Charlie parker essay PDF

Preview

Summary

Download Charlie parker essay PDF

Description

Fall 2018 Prof. Armandi Charlie Parker, arguably one of the most influential jazz musicians in all of musical history was born in Kansas City, Kansas in 1920, and grew up in Kansas City, Missouri where he attended high school and was part of the high school band. At twelve years old Parker asked his mother to buy him an alto saxophone; as a young boy Parker would try to figure out how scores for movies were written. In the summer of 1935, as a fifteen-year old boy, he was laughed off of stage at a jam session with some of Kansas City’s professional musicians after which he withdrew from high school to join the local musicians’ union to pursue a serious musical career. He spent hours practicing to the point that his neighbors would complain. Parkers influencers include Lester Young, Louie Armstrong, and many others. While studying Young, Parker shifted from proficiency to originality. Parker mainly being influenced by Young, linked him to Armstrong as Young studied Armstrong’s improvisations specifically his Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings. Parker understood his influencer’s taste for long melodic lines. Parker’s story is so important because it shows how jazz music is connected throughout generations. Parker was informed by the best before his time. Charlie Parker was also influenced by his peers specifically Buster Smith and Biddy Fleet. With his peers he could explore new harmonics while building solos and chord progressions which are Parker’s signature sounds. Which lead to the development of a new form Bebop. The uniqueness of Parker’s sound is known for his dissonant harmonies and complex chromatics. Bebop was not accepted by many of the well-established jazz musicians at first. In 1939 Parker moved to New York City after leaving his high school sweetheart Rebecca Ruffin for a job Ben Webster offered him. While in New York Parker played with McShann’s

band after which he played with Earl Hines band where he met Dizzy Gillespie who he would later duo with. One of his first triumphs was while playing with McShann Orchestra in 1942 at the legendary Savoy Ballroom. Parker suffered from drug addiction specifically heroin use, which affected multiple facets of his life including his musical career. His addiction got to the point where he was banned from “Birdland” club named after his honor. People described his tendencies as “erratic” and “unpredictable”. He also was close to pawning his instrument for drugs. One of his band members was assigned to babysit Parker in order for him to come to shows on time. At a point Parker was virtually unemployable. Parker’s music was not payed attention to in the media at all, which is such a shame. Parker died at the young age of thirty-four in a New York City hotel because of his poor health. His body was flown back to Missouri, even though his unmarried partner mentioned that he wouldn’t have wanted that. They however were not married, and she had no legal say. Charlie Parker is one of the single greatest alto saxophonists and soloist in history. His sound is unparalleled and he held disciplined intellect behind his notes. He influenced many saxophonists who followed him including John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman....