Kansas City-born saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker lived a short but impactful life that will be celebrated again this year on Aug. 29, what would have been his 105th birthday.
In the 1940s, Parker revolutionized jazz as a leading architect of bebop. He only lived to be 35, but in that time, his innovations reshaped modern jazz and cemented him as one of the most influential musicians in American music history.
Since 2014, Kansas City has been celebrating Charlie Parker Day and the Annual Charlie Parker Celebration with live jazz performances, music boot camps, historic tours, and exhibits at the American Jazz Museum, among other tributes.
This year the celebration kicks off at 7:30 a.m. with a continental breakfast at the Jazz Museum then moves at 8 a.m. to the Bird Lives sculpture for a musical salute to Parker by jazz musicians Dan Thomas, Lonnie McFadden and Gerald Dunn. The sculpture is located on the east side of 17th Terr. between Vine and Paseo.
Other events for day include:
Jazz Storytelling, American Jazz Museum, 10 a.m. This special session for children and families. The interactive program will introduce young audiences to Parker’s life and music.
Jazz at Noon in the Blue Room, 1600 E. 18th St., noon. This Saxophone Summit will feature Brad Gregory, Houston Smith and Dan Thomas playing a selection of classic jazz tunes.
Indigo Hour, at the Blue Room, 5:30 p.m. Featuring vocalist Delynia Jannell
Saxophone Summitt, Blue Room, 8:30 – 10 p.m. Featuring Brad Gregory, Houston Smith and Dan Thomas.
Gravesite Tours
Throughout the day, there will be shuttles to Parker’s Gravesite at LIncoln Cemetery. The shuttles will leave from in front of the Jazz Museum at: 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 4 p.m. The shuttle is $10.
The Charlie Parker Day Celebration is sponsored in part by the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund.
It would be really nice if someone had the time to track down The Oppenheimers in the LA area and thank them for their foresight and leadership of donating the funds for the memorial sculpture. Marty is a Kansas City born and raised arts patron and philanthropist. Congressman Cleaver was instrumental in encouraging the participation of the Oppenheimers. Sorry…I have no address for them.
For fun, it would be very productive and enlightening to list all the (caucasian) donors who have helped make the eastide proud, and better. All the way back prior to Civil Rights.