Pbs jazz biography charlie

- [L.A Buckner] Cootie Williams, Duke Ellington's trumpet soloist, called Charlie Bird Parker, "the greatest individual musician that ever lived," and in the history of jazz there had never been one man who influenced all instruments.

So what exactly did Bird do to have such influence, and how did he do it all before dying at only 34 years old?

In this episode of Sound Field, we'll take a brief look at how Parker's relentless practicing helped inspire an evolution in bebop with another Kansas city jazz musician.

(saxophone music) There are many sub-genres of jazz, including Parker's bebop, but there's one really easy way to differentiate bebop from all other types.

All you gotta do is try to dance to it when you hear it.

Go ahead and try.

(Chicago plays) (Bebop plays) (Cheek to cheek plays) (Fine and dandy plays) Here's the thing, Charlie Parker didn't care if you danced to his music.

He sa