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Chasin' The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker has been idolized by generations of jazz musicians and fans. Indeed, his spectacular musical abilities--his blinding speed and brilliant improvisational style--made Parker a legend even before his tragic death at age thirty-four.
Now, in Chasin' The Bird , Brian Priestley offers a marvelous biography of this jazz icon, ranging from his childhood in Kansas City to his final harrowing days in New York. Priestley offers new insight into Parker's career, beginning as a teenager single-mindedly devoted to mastering the
saxophone. We follow Parker on his first trip to New York, penniless, washing dishes for $9.00 a week at Jimmy's Chicken Shack, a favorite hangout of the great Art Tatum, whose stunning speed and ingenuity were an influence on the young musician. Priestley sheds light on Parker's collaborations with
Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Bud Powell, Mary Lou Williams, and Thelonious Monk, and he illuminates such classic recordings as "Salt Peanuts" and "A Night in Tunisia" and Parker's own compositions "Shaw 'Nuff" and "Yardbird Suite"--music which defined an era. Priestley also gives us an unflinching
look at Parker's dark side--the drug abuse, heavy drinking, and tangled relations with women and the law. He recounts the death of Parker's daughter Pree, who was only two-and-a-half years old, and Parker's own death at thirty-four, in such wretched condition that the doctor listed his age as
fifty-three.
With an invaluable discography that lists every recording of Charlie Parker that has ever been made publicly available, here is a must-have biography of a true jazz giant, one that helps us penetrate the dazzling surface to grasp the artistry beneath.
Now, in Chasin' The Bird , Brian Priestley offers a marvelous biography of this jazz icon, ranging from his childhood in Kansas City to his final harrowing days in New York. Priestley offers new insight into Parker's career, beginning as a teenager single-mindedly devoted to mastering the
saxophone. We follow Parker on his first trip to New York, penniless, washing dishes for $9.00 a week at Jimmy's Chicken Shack, a favorite hangout of the great Art Tatum, whose stunning speed and ingenuity were an influence on the young musician. Priestley sheds light on Parker's collaborations with
Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Bud Powell, Mary Lou Williams, and Thelonious Monk, and he illuminates such classic recordings as "Salt Peanuts" and "A Night in Tunisia" and Parker's own compositions "Shaw 'Nuff" and "Yardbird Suite"--music which defined an era. Priestley also gives us an unflinching
look at Parker's dark side--the drug abuse, heavy drinking, and tangled relations with women and the law. He recounts the death of Parker's daughter Pree, who was only two-and-a-half years old, and Parker's own death at thirty-four, in such wretched condition that the doctor listed his age as
fifty-three.
With an invaluable discography that lists every recording of Charlie Parker that has ever been made publicly available, here is a must-have biography of a true jazz giant, one that helps us penetrate the dazzling surface to grasp the artistry beneath.
264 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 20, 2014
This book is an expansion of Priestley's short volume on Parker published in 1984 in the Jazz Masters series. In its expanded version, it's still not a long book, but Priestley shows excellent insight; he almost always focuses on the most important biographical and musical details. There is a lengthy discography, which covers all of Parker's issued recordings, at least up until 2006, when this book was published. This feature will likely seem a waste of space to the casual reader, but it's extremely valuable to hard-core Parker fans. Priestly's writing is clear and easy to follow. Recommended for Parker fans or for those who want to find out more about the saxophonist who remains the most remarkable improviser jazz has produced.
February 21, 2018
Dry-ish, but thorough.
February 28, 2008
Charlie "Bird" Parker was an amazing jazz player who, along with Dizzy Gillespie and others, helped form the Bop movement. Unfortunately, he was also unable to keep his addictions under control and ended up dead at the age of 34. The doctor, according to Priestley, thought he was 53 at the time of death, the drugs and alcohol had wrecked his body so badly.
This book is the story, as best as can be pieced together from sketchy sources and unreliable loves, of the talented and troubled young man who reportedly was the source used to model Woody Woodpecker's laugh. Not unlike a jazz-world version of Britney Spears, Parker went through his life getting better for a bit then going right back down the spiral again, going lower and lower with each such relapse. Frequently fired, even by Miles Davis, he went from place to place and even coast to coast trying to find a way to get better. Sadly, there seems to have been no hope for him, and no one close enough in his life to keep him away from the things that harmed him before it was too late.
Priestley does a very good job of finding a way to make sense of often sparse details, especially in the early going. Like most jazz men, Parker's early life is sketchy, as a racist society cared very little for the coming and going of African Americans near the turn of the century. Starting on an alto saxophone, he rose like a rocket through the musical scene, making it big and getting all the way to New York. But the better things got for Parker musically, they got worse personally.
The book winds its way through a pattern of getting better, playing a bit, and getting worse. Bad record deals didn't help, either, and we are lucky that so many fans taped the jazz shows they attended or so much of Parker's brief musically life would have been lost. (Granted, some of these are of dubious quality, but I am of the opinion that live music--particularly live jazz music--is the bet way to see an artist truly perform.) Jazz figures, including Gillespie, Davis, Powell, Roach, Ray Brown, Rich, and Blakey weave their way in and out of the narrative, either playing with Parker or rising above him in the popular eye due to their better control of their vices. (Davis may be the most notable of these, an addict who cleaned himself up and went on for a long and critically acclaimed career.)
It's hard at times to read this book, because it's much like reading about a train wreck--you know the destruction is coming, it's just a matter of time. Still, Priestley does a good job of not being overly dramatic with the text, laying things out as factually as possible. But when you read Parker's pleas to be allowed to perform to help his sick child, it's hard not to feel a wave of emotion like the wail of his sax.
The book ends with a brief discussion of his musical style, described as "for laymen" but was over my head as well as a bit about his legacy and a great discography. This book is just what I like in a biography--not too long, sticks to the facts, and gives you a lot of good information. Highly recommended for any jazz fan. (Library, 10/07)
Trebby's Take: A great biography.
This book is the story, as best as can be pieced together from sketchy sources and unreliable loves, of the talented and troubled young man who reportedly was the source used to model Woody Woodpecker's laugh. Not unlike a jazz-world version of Britney Spears, Parker went through his life getting better for a bit then going right back down the spiral again, going lower and lower with each such relapse. Frequently fired, even by Miles Davis, he went from place to place and even coast to coast trying to find a way to get better. Sadly, there seems to have been no hope for him, and no one close enough in his life to keep him away from the things that harmed him before it was too late.
Priestley does a very good job of finding a way to make sense of often sparse details, especially in the early going. Like most jazz men, Parker's early life is sketchy, as a racist society cared very little for the coming and going of African Americans near the turn of the century. Starting on an alto saxophone, he rose like a rocket through the musical scene, making it big and getting all the way to New York. But the better things got for Parker musically, they got worse personally.
The book winds its way through a pattern of getting better, playing a bit, and getting worse. Bad record deals didn't help, either, and we are lucky that so many fans taped the jazz shows they attended or so much of Parker's brief musically life would have been lost. (Granted, some of these are of dubious quality, but I am of the opinion that live music--particularly live jazz music--is the bet way to see an artist truly perform.) Jazz figures, including Gillespie, Davis, Powell, Roach, Ray Brown, Rich, and Blakey weave their way in and out of the narrative, either playing with Parker or rising above him in the popular eye due to their better control of their vices. (Davis may be the most notable of these, an addict who cleaned himself up and went on for a long and critically acclaimed career.)
It's hard at times to read this book, because it's much like reading about a train wreck--you know the destruction is coming, it's just a matter of time. Still, Priestley does a good job of not being overly dramatic with the text, laying things out as factually as possible. But when you read Parker's pleas to be allowed to perform to help his sick child, it's hard not to feel a wave of emotion like the wail of his sax.
The book ends with a brief discussion of his musical style, described as "for laymen" but was over my head as well as a bit about his legacy and a great discography. This book is just what I like in a biography--not too long, sticks to the facts, and gives you a lot of good information. Highly recommended for any jazz fan. (Library, 10/07)
Trebby's Take: A great biography.
August 8, 2007
I've read several Parker biographies and this seems to be the best. It doesn't shy away from the addictions, but the focus is on the music. Huge discography in appendices.
August 22, 2023
This is a serviceable book that fulfilled my basic desire for a rundown on Parker’s life and some generalized criticism of his music; considering that it’s basically just a monograph, it’s quite well-written and informative. The only problem is that the various more involved biographies probably do better work, and holy bejeezus am I lost when it comes time for the music theory chapter — but that’s my fault, not the book’s. There’s also a discography / sessionography which is probably better served by the internet now. It’s a noble effort all in all, just doesn’t suggest much staying power; in fact the book itself points you in the direction of several more extensive texts!
January 26, 2011
I read like 3 pages and just really did not like the writing style. There have to be other good Charlie Parker biographies to read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews