On May 8th, 1947, Charlie Parker (Bird) entered Harris Smith Studios for his “homecoming” recording date for Savoy Records, the first since his return to New York City on April 7th. Bird was in robust health, free of his heroin addiction, and filled with ambition. At long last he had assembled the quintet of his dreams, and he was bringing in two extraordinary new compositions. Three out of the four songs recorded that day were destined to become classics. And yet the performances are vexed in ways that are difficult to account for. All we can do is guess. It’s … Continue reading Weekly Posting, May 8th, 2020

Check out Kevin Sun’s website for a recent post about Bird’s performances of “This Time the Dream’s On Me”. Excellent transcriptions and informed commentary. Here’s a day-by-day reconstruction of Bird’s trip to Sweden in November 1950. Hat tip to Kevin Sun for the link. Back in May 2020, Oxford University Press published “Charlie Parker, Composer” by Henry Martin. The publisher’s teaser comes on pretty strong, saying it’s the “first book to examine the totality of a major jazz composer’s works.” Get a preview by reading Mr. Martin’s article for MTO, a journal of the Society of Music Theory. In the … Continue reading Websites and posts worth a look

Here’s a recent attempt at cashing in on Bird’s legacy. More to come…. Hal Leonard publishes “Charlie Parker – The Complete Scores” “Hal Leonard celebrates the 100th anniversary of Charlie “Bird” Parker with this deluxe hardcover Complete Scores book featuring note-for-note transcriptions of 40 classic performances for saxophones, trumpet, piano, bass and drums. This is a true celebration of an American music icon, the preeminent alto saxophonist who was one of the fathers of bebop and blah blah blah….” $60 Continue reading Corporate America says, “Celebrate Bird’s centennial – with our products!”

Charlie Parker, Luciano Pavarotti and August Wilson are the three posthumous “entertainment professionals” whose names will be added to the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in 2021. Press release here. Continue reading Charlie Parker to be honored in 2021 with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

This is big. A 120 hour special broadcast devoted to Charlie Parker. Broadcast live on wkcr 88.9FM in NYC and streaming live at wkcr.org. “Commencing at midnight August 29th and concluding at midnight September 3rd, WKCR-FM (89.9 FM, wkcr.org) will present the Charlie Parker Centennial Festival, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of a colossal figure in American music with a 120-hour marathon broadcast. The Festival will air 24 hours a day, and will showcase the majority of the saxophonist’s extensive discography, including both commercially issued material and rarities. Beginning each day with a potpourri of studio recordings and concerts, … Continue reading WKCR’s 2020 Charlie Parker Centennial Birthday Broadcast: midnight August 29 – midnight Sept 3

Bird’s hometown offers an abbreviated tribute August 21,22,28 29. Details here. Continue reading Kansas City’s American Jazz Museum Presents a Charlie Parker Centennial Mini Series

Events include a listening party, a round-table discussion, and visual arts & dance inspired by Bird. All on line, details here. Continue reading Online Charlie Parker Celebration at the 92nd St Y planned for August 28-29

Short and illuminating From Randi Hultin’s book “Born Under The Sign Of Jazz” “I was a close friend of Parker’s during the time I lived in California and went to high school – this was in the forties, just after he left Dizzy Gillespie. Addison [Art’s twin brother] and I had rented a big room to practice in, and Charlie Parker used to come there often – sometimes to get away from people, and other times because he didn’t have anything else to do. We used to go to the movies together, but nobody had any money, so we waited … Continue reading An Art Farmer story about Charlie Parker

On August 8 1951, Charlie Parker recorded 4 sides for Norman Granz and Clef Records, with Red Rodney, John Lewis, Ray Brown, and Kenny Clarke. One of Bird’s tunes was titled “Swedish Schapps.” On September 10 1953, Gene Krupa recorded 8 sides for Norman Granz and Clef Records, with Charlie Shavers, Ben Webster, Bill Harris, Teddy Wilson, Herb Ellis, and Ray Brown. The band recorded a Charlie Shavers original entitled “Swedish Schnapps.” [Curiously, this recording seems to be in concert A major. Either Clef was careless about issuing it at the correct speed or Shavers wrote in a most unusual … Continue reading A Double Schnapps

Here’s a mid-century New York City story, one of many where Bebop and Modern European concert music share a moment together; both kinds of music were enjoying some vitality in New York during the early 1950s. Bird plays a supporting role here in a remembrance that’s primarily about composer/pedagogue Stefan Wolpe. During this era Wolpe had several composition students who were active in the Jazz world: George Russell, John Carisi, Eddie Sauter, Bill Finegan and others. Clarinetist/raconteur/all-around-hep-cat Tony Scott fills us in: “Stefan was my teacher and dear friend.[…] and we had some wonderful times together. I lived at 81 … Continue reading Tony Scott: Stefan Wolpe and Charlie Parker cross paths