Charles Parker, Jr., also known as Bird or Yardbird was an extraordinaire American alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and a lyric artist.
Parker played in their band during the late 1930s.
Parker recorded his first solos as a member of Jay McShann’s band, with whom he toured the eastern United States in 1940 to 1942.
He formed a friendship with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, which led Parker to develop new music in avant-garde jam sessions in New York’s Harlem.
Parker became addicted to drugs for several years.
