Charlie Parker on tenor

CMelodyMan · Charlie Parker on tenor

I've searched everywhere, and I can't find one article that says that CP ever even picked up a tenor saxophone. Has anyone ever heard of Charlie Parker playing tenor?

JPSaxMan

Maybe because he didn't? Confused

JPSaxMan

I don't think so. I think alto was his main axe and he wanted it that way! Cool

saxmaniac

I don't think so. I do believe he played bari in high school though.

saxmanrex · Charile Parker played a lot of tenor.

He played extensively on tenor in 1944 when the recording ban was in effect in New York City. He also recorded on tenor with Miles Davis under the name Charlie Chan (for contractual reasons). There is actually an album called Bird on tenor. It is very hard to find but I had a friend who had it once. The most famous recording of Bird on tenor is with Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins on the tune Milestones. The song was written by Max Roach. Bird takes the first tenor solo and Sonny Rollins solos right after him. Bird's solo was a little bit better than Rollin's but it was pretty close. The tune Milestones is very hard and i was very impressed with Bird' playing. Bird did not play the baritone sax in high school, he played the baritone horn. the baritone horn is more similar to a tuba than anything.

Charlie Parker also played tenor sax for a short period of time in one of the big bands that he played in. I can't remember which band or when but I know that he did. You have to remember that Bird was obsessed with the sax. That's all he did all day. He could play anything. He played Sidney Bechet's soprano sax when thy went to Paris in 1949 but it was never recorded. He played baritone sax at after hours jam sessions but they were never recorded. He just loved the saxophone completely.

CMelodyMan

That's awesome! I knew he must've played a tenor somewhere. So he played the baritone(actually euphonium) not the baritone saxophone in high school?

CMelodyMan

Rex, where'd you find that out at?

saxmanrex · Bird on Tenor

Yes the euphonium. I have been studying Bird for years and I have met quite a few people who actually played with hiim or saw him play. I have seen Phil Woods in concert (he married Bird's wife a year after Bird died), Frank Morgan (he played with Bird a lot and was his protege), Jackie McLean (another student of Bird's), and Roy Haynes (Bird's favorite drummer.) I have read virtually every book on him. My favorite is Ross Russell's book. (Ross Russell was Bird's manager in the late 40s and early 50s.) I have read so much on him that I cant tell you exactly where I heard all of this about him, I just know it all. Here is an article that talks a little bit about Bird on tenor. The only thing that I can tell you is always keep your eyes and ears open, and the info will come to you. Hope that helps!

http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_id_parker_charlie.htm

CMelodyMan

Thanks for the link. I've been to that site before, and to the section on Bird, but I've never read his bio on that site.

Charlie Parker on tenor

Charile Parker played a lot of tenor.

Bird on Tenor