Chan’s autobiography offers up a lot on just who Bird was as a person as well. She noted Bird, outside of the music, really just wanted to be a normal father and live in the suburbs. Bird went to the grocery store, hung out in neighborhood bars in their area of NY, which were primarily Russian immigrants at the time, thus no one knew who he was, and he immersed himself in that life. Had he lived, Chan stated his intentions were to go to Paris and study composition and soak in that scene. Who knows how much he could have grown.
@@guitargil Yes, she had a thing for alto players. Before Bird there was with another alto man in her life, Johnny Bothwell, then after Bird it was of course Phil Woods, who gave Phil two children, but apparently Chan drove Phil mad and wanted to stay in Europe in the early 70s while Phil wanted to go back to make his mark, hell bent on making his mark on the American jazz scene which treated him so poorly in the 60s.
I love every opportunity this channel provides to hear Sonny Rollins speak, but I especially appreciate the context he provides in this clip on Charlie Parker and the environment that he (and Sonny) navigated at that time. Thank you for posting this, Bret.
I’ve known 6 people who knew Bird (including one British musician who had dinner with him!) and they’ve all talked about that experience as kind of central to their lives. Amazing how he still inspires.
@@JazzVideoGuyme too, I worked in woodwind artist support 12 years and knew a few musicians, including Rollins, Golson, and some others who'd worked with or met Bird and they used nothing but superlatives when describing the experiences. He still remains one of the very top influencers, decades after his death. If you play his music it's still so profound and fresh. Bird lives.
Parker was not only the greatest instrumentalist of the twentieth century he was innovator of the first order right up there with Stravinsky and Joyce it was wonderful to see and listen to Sonny Rollins the living God of the tenor saxophone.
Bird lived an extreme life: he achieved the highest levels of musicianship, while often living the lowest level due to his horrible drug addiction. It's so nice to know that he was a very humble guy who just wanted to live a regular life. He is one of the few musicians who I feel deep in my soul when I listen.
@@JazzVideoGuy Yes, I do believe it. I only met him once briefly when he was doing a week at Ronnie Scott's and Ronnie's partner Peter King introduced me to him because I wanted to book the band for a single in Liverpool.. I asked Sonny would he be interested and he said yes but that he didn't think he could do it (no free dates).. but I should check with his wife... It turned out that he couldn't do it, but the good side of it all was that I did get to see Sonny Rollins live in the mid 70's - which was really something :-)
Love this interview Bret. It’s so beautiful to hear Sonny Rollins speaking about Bird challenging additional social boundaries in addition to those musical ones he’s best know for. Thank you again!
Very interesting interview. It's great to remember the jazz history with that type of perspective : jazz was a force of emancipation for a lot of people.
When you reach the top there is no where to go but down I’m afraid. These artist are like fireworks they burn so bright and are spectacular but it’s brief
Read Buddy Collette's autobiography. It contains otherwise unpublished poetry by Bird - very moving sad poetry - but also it contains Collette's own conversation/interview with Bird. Collette asks Bird about his influences. Bird cites two inspirations - Lester Young - that's no surprise - but also CHARLIE CHRISTIAN! "I wanted my sax to sound like his guitar."
Bebop revolutionized music theory, dramatically expanding the possibilities available in composing all music, not just jazz. You hear the use of modern jazz chord progressions and scales in every movie soundtrack today. Bird, Coltrane, Monk, Miles and others were musical geniuses to equal any classical composers. Most of the rock guitar gods are rooted in jazz theory, but don't tell their fans. The themes of dozens of TV shows and movies are really modern jazz in the way they're written.
i recently watched whiplash the movie and they mention an anecdote about charlie parker. i would love it, if mainstream media would program content about jazz more often.
@@JazzVideoGuy "Thankfully, it's not the same in Europe" are you sure? being european I have a pretty different impression... but maybe in the US is even worse...
More greatness from Sonny. We are so lucky to have this guy still around, still as lucid as ever, unpretentious and avoid the usual spritual cliches that some of the other greats seem to rely on as gestures of profundity, and even now still able to contribute so much to the new biography. If only Miles had lived so long, he would have talked straight too, but would he have been so open?
Miles had all kinds of health problems, and was a genuine recluse, not just to look cool lol. I don’t think more years would have been very kind to him, but I too wish we had an ancient, healthy Miles around today, just to see what he’d do next.
The most important artists (visual and musical) are innovators. They often seem to have huge personalities as well, but not always. Quoting an art museum president who is an acquaintance, "98% of all art is crap." Not these guys!
Chan’s autobiography offers up a lot on just who Bird was as a person as well. She noted Bird, outside of the music, really just wanted to be a normal father and live in the suburbs. Bird went to the grocery store, hung out in neighborhood bars in their area of NY, which were primarily Russian immigrants at the time, thus no one knew who he was, and he immersed himself in that life. Had he lived, Chan stated his intentions were to go to Paris and study composition and soak in that scene. Who knows how much he could have grown.
Does Chan touch on her relationships before Bird TYIA
@@guitargil Yes, she had a thing for alto players. Before Bird there was with another alto man in her life, Johnny Bothwell, then after Bird it was of course Phil Woods, who gave Phil two children, but apparently Chan drove Phil mad and wanted to stay in Europe in the early 70s while Phil wanted to go back to make his mark, hell bent on making his mark on the American jazz scene which treated him so poorly in the 60s.
I would love to meet Sonny.
Charlie Parker is still helping us all know music and its possibilities.
Painting, decorating, creating, dreaming, dressing, expression, unmasking, running, walking and silence, beautiful that JAZZ to me
I love every opportunity this channel provides to hear Sonny Rollins speak, but I especially appreciate the context he provides in this clip on Charlie Parker and the environment that he (and Sonny) navigated at that time. Thank you for posting this, Bret.
I’ve known 6 people who knew Bird (including one British musician who had dinner with him!) and they’ve all talked about that experience as kind of central to their lives. Amazing how he still inspires.
I've had the same conversation with many musicians who knew him.
He was not only a giant of music, but had an enormous knoledge of anything that koncernes human life and kultur.
@@JazzVideoGuyme too, I worked in woodwind artist support 12 years and knew a few musicians, including Rollins, Golson, and some others who'd worked with or met Bird and they used nothing but superlatives when describing the experiences. He still remains one of the very top influencers, decades after his death. If you play his music it's still so profound and fresh. Bird lives.
Parker was not only the greatest instrumentalist of the twentieth century he was innovator of the first order right up there with Stravinsky and Joyce it was wonderful to see and listen to Sonny Rollins the living God of the tenor saxophone.
you speak the truth
Thank you for sharing this beautiful wisdom. Sonny ROLLINS is our greatest creative ARTIST.
No doubt!
Bird lived an extreme life: he achieved the highest levels of musicianship, while often living the lowest level due to his horrible drug addiction. It's so nice to know that he was a very humble guy who just wanted to live a regular life. He is one of the few musicians who I feel deep in my soul when I listen.
It's a great American tragedy.
@@JazzVideoGuy Yup.
Let's appreciate Sonny while he is still with us(as of 6/1/23)He,Roy Haynes and a very few others are the last of that era.
There are only two musicians left from the famous "Great Day in Harlem," photo, Sonny and Benny Golson. They are both in their 90s.
Herbie Hancock
Ron Carter!
Wonderfully straightforward and intelligent perspective ..no attempt at a sale - just telling it the way it was.
That's who Sonny Rollins is.
@@JazzVideoGuy Yes, I do believe it. I only met him once briefly when he was doing a week at Ronnie Scott's and Ronnie's partner Peter King introduced me to him because I wanted to book the band for a single in Liverpool.. I asked Sonny would he be interested and he said yes but that he didn't think he could do it (no free dates).. but I should check with his wife... It turned out that he couldn't do it, but the good side of it all was that I did get to see Sonny Rollins live in the mid 70's - which was really something :-)
Sonny Rollins is on the same level that few reach. Legend status.
My favourite sax player 100%
"Coltrane has taken over that mantle." Interesting to hear Sonny say that, as he is right up there beside Bird and Trane 😉
Dexter Gordon...
If Bird was alive today and we all heard him for the very first time, he would still have that same affect on all of us. Bird lives!
Agree!
@@JazzVideoGuy We know exactly where I'm coming from !
@@bobcosmic Great handle, by the way. Sounds like something you dreamed up during the Acid trip.
@@JazzVideoGuy Sorry to disappoint but I've always been on the trees from the West Indies. Strictly Ganja !
@@bobcosmic No disappointment, its familiar territory.
Love this interview Bret. It’s so beautiful to hear Sonny Rollins speaking about Bird challenging additional social boundaries in addition to those musical ones he’s best know for. Thank you again!
Glad you enjoyed it!
'lover man' recorded when he was ill really showed his musical heart.
Totally enjoy these musician's interviews.
Thanks!
Very interesting interview. It's great to remember the jazz history with that type of perspective : jazz was a force of emancipation for a lot of people.
Big Love for YOUR love of this music and its musicians. Thank you for your hard work!🙏🏽💖✌🏾
Really nice piece. Thanks Bret!
My pleasure!
great video! Jazz Video Guy serves the music.
I try!
It's interesting to speculate where Bird would have flown had he lived longer.
Trane, as well.
@@JazzVideoGuy Dolphy...
When you reach the top there is no where to go but down I’m afraid. These artist are like fireworks they burn so bright and are spectacular but it’s brief
Great stuff
Thanks, Bret. Great stuff, as always.
-Gordon 👍🎶
My pleasure!
Read Buddy Collette's autobiography. It contains otherwise unpublished poetry by Bird - very moving sad poetry - but also it contains Collette's own conversation/interview with Bird. Collette asks Bird about his influences. Bird cites two inspirations - Lester Young - that's no surprise - but also CHARLIE CHRISTIAN! "I wanted my sax to sound like his guitar."
Great interview!
Thank you, Bret and Sonny🌹🔥😎😎🌹🔥
Bebop revolutionized music theory, dramatically expanding the possibilities available in composing all music, not just jazz. You hear the use of modern jazz chord progressions and scales in every movie soundtrack today. Bird, Coltrane, Monk, Miles and others were musical geniuses to equal any classical composers. Most of the rock guitar gods are rooted in jazz theory, but don't tell their fans. The themes of dozens of TV shows and movies are really modern jazz in the way they're written.
Thanks for posting! Never thought of the entertainer v artist choice the greatest players perhaps had to consider and its consequences. Cheers
Great video !!!!!!
Glad you enjoyed it
Very important video, thanks Bret)
Glad you liked it!
Just great content!
thanks so much
inspiration
Very, very cool!
Thank you! Cheers!
Bird truly was a GENIUS...!
that's very interesting to hear
A genius
Now that is interesting.
Reminds me of my Father's attitude - "...there are enough entertainers."
We need some entertainment, especially now, that's for sure. But we need inspiration as well, and that's what Bird and Trane and Sonny give us.
Sonny's perspective on Bird is great. How's Sonny doing today? Anyone? I hope well.
He's resting comfortably.
Cool
"I Knew the Real Charlie Parker" - Sonny Rollins
"I Know the Real Sonny Rollins" - Bret Primack
I know most of the real Sonny, but as you can well imagine, he's a rather enigmatic fellow.
If the BOSS thinks Bird is God, that's the highest of compliments.
Love Bird. Love Sonny. 🎷🎵👍
Bird was great. Getz is the best player in my opinion. Rollins a close 3rd or 4th.
i recently watched whiplash the movie and they mention an anecdote about charlie parker. i would love it, if mainstream media would program content about jazz more often.
Mainstream media has always eschewed Jazz. Thankfully, it's not the same in Europe and Japan.
@@JazzVideoGuy "Thankfully, it's not the same in Europe" are you sure? being european I have a pretty different impression... but maybe in the US is even worse...
Un géant évoquant un autre géant. Beaucoup d'intelligence et de lucidité dans les propos de Sonny Rollins.
More greatness from Sonny. We are so lucky to have this guy still around, still as lucid as ever, unpretentious and avoid the usual spritual cliches that some of the other greats seem to rely on as gestures of profundity, and even now still able to contribute so much to the new biography. If only Miles had lived so long, he would have talked straight too, but would he have been so open?
Two entirely different people.
Miles had all kinds of health problems, and was a genuine recluse, not just to look cool lol. I don’t think more years would have been very kind to him, but I too wish we had an ancient, healthy Miles around today, just to see what he’d do next.
Bird lives
Bird is still the word nearly 80 years later
👍👍👍👍
If you want to know about Charlie Parker..read Miles Davis's autobiography
I take what he wrote about Bird with a large grain of salt...and I love Miles...
This interview looks from quite awhile ago; date?
2009
The most important artists (visual and musical) are innovators. They often seem to have huge personalities as well, but not always. Quoting an art museum president who is an acquaintance, "98% of all art is crap." Not these guys!
yup
Birds don't live long lives!
true dat
Despite his virtuosity, Parker is forgotten in American culture.
Much more believable god than the con being pulled on people.
While. We're. At. It. Sonny. Rollins. Just. Released. A. New. Book. Titled. Saxophone. Colossus. I. Just. Got. It. Here's. To. Sonny.
Aidan Levy wrote the book. Sonny wasn’t involved the publication. It’s a great book.
@@JazzVideoGuy you're. Right . My. Bad. Bruh. And. Might. I. Add. Kudos. To. You. Keep. Doing. What. You're. Doing.
@@michaelnorris545 I'm so glad you mentioned the book! Thank you.