Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader, and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form of jazz characterized by fast tempos, virtuosic technique, and advanced harmonies. He was a virtuoso and introduced revolutionary rhythmic and harmonic ideas into jazz, including rapid passing chords, new variants of altered chords, and chord substitutions. Parker primarily played the alto saxophone. Parker was an icon for the hipster subculture and later the Beat Generation, personifying the jazz musician as an uncompromising artist and intellectual rather than just an entertainer.
9 movies
Charlie Parker: Bird Songs
2022·6.8
Bird: Not Out Of Nowhere
2020·6.0
Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool
2019·7.1
Take Your Pills
2018·6.5
The Harlem Renaissance
2004·6.0
Improvisation
2004·0.0
Bluesland: A Portrait in American Music
1993·7.5
Celebrating Bird: The Triumph of Charlie Parker
1989·9.5
Improvisation
1950·5.0