Charlie Parker - Leapfrog

Charlie Parker was born in 1920 in Kansas City. Charlie Parker was one of the greatest jazz musicians to ever live. He can be compared to Louis Armstrong with how influential he is the the evolution of jazz. Parker created a new form of jazz called bebop which is essentially super intense jazz improvisation.

Parker grew up through the great depression like many other jazz musicians and had his career going by World War 2. World War 2 was another frustrating time for African Americans since they were in the United States draft but their country never treated them like real citizens. There was still a struggle for equality in the African American society.

This frustration and struggle for equality became apart of the music. Bebop, as you will hear, is very quick and frantic reflecting the frustration of African Americans at the time. Bebop sometimes sounds a bit angry because of how quick and randoms the notes are being played. Charlie Parker pioneered this new type of jazz and it became quite popular with the young musicians. Unfortunately Parker died young in 1955 because of a drug addiction to heroine and morphine. I find this so sad because he was one of the greatest if not the greatest jazz musicians of all time. I think of what jazz could have become with a Charlie Parker not on drugs.

Listen to the posted song "Leapfrog" which features Charlie Parker on alto saxophone and Dizzy Gillespie on the trumpet. Listen to how quickly the two musicians are improvising, this is why Parker is one of the greats, his ability to jump from motif to motif in seconds while connecting them all together. Listen how it seems like they leave the rhythm section in the dust behind them. This music was much too fast to dance to or relax to so it was mostly played for other musicians in clubs and never became popular with the average person.