Started playing instruments at age 11
 Father was a pianist, dancer, and a singer.
 Moved to New York City in 1939
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Parker