He Changed Music — But Do We Really Know How? | Charlie Parker

What's going on, everybody! Welcome to another episode of To Be or Not to Bop. I had the most fun making this episode! Charlie Parker isn't just one of my favorite jazz musicians — he's one of my favorite musicians, period. Bird's music has been a part of my life since I was a kid, long before I became a professional jazz musician myself. We all say Bird’s the greatest but I think he has been taken for granted. One of the things that blew my mind while listening to Charlie Parker speak in interviews is that he didn't seem particularly interested in presenting himself as some revolutionary who came along to change what existed before him. When he's asked about how radically different his playing was, Bird basically says: that's just the way I thought the music should go. And when he's told that he and the other bebop pioneers must have been dissatisfied with the music that came before them, he actually corrects the interviewer. They weren't dissatisfied. They just had another conception. I think there's something really deep in that. Sometimes genius and innovation aren't intentional. Sometimes the people who change an art form aren't sitting around trying to be innovative or original. They absorb what came before them, develop a strong conception of what they believe is beautiful, and follow that conception as honestly as they can. Then innovation is the result! That's a big part of what I want to explore in Part 1 of this Charlie Parker deep dive. We're going beyond the double time, bebop vocabulary, harmony, enclosures and the Omnibook and listening for Bird the musician — his sound, time, phrasing, articulation, blues feeling, musical openness and his incredible conception of what music could be. We'll also hear Bird in his own words discussing practicing 11–15 hours a day, his love of Bartók, the origins of bebop, his respect for other styles of music, and what he actually thought about his own place in all of this. And I'll share some of my personal connection to Bird, including a very special book that's been in my family since I was a child: To Bird With Love. This isn't a biography of Charlie Parker. It's about going back to the music and asking: We know he changed music. But do we really know how? ➡️ If you're enjoying the show and want to support the work, donations are welcome below. https://ko-fi.com/tobeornottobop In Part 2, we're going directly to the records — some of my personal favorites, some rare Bird, and some things you may not have heard before. New episodes of To Be or Not to Bop drop weekly. Thanks for listening, watching, and being part of the conversation. To be or not to bop? That is the question. #CharlieParker #Bird #Bebop #ToBeOrNotToBop #JazzHistory #BlackMusic #JazzEducation #JazzMusic