LA Phil Store

Alto saxophonist Charlie Parker (1920–1955) was among the most influential jazz artists ever, and one of the few indisputable geniuses of his time. His tone ranged from clean and penetrating to sweet and somber. Parker acquired the nickname “Yardbird” early in his career on the road with Jay McShann. This, and the shortened form “Bird”, continued to be used for the rest of his life, inspiring the titles of a number of Parker compositions, such as “Bluebird”, “Ornithology”, “Bird Gets the Worm”, and “Bird of Paradise”. Presented here are some of his most outstanding studio recordings, all of them featuring his wonderful quintet with the great Miles Davis on trumpet.