Charlie Parker – Improv 1950

Jazz great charlie Parker would have been 93 today. Only 34 when he died in 1955 from cardiac arrest, after many years of heroin addiction and alcoholism, Parker, known to his friends as “Bird,” left an indelible impression on the world of music. A true virtuoso on the alto-sax, Parker was adept at a variety of musical styles including jazz, bebop, blues, Latin and even classical. The above video was shot in 1950 and features a collection of greats including Parker, as well as Coleman Hawkins, Hank Jones, Ray Brown, and Buddy Rich. (Note: Parker is the one seated in the beginning of the clip.)

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