Charlie Parker Reveals His Secrets to Musical Greatness | Rare Interview with Paul Desmond

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  • Опубликовано: 15 апр 2014
  • In this 1954 conversation with saxophonist Paul Desmond, legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker discusses the profound significance of music in his life and reveals his practice methods for achieving greatness.
    Full audio interview & transcript » bobreynoldsmusic.com/bird
    #CharlieParker #PaulDesmond

Комментарии • 192

  • @rillloudmother
    @rillloudmother Год назад +12

    "Schooling is one of the most wonderful things there's ever been." - Charlie Parker

  • @Nclght
    @Nclght 4 месяца назад +10

    A true sign of genius is being able to perfectly convey a thought by using the simplest of terms. Amazing interview.

  • @cameronlewis1218
    @cameronlewis1218 14 дней назад +5

    This short interview taught me a lot. The “legend” of Charlie Parker is that of a man who could barely put a sentence together because he was so obsessed with drugs. Even Ken Burns’ Jazz documentary seemed that way. But this interview shows a thoughtful well-spoken man…

  • @atombomb31458
    @atombomb31458 7 лет назад +108

    desmond interviewing parker.......does it get better than that???? this is a great find.thanks.

  • @boblevey
    @boblevey 4 года назад +65

    Love that he mentioned the band he had with my old man, Stan Levey!!! A lot of people don’t know how important Stan was and how much swing he put into those early years of Bebop!!!

    • @raulcaldeira8071
      @raulcaldeira8071 2 года назад +1

      The best bebop drummer for me, swings like hell , I first heard him on the for musicians only dizzy's album

    • @jazzgitah
      @jazzgitah 10 месяцев назад +2

      Your dad was very kind and encouraging to me as a 25 yr old musician when I used to wait on him at Bill White's Foods for Health in Sherman Oaks. I remember he gave me his card. It was the coolest card ever. I still have it!

  • @desmorga6757
    @desmorga6757 5 лет назад +120

    Did not expect his voice to be so deep damn this is gold

    • @cjgreen4331
      @cjgreen4331 3 года назад +2

      It really is

    •  Год назад +3

      I do.

  • @andreashoppe1969
    @andreashoppe1969 5 лет назад +48

    Wow… two of the greatest alto players ever talking to each other!

  • @daryljohnson3896
    @daryljohnson3896 6 лет назад +176

    As great as he was, what i don't hear is one iota of ego... that's the mark of a real genius, he doesn't even recognize how good he is!

    • @marcusalli8778
      @marcusalli8778 2 года назад +7

      ,The gifted person only wants to Show how good they are,there is no reason to brag,or boast about what you can do,You Show it.

    • @adriandelgado8709
      @adriandelgado8709 Год назад +1

      Another great example of your argument is Michael Brecker… the man was one and if not the best tenor sax player and he was such a simple soul… that’s what makes them so great in my opinion, the humbleness behind him being a great musician

    • @normanspurgeon5324
      @normanspurgeon5324 8 месяцев назад +1

      So true- he refuses to jump on the pride band wagon.

  • @MrResearcher122
    @MrResearcher122 3 года назад +49

    Two of my favorite Jazz men: Paul and Charlie. Both musicians with the sweetest and saddest notes known to man, yet with fine, and eloquent speaking voices. Thanks for the upload...just beautiful.

  • @herz108
    @herz108 4 года назад +60

    Wow! that is a rare piece of history. Thank you for making that available. It is a shame Clint Eastwood didn't portray that side of Charlie Parker at all in his film.

    • @matthewschwartz6607
      @matthewschwartz6607 3 года назад

      Did you like the movie? What did his friends think?

    • @gabeeskridge8291
      @gabeeskridge8291 2 года назад +5

      Hollywood rarely portrays the real truth in anything. It's entertainment. You have to seek the facts.

  • @rustyjames4177
    @rustyjames4177 8 лет назад +78

    That's crazy, it's like Einstein talking about the theory of relativity. I am still amazed to listen to that. Thanks a lot for sharing it.

  • @theprocastination9697
    @theprocastination9697 3 года назад +19

    Today, August 29th, Bird turns 100 yo. Thank you, Charlie, for tour love for music, your discipline, and share It with the world!!! Your memory will ever survive while human kind it's still around. BEBOP

  • @harrispoor4495
    @harrispoor4495 6 лет назад +46

    I first heard Parker in 1952 at the Hi Hat in Boston and have never forgotten it. I even got his autograph which was the first signature I ever got and now have a large collection of jazz autographs

    • @Osnosis
      @Osnosis 5 лет назад +6

      To have heard Parker live in person; I would almost sell my soul, but then I’d have nothing left for Trane. Privileged to have seen Brecker countless times, Bob Berg, Getz, and even Rahsaan, but no Turrentine.

    • @paulgentile1024
      @paulgentile1024 3 года назад +3

      @@Osnosis you never want to have to sell your soul

  • @normanspurgeon5324
    @normanspurgeon5324 8 месяцев назад +4

    Great to hear Charlie on this cut. He refuses to get puffed up about his accomplishments. Its a shame there aren't more cuts like this.

  • @williamcorgile9823
    @williamcorgile9823 3 года назад +9

    Never knew this existed. Awesome hearing this cat talk without his horn.

  • @TheNoobyGuy1
    @TheNoobyGuy1 9 лет назад +53

    This is absolute gold.

  • @MrMusicguyma
    @MrMusicguyma 6 лет назад +35

    Fascinating to hear. To my ears, Desmond was the polar opposite of Parker in sound. Both were great players, highly intelligent and articulate bout music. Great to hear Charlie's answers.

  • @Danox94
    @Danox94 3 года назад +11

    Their style on alto couldn't be more different, yet you know it's them the second you hear their sound. Legends!

  • @kimparker6628
    @kimparker6628 2 года назад +3

    Thanks to all the nice folks.

  • @imannonymous7707
    @imannonymous7707 3 года назад +5

    Melody ..harmony and rythym ..... he was so humble and so true to the art

  • @bigeman25
    @bigeman25 6 лет назад +17

    Masters, real grown folks talking.

  • @bounderby99
    @bounderby99 3 года назад +25

    It's interesting that Bird answers the question about why there was such a sudden change in the direction on the music by saying that in the next 15 to 25 years someone might do something with it when guys like Trane and Miles were about to make a huge impact on the jazz world even sooner than that. It just goes to show that (as Bird said) there's not really a reason for such large changes in music, there are just creative people who are constantly looking for new ways to express themselves and new things to give to the listener

    • @michaelbalogh1236
      @michaelbalogh1236 2 года назад

      and go beyond coltrane... michael brecker picked up the torch and RAN with it. and all of the disciples folling them. all of the great trumpet players before miles. and thousands still coming on...

    • @michaelbalogh1236
      @michaelbalogh1236 2 года назад

      many different styles and sounds and ways to play the same horn, that's what makes us different!

  • @wpdoyle
    @wpdoyle 4 года назад +5

    One the things about Bird was his incredible humility. One of the 5 greatest American musicians in history. He played a major role in reshaping jazz, had countless acolytes who wanted to BE him, and yet never bragged. He just wanted to make music the best he could. A genius for the ages. Flawed, but such an incredible musical thinker. Without dope, what would he have accomplished in the coming decades?

  • @joepalooka2145
    @joepalooka2145 4 года назад +6

    This is a really wonderful piece of history. His great intelligence is evident from the way he speaks. True genius like Charlie Parker is God-given and very rare. But it only develops with hard work, as in "Genius is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration" and he sure proved that. Miles Davis said it best: "The history of jazz can be stated in four words: Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker".

  • @yusufakalin9874
    @yusufakalin9874 6 лет назад +6

    Charlie Parker is love.

  • @cavaleermountaineer3839
    @cavaleermountaineer3839 Год назад +3

    LOVE these two. This is so priceless.

  • @michaeldean9338
    @michaeldean9338 3 года назад +5

    Say, Reynolds...thanks for this, brother! Never heard it before. Freakin' Parker and Desmond chatting.

  • @voltagestorm1787
    @voltagestorm1787 Месяц назад +1

    And the one who kinda fits that description of some youngster he was referring to, I'd say is Cannonball Adderley. Very clean, very precise, and easy to understand

  • @rj-it4mj
    @rj-it4mj 7 лет назад +173

    Damn, just heard the voice of GOD discussing creation

    • @athruzathruz
      @athruzathruz 4 года назад +1

      Come'on dude! Tone it down a notch will ya!!!

    • @saxpianotutorial7572
      @saxpianotutorial7572 4 года назад +1

      If you're talking about Paul Desmond you're absolutely correct!

    • @michaeldean9338
      @michaeldean9338 3 года назад +2

      @@saxpianotutorial7572 ??? I dig Desmond...but, BY ALL MEANS....explain that.

    • @vintagepipesnightmares
      @vintagepipesnightmares 3 года назад +1

      Dude it’s just music not curing cancer.

    • @markpatterson8922
      @markpatterson8922 3 года назад +1

      Well he did this before anyone was curing cancer. :-)
      “Just” music? Music is who we humans are, it is one of our deepest connections to each other. To dismiss it that way is to swim in a shallow pool.

  • @hydrogen.jukebox
    @hydrogen.jukebox 5 лет назад +9

    This is so awesome, I’m playing that #23 out of the Klosé book

  • @JulioARodriguez
    @JulioARodriguez 7 лет назад +21

    This interview blew my mind Thank you for sharing Bob!

  • @caryheuchert
    @caryheuchert Год назад +1

    Two legends of the alto. Wonderful!

  • @alexandrefong4750
    @alexandrefong4750 4 года назад +14

    Thanks so much for this. Gave me chills and left me elated. It's an amazing document of actual genius.

  • @cjgreen4331
    @cjgreen4331 3 года назад +1

    The deep voice, the dialect, the overalls, t AHHHHHHH, it's so old timey

  • @TheFunkyKingston
    @TheFunkyKingston 9 лет назад +26

    Bird quoted it so nice: "Music is melody,harmony and rhythm"...

  • @clarkewi
    @clarkewi 7 лет назад +2

    Phenomenal to hear the master talk. So intelligent.

  • @harrypalmer3481
    @harrypalmer3481 4 года назад

    Thank you for posting!

  • @Robbie521000
    @Robbie521000 4 года назад +4

    This Cat took the long view far past the horizon. Parker knew he was good, but I don't think he wasted his time comparing himself to others, because if he did he would have realized that he was "The Master"! He would have realized that he was breathing creation, evolution and fire with that axe! He viewed music at it's simplest forms of melody, harmony, and rhythm and then he chased their limits! Funny, how modest he was. Bird spoke of what Cats would be doing with the music in 25/50 years; hell Bird we're still trying to just catch up to you Man! lol

  • @matthewlim5030
    @matthewlim5030 6 лет назад +1

    Thank you! This is amazing

  • @sega62s
    @sega62s 4 года назад

    Thx Bob for the upload of this magic interview

  • @RanBlakePiano
    @RanBlakePiano 4 года назад

    So great to hear conversation .bob,thanks for posting

  • @carlosstamp853
    @carlosstamp853 7 лет назад +1

    Thanks for the transcription!

  • @jonathaneffemey944
    @jonathaneffemey944 3 года назад +1

    Thanks so much for posting.

  • @johnpageiii7893
    @johnpageiii7893 4 года назад +1

    Wow. Great interview. Thanks for sharing!

  • @nogoogleplus
    @nogoogleplus Год назад +1

    Thanks so much for sharing this!

  • @davidsmart8594
    @davidsmart8594 10 лет назад +3

    Thank you so much Bob....I've never heard this before!

  • @zkalisz191
    @zkalisz191 5 лет назад +1

    Thank you!

  • @retrorex
    @retrorex 8 лет назад +5

    The two greatest alto saxophonists to ever walk the face of this earth conversing with each other....astonishing! Also heard John McClellan in there, too. He's the third voice.

    • @juanlulourido548
      @juanlulourido548 7 лет назад +2

      retrorex johnny hodges>p.desmond

    • @petecornell2605
      @petecornell2605 4 года назад

      Johnny Hodges was the original greatest alto guy. Bird was/is the Man...Cannon became the “new Bird” and carried the flame for 20 years. Paul Desmond was very nice, “the sound of a dry martini”, and you can hear his love and respect for Bird throughout.

  • @brucekuehn4031
    @brucekuehn4031 5 лет назад +12

    Beware of pain killers, fight opioid abuse, and never, ever try heroine. And Paul constantly smoked cigs and drank too much booze. Getting to their musical level involves a lot of hard work, but also be careful in your play! There are guys from this era that are still with us in their upper 80s and 90s. We need to celebrate them too.

    • @Tusc9969
      @Tusc9969 4 года назад +3

      They were different times and even geniuses have demons. Point is, you gots to put in the grind if you want to be great.

    • @Erschophone
      @Erschophone 5 месяцев назад

      Why - ONCE AGAIN, always coming back to this subject which distracts us ONCE AGAIN
      from the main subject which is the MUSIC.

  • @Ewerb7
    @Ewerb7 6 лет назад +3

    Wow! To hear the voices of these masters is like hearing the voice of God. Charlie and Dizzy invented bebop but Paul was such a cool player and Jackie became a hard bop player. Such a pleasure to hear this conversation. Historic.

  • @KonstaSedneff
    @KonstaSedneff Год назад

    Wow😮, fanstastic record
    Many thanks 🎷🎷🎷

  • @renleblanc2993
    @renleblanc2993 4 года назад +2

    This is invaluable !

  • @brucethomson168
    @brucethomson168 4 года назад

    I like the presentation as well. Great find.

  • @benvizemusic
    @benvizemusic 9 лет назад +1

    Awesome interview. And awesome solo on Outlier!!!

  • @kladmonet9
    @kladmonet9 4 года назад

    thank you!!!

  • @holygroove2
    @holygroove2 6 лет назад

    Yes, clear and to the people.

  • @richiemilton8877
    @richiemilton8877 4 года назад +1

    Fascinating!

  • @alanyoungjazz
    @alanyoungjazz 9 лет назад +2

    Thanks so much for posting this!

  • @audreyfraser1495
    @audreyfraser1495 6 лет назад +26

    bird was very articulate

  • @francescaemc2
    @francescaemc2 9 лет назад

    wow!!! thank you!!!

  • @boodabill
    @boodabill 4 года назад +1

    Incredible.

  • @kevinlewellen1037
    @kevinlewellen1037 4 года назад +4

    This is gold. Thank you Charlie Parker!

  • @bandicoot5412
    @bandicoot5412 5 лет назад +1

    Precious, beyond the call.

  • @mattdevereaux4550
    @mattdevereaux4550 4 года назад +4

    The titans talk! I would make this obligatory listening for all aspiring instrumentalists. So glad that it has been preserved.

  • @qunticoqamiroquai1620
    @qunticoqamiroquai1620 Год назад

    WOW this is mind blowing, Charlie Parker really had some wise words, education is the key. It's funny how you can hear the personality in a alto sax, you know right off the bat when you her Paul Desmond sax, it just sounds different.

  • @brittanyatterberry
    @brittanyatterberry 6 лет назад +10

    Huge fan of Paul Desmond with his silky sexy smooth playing 😩🙌🏾

  • @louisboyer3919
    @louisboyer3919 8 лет назад +6

    two giants

  • @kiyaj850
    @kiyaj850 2 года назад +1

    never thought i’d heard charlie parkers voice???

  • @genesbeans
    @genesbeans 2 года назад

    Brilliant.

  • @jasperchance3382
    @jasperchance3382 17 дней назад

    Bird is so down to earth, he's not even debatable. Sure, he put in hours of practice and study, but he came out with something that was the work of some kind of superior entity.

  • @imbees2
    @imbees2 3 года назад

    Nice interview

  • @vincemeghrouni7805
    @vincemeghrouni7805 6 лет назад

    They sure sound relaxed.

  • @SidLaw500
    @SidLaw500 21 день назад

    History.A+

  • @TheJofrica
    @TheJofrica 9 лет назад +57

    11 hours a day x 3-4 years = I think that theory about 10,000 hours is true

    • @shiritzhaki5333
      @shiritzhaki5333 6 лет назад +11

      But he practiced stuff he didn't already know every time. You can't play the same stuff for 10000 hours and think you're gonna get good

    • @daryljohnson3896
      @daryljohnson3896 6 лет назад +11

      don't forget that at that point in time musicians had the luxury of not only practicing but jam sessions where you could work out those 10,000 hours of study

    • @nukebuster
      @nukebuster 5 лет назад +1

      he crafted the bebop genre

    • @JayTheLane
      @JayTheLane 4 года назад

      Probably more likely 20,000 plus hours if you go on four years.

  • @marloncastropiano
    @marloncastropiano 4 года назад +1

    Treasure!!!

  • @crestonq
    @crestonq 6 лет назад +1

    Bird lives!

  • @allen6924
    @allen6924 4 года назад +2

    That was deep. Schooling adds polish to innate talent. It's the greatest thing man has ever created., formal education is a key to growth.

    • @KenOri
      @KenOri 11 месяцев назад +1

      That and self actualization

    • @allen6924
      @allen6924 11 месяцев назад

      @@KenOri you take it. It's not given. Anyone can educate themselves if you can read and we have free libraries. Someone more educated can help you through some of the more complex material but you should be able to understand the basics already.

    • @KenOri
      @KenOri 11 месяцев назад

      @@allen6924 I say self actualization because of desire. Love / passion for your art will push you to self education. Educate your self in what? Many people who do music at least start for reasons outside themselves. They may see a performance, then the great response to that performance and say to themselves " I want to have that". That old adage do you have something to give to the world or do you want the world to give something to you comes into play here. Are you educating your self to cultivate the light inside you or because you like the energy you think you will receive. What MOTIVATES you to educate yourself is vitally important.

    • @allen6924
      @allen6924 11 месяцев назад

      @@KenOri I know I did.. as a twelve year old boy I got a bass and I simply listened to the songs I liked and tried to figure them out by ear. Then I went to the library to look for books that explained some of the basics of what strings were called, and what notes were on them. then a friend got a guitar as a gift and wasn't interested in learning the instrument. He let me "borrow" it, and I found the Mel Bay guitar book at the library. It started simple, but took you all the way to advanced chords and melodies. I loved music, and just went from there. I learned chord voicings that most of the guys I was jamming with had no clue how to hear let alone play. So I took the education from that book with no teacher. by the time I took a lesson from a guy I was way more advanced than he was. So I've been self taught ever since. As in most things I learned over my life time. and more teachable because I'm prepared to be taught.

  • @PabloVestory
    @PabloVestory 7 лет назад +1

    A Jewel

  • @vividius7951
    @vividius7951 Год назад

    when I was 12 years of age I worshipped these men like gods

  • @AlamoCityCello
    @AlamoCityCello 3 года назад

    Parker was the man

  • @annamations8393
    @annamations8393 6 лет назад +4

    “Most likely, in another 25, maybe 50 years, some youngster will come along and take this style and really do something with it”
    Anyone thought of Phil woods?

    • @iPoopWhereIWant
      @iPoopWhereIWant 6 лет назад +2

      No.

    • @SuperAbril4
      @SuperAbril4 5 лет назад +2

      nope; no one comes to mind

    • @markpatterson8922
      @markpatterson8922 3 года назад

      Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Chris Potter, Melissa Aldana, yes Phil; next Tia Fuller and Grace Kelly...They all have taken off to beautiful places from where Bird brought them. As Jimmy Heath said, “Without you, no me.”

  • @gregoryswift9573
    @gregoryswift9573 4 года назад

    I wanna see one of the PBS sketches over this

  • @69Harveyb1
    @69Harveyb1 3 года назад

    Thank you so much for this great interview! May I ask if there are any interviews of Earl Bostic?

  • @TG-wy7ck
    @TG-wy7ck 4 года назад

    Hey! Thanks for uploading! Is this in the public domain?

  • @sophiaperon
    @sophiaperon 10 лет назад +1

    Modern art = modern music = contemporary = fresh = NEW!

    • @076657
      @076657 8 лет назад +2

      +Sophia Peron contemporary + 2016 = dubstep = garbage

  • @olebirgerpedersen
    @olebirgerpedersen Год назад

    Great players never speak about how good they are. They just play.

  • @Firebrand55
    @Firebrand55 6 лет назад +2

    Ross Russell's book on Parker quotes 19,000 hours to his 20's. Desmond sounds respectful to Parker but he was a great alto player; cool, light, graceful.....he can stand on the podium with Parker.

  • @evangelhogelho
    @evangelhogelho 2 года назад

    Damn

  • @hiddenblade999
    @hiddenblade999 4 года назад

    Straight up geniuses (Desmond too). We are not worthy!

  • @rxw5520
    @rxw5520 Год назад +1

    They’re talking about one of the major factors that ultimately knocked jazz music off its pedestal. Bebop was undanceable and stopped being something your average joe could readily understand, and it’s “beauty” as he puts it, was sometimes questionable to all except jazz musicians or adherents. Jazz began as music for the streets, for the average person, and the major innovations turned it toward more of a cerebral exercise, and lost the masses in the process to rock. The rest is history. I’d love to see jazz re-emerge as a popular genre of dance music as I really believe that’s the only way it’ll ever gain mainstream appreciation again.

  • @imbees2
    @imbees2 3 года назад

    Yassssssss

  • @RalphArabat
    @RalphArabat 7 лет назад

    Just wow... :o

  • @Andrewrucker100
    @Andrewrucker100 11 месяцев назад +2

    I hope the musicians heard that talent alone does not make you a great player. It’s the time commitment to practicing over and over, and woodshedding to near perfection. Want to stop hitting the wrong notes? Practice! Want virtuoso technique? Practice! Want speed and dexterity? Practice. At 11-14 hours per day of practice over a 3-4 year period, he put in the work!

  • @PhilWilkinsonMusic
    @PhilWilkinsonMusic 2 года назад +3

    11 to 15 hours a day studying, now that's not discipline that's pure passion. Two totally different things. You only have discipline if there's a definite assured reward at the end of it.

  • @paulgentile1024
    @paulgentile1024 3 года назад +1

    "Well... that's the facts anyway"..

  • @superlinksx
    @superlinksx 4 года назад

    IN THE BEGINNING !!!!!!!!!

  • @jamesmoore6393
    @jamesmoore6393 4 года назад

    WOW!!!

  • @juancpgo
    @juancpgo 7 лет назад +5

    “Well, that was done with books, you know, naturally it wasn’t done with mirrors this time, it was done with books” - did he mean he learned that with music books and not by practicing in front of the mirror? I don't know what he means by “mirrors”..

    • @bobreynolds
      @bobreynolds  7 лет назад +3

      en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_and_mirrors

    • @juancpgo
      @juancpgo 7 лет назад

      Bob Reynolds Oh I get it... thanks Bob. Love your posts.

    • @alainjames9556
      @alainjames9556 7 лет назад +1

      Bird was just being modest. He learned by listening to Lester -Young - and some others to a lesser extent... He learned some exercises from books - that lick that he played from some book - but it was Lester that was his soul - plus the fact that he played and played and played. The "mirrors" quote is just to say that he worked and worked at what he was doing - and what he accomplished. It wasn't just a gift. He worked and worked at it more than anyone.

    • @stevesilverman5296
      @stevesilverman5296 6 лет назад +1

      What he'd achieved was the result of hard work, as opposed to, say, accomplished with (smoke &) mirrors. Charlie's shorthand or slang would be my guess.

  • @CrawfordKing
    @CrawfordKing Год назад

    11-15 hours practice a day 🤯

  • @LorenzHargassner
    @LorenzHargassner 11 месяцев назад

    Hey Bob!
    Where can one find the whole interview…? 🤔
    Would be great if you shared it with us! 😊

    • @bobreynolds
      @bobreynolds  11 месяцев назад

      That's as much as I had/have