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Product Description
Product Description
This work on Charlie "Bird" Parker offers a picture of not only of the saxophonist-composer as an artist and as a human being, but also of zeitgeist and the musical/social setting that produced him. It shows his complex personality; his great appetites; the extent of his influence; and his work.
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First Sentence
When Charlie Parker appeared on the jazz scene nobody knew much about him. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
When Charlie Parker appeared on the jazz scene nobody knew much about him. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read this book because I was interested in finding out about Charlie Parker, after reading Ian Carr's Miles Davis biography, and reading how highly Miles rated Bird. This book is at least the other's equal, and tells a harrowing story of a man way ahead of his time spiralling into a drugs hell. A great read, it will improve your knowledge of jazz history in Parker's revolutionary times, and your appreciation of the man's music (often hard to follow, but ultimately rewarding) while drawing you into the far more personal aspect of the destruction of a man, often betrayed by a world not yet ready for him.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The opening chapter is marvellous. A fictional account of Benedetti recording Bird in action. The rest of the book is good too, but much of it has to be taken with a pinch of salt. Russell has been credited with creating many of the myths surrounding Parker and his life. I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that Russell holds copyright on all the Dial recordings? A good story, but the Charlie Parker Companion is a much more factual and interesting and not imbued with as much artistic licence.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is a very fun book to read. It's written in novel form, as well, and you can just think of how Parker's life must have been like. But the problem is with Russell, that he seems to be building his book too much around myths. This makes the book fun too read, but you can just wonder if it's true or not. For example, Russell made Benedetti a much better sax player than he originally was, which makes us so incredibly impressed over Charlie PArker, that it's unbelievable. But don't get me wrong, Charlie Parker is a jazz titan, and he really knew his stuff, but if Russell had documented every source of information, lots of things, I believe, would have been erased. Then the book would be a bit more boring. But read it, because it describes the atomesphere of the late-40s America, very well.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Bird lives
I bought this for my husband who is a huge fan of Charlie Parker, I was worried it may be similar to other books he has read about this musician. Read more
Published 4 months ago by willow watcher
Fantastic account of multi-personalitied Jazz legend
A fast paced book concerning some of the most fantastic subject matter this reader has ever encountered. Read more
Published on 8 May 2009 by Brian P. Richards
The best biography I've ever read. 2 thumbs up!
Though it's been 20 yrs, it seems like I read this book yesterday. Not only an indepth insight into one of the greatest artists in history, the book captures the feel of 'The... Read more
Published on 5 Feb 1998
Lucid insight into the tragic genius of Charlie Parker.
Charlie Parker was a troubled genius, a brilliant musician and Jazz giant who's influence
transcends his life and times. Read more
transcends his life and times. Read more
Published on 8 Jun 1996
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