Photo: William P. Gottlieb / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Charlie Parker is, for me, simply non-negotiable when talking about jazz. Bird did not just play bebop; with his blistering speed and daring harmonies he essentially invented the language every modern improviser still speaks. What moves me most is the contrast between his catastrophically short 34-year life and the immortality that followed: posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement awards and repeated Hall of Fame honors. That gap says everything about how far ahead of his time he was. Whenever I hear that alto tone, I am reminded that some musicians do not merely perform, they burn, and Parker burned brighter and faster than almost anyone.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Charlie Parker
- Name (Japanese)
- チャーリー・パーカー
- Reading
- ちゃーりー・ぱーかー
- Born
- August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Virgo / Monkey
- Origin
- Kansas City, Kansas, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- saxophonist / jazz musician / musician / composer
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Lincoln High School
- University
- Lincoln College Preparatory Academy
Awards & achievements
- 1984 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- 1974 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance
- 1983 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- 1987 Grammy Hall of Fame
- 1994 Grammy Hall of Fame
- 2011 Kansas Music Hall of Fame
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Charlie Parker born?
August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955.
Where is Charlie Parker from?
Charlie Parker is from Kansas City, Kansas, United States.
What does Charlie Parker do?
Charlie Parker works as saxophonist, jazz musician, musician, composer.
Saxophonist — see all → · Jazz musician — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.