Quote of the Day: Happy Birthday Charlie "Yardbird" Parker: August 29, 1920
“He had just what we needed. He had the line and he had the rhythm. The way he got from one note to the other and the way he played the rhythm fit what we were trying to do perfectly. We heard him and knew the music had to go his way…. He was the other half of my heartbeat.”
— Dizzy Gillespie
“Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker.”
— Miles Davis (summarizing the history of jazz)
Charlie Parker, aka Bird, pioneered the style of jazz known as bebop, which revolutionized the way jazz is played today. A true musical genious, he lived a fast lifestyle frought with addiction, contributing to his untimely death at age 34. You can listen to his music all day long by following the link to the Columbia University Music Station: WKCR.org