Celebrating the Genius of Charlie Parker on his 100th Birthday
Charlie Parker's Official Homepage: http://charlieparkermusic.com/
Charlie Parker is widely considered to be the greatest saxophonist who ever lived. His radical new style of playing music changed the way that everyone played: pianists, drummers, trumpeters etc. On August 29th, 2020, the entire world came out to celebrate this esteemed gentleman of jazz: the genius known as Mr. Charles "Bird" Parker.
Happy Birthday Bird!!
List of some of the people who formally recognized and celebrated Charlie Parker on or around what would have been his 100th birthday - August 29, 2020 (in no particular order):
- Singer Sheila Jordan
- Former U.S. President and Saxophonist Bill Clinton
- Saxophonist Grace Kelly
- Saxophonist Knoel Scott
- Joe Segal (August 24, 1926 - August 10, 2020), 2015 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Award Recipient, Founder and long-time Owner/Operator of Chicago's Jazz Showcase jazz club (starting in 1947)
- Jazz Producer Elexa Birdsong
- Drummer Terri Lyne Carrington
- Kim Parker - Charlie Parker's daughter
- Kansas City, Kansas Graveside Salute to Charlie Parker - Various Artists
- Guitarist Bruce Edwards
- Bassist Josh Ramos
- Trumpeter John Raymond
- Videographer Rich Sugg
- Jazz Lab Big Band - Various Artists
- Drummer Will Calhoun
- Saxophonist Ted Nash
- Guitarist Robby Krieger
- Chris Burnett, Artistic Director for Bird Boot Camp and Sax Salute
- Bassist Jennifer Vincent
- Bassist Christian McBride
- Musician Kokayi
- Saxophonist Sharel Cassity
- Saxophonist Jaleel Shaw
- Trumpeter and Jazz at Lincoln Center Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis
- Saxophonist T.K. Blue
- Wayne Segal, Owner of Chicago's Jazz Showcase
- Pianist Dan Nimmer
- Saxophonist Alex Garnett
- Pianist Jo Ann Daugherty
- Ystad Sweden Jazz Festival 2020 - Various Artists
- Saxophonist Sherman Victor Goines
- Saxophonist George Freeman
- Saxophonist Bobby Watson
- Drummer Dwayne "Cook" Broadnax
- Saxophonist Joshua Turnbull
- Bassist Carlos Henriquez
- Jon Batiste, Musical Director of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- Saxophonist Mason Fuller
- Saxophonist Vincent Herring
- Saxophonist Guilherme Tupinamba
- Saxophonist Walter Blanding
- Quinton Lucas, Mayor of Kansas City
- Saxophonist Greg Ward
- Pianist David Kikoski
- Saxophonist Dan Forshaw
- United States Marine Band - Various Artists
- Pianist Eli Yamin
- Saxophonist Gary Bartz
- Drummer Obed Calvaire
- Bassist Yasushi Nakamura
- Saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa
- Pianist Herbie Hancock
- Drummer Carl Allen
- Actor Jeff Golblum
- Pianist and Composer Jason Moran
- Charlie Parker Jazz Festival Executive Artistic Director Erika Elliot
- Saxophonist Sherman Irby
- Saxophonist Paul Nedzela
Please forgive me if you formally recognized and celebrated Bird's 100th birthday and are not on this list. I tried to add everyone that I could find.
“He was said to have a photographic memory: the ability to look at a piece of music once and know it ... for life. Saxophonist Teddy Edwards recalled seeing Charles Parker, seeing his second performance with Billy Eckstine’s Orchestra. Despite the fact that the Eckstine band played some very challenging arrangements, Bird played the whole night while sitting on his music.” - Herbie Hancock on Charlie Parker