How Many Remember Bird

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 25 Aug 2012 10:24 am

Sometimes when I get a craving for some REAL music by a REAL artist,I pull out some of my Charlie Parker stuff.He was my first musicial hero when I was a kid in the forties,Even tho I was raised on a small farm WAAAAAY back in the sticks I heard some REAL music on that little plastic Motorolo radio.I listened to and learned to love Bigband,Jazz,AND the grand ole opry.But Charlie was the one that made me want to be a picker.He was one of a kind.It's so sad like so many great pickers he would'nt leave the dope alone.YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 25 Aug 2012 10:52 am

If one has ever known the music of Charlie Parker, it can't be forgotten.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 25 Aug 2012 11:17 am

Bird invented a whole new language! How many people can make that claim??

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 25 Aug 2012 11:23 am

On leave from the military in the early sixties I wandered into Birdland..

Russ Wever · Post by **Russ Wever** » 25 Aug 2012 4:11 pm

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 25 Aug 2012 7:31 pm

Of course. I don't know many musicians who don't have at least a passing familiarity with Charlie Parker. I find it hard to picture any modern musician who hasn't been influenced to some degree or another, even if they aren't disciples.

Nick Powers · Post by **Nick Powers** » 25 Aug 2012 11:38 pm

did it ever get better than Charlie Parker?

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 26 Aug 2012 6:05 am

Bird is great but those of us born too late will not really get the feel of what it was like since, other than some few rare live recordings, he was limited to the 3 minute single.

But of that group, it is Theloneous Monk who for me is the real hero. Having read more books and done more research into this era than I care to admit, I've become convinced that Bird and Dizzy were really exploring the harmonic language that Monk developed. For me, as brilliant as these other artists are, Monk does not get the credit he deserves as the father of bebop harmony.

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 26 Aug 2012 8:08 am

Clint Eastwood made a pretty good movie called "Bird". As I remember, the soundtrack was Bird playing (from original recordings) with a modern (late 80's) rhythm section dubbed in behind him. I borrowed a sax once and learned two songs, one of which was "Now's the Time" (easy head).

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 26 Aug 2012 10:07 am

Clint Eastwood is a pretty good jazz and blues pianist in his own right, by the way.

Yes, Charlie Parker influenced us all, even if we were mainly listening to other styles of music at the time.

John Alexander · Post by **John Alexander** » 31 Aug 2012 11:22 pm

Just in case anyone has not seen video of Charlie Parker:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjElQ6Ekr9o

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 2 Sep 2012 8:31 pm

Thanks for that John,That was great,By the way notice the LACK of cymbals on that drum kit.A lot of drummers think they can't play without wall to wall cymbals.One of the best drummers I ever worked with back in the 70's[Johnnie Wall,from NYC,could carry his whole kit in a club in one trip. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.