1951 was a year of change for Charlie Parker (Bird), and not necessarily for the better. 1950 had seen its share of triumphs, including the commercial success of “Charlie Parker with Strings” and, in December, a tour of Sweden, where he was treated as an artist, not as an entertainer. But Bird canceled a final performance in order to fly straight back to New York. He was suffering from severe stomach pains and was, it would appear, trying to get back to his new wife, Chan. After a couple of agonizing days at home, he was convinced to go to … Continue reading Weekly Post, January 17th, 2020

Tonight, we are celebrating the birthday of Francis Leon Parker, the first of Charlie Parker’s two sons, who was born eighty-two years ago today. It’s the least we can do, given that he lived out his life in obscurity. Charlie … Continue reading Weekly Posting, January 10th, 2020