Charlie Parker

Charlie Parker- He was the leading figure in the art of improvisational bop in the 1940's. He began playing when he was just 11 in his school band. In his late teen years Charlie Parker was practicing up to 15 hours a day. He continued this trend for nearly 4 years. After moving to new york he made huge advancements in improvisational techniques. Chromatic scales allowed him to connect all of the standard scales for better transitions. His work inspired other greats such as Coleman Hawkins. Charlie died of a heart attack at 34 due to heavy heroin use. Parker was the founder of the foundation of bebop music. His inventiveness and consistent playing made him one of the greatest saxophone artists of the century. His inventiveness and dedication to the jazz world makes Charlie Parker the most important figure in Jazz.