American jazz saxophonist and composer. Born: 29 Aug 1920 in Kansas City, Kansas, USA. Died: 12 March 1955 in New York City, New York, USA . Best known as simply 'Bird' . Widely considered to be one of the most influential of jazz saxophonists, jazz musicians, and indeed musicians in general. Not to be confused with the violinist, Charles Parker.
His instrumental recording, "Barbados" (featuring Miles Davis on trumpet) was #15 on Billboard Magazines R&B charts in December 1948.
Inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians, 1994.
Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1979.
The lead character in Jim Jarmusch s first feature film, Permanent Vacation repeatedly says he wants to be "just like Charlie Parker".
Literary critic Harold Jack Bloom once wrote, "If God appeared in 19th Century America, it was as Ralph Waldo Emerson. In the 20th Century it would have been as Charlie Parker."
Along with trumpet legend Dizzy Gillespie , he created the sporadic rhythms known as "be bop" in the 1950s.
Is portrayed by Forest Whitaker in Bird .
He is the hero of Sebastian (Ryan Gosling ) in Damien Chazelle s film La La Land .
First you learn the instrument, then you learn the music, then you forget all that s**t and just play.
