By Michaela Bishop
Northeast News
August 5, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – To celebrate Charlie “Yardbird” Parker, one of the most influential artists in Jazz music history, the Kansas City Jazz Museum and KC Jazz Alive are hosting its second annual Charlie Parker Celebration. The nine-day event kicks off Thursday, Aug. 20, and runs through Parker’s 95 birthday, Saturday, Aug. 29.

Charlie Parker was a saxophonist and a resident of Kansas City. Parker died at the age of 34, but his music made a lasting impression on American Jazz. Chuck Haddix, the director of the Marr Sound Archive, is providing all guests with information of who Charlie Parker was and why he plays a huge influence on American Jazz music.

“Charlie Parker’s story is really compelling,” Haddix said. “He was such an influential individual.”

Like last year, the celebration will include historical information about Parker and live jazz music. However, this year there will be new activities available, including: Clay Jenkins, an artist-in-residence, performing and teaching how to build a jazz improvisation solo, a museum exhibit called “Bird: An exhibition,” and friends of Charlie Parker talking about the legend at the event, “We remember Bird.” All events are free with the exception of three: The “Bird” Exhibition in the museum is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors [65-years-old and above] and $6 for children between the ages of 5 – 12-years-old. The KC Jazz Historical Tour is $25 per person and the Capstone Showcase Concert is $15 per person.

Brian Johnson, a member of the American Jazz Museum board of directors, said last year’s celebration was one of the top tributes to Charlie Parker.

“Charlie Parker’s type of playing was the type people couldn’t do with a saxophone,” Johnson said.

This year’s celebration will run nine days, as opposed to the inaugural event, which ran for 17. Johnson said the reason for the change is because it gets people more excited.

“Seventeen days is too long,” Johnson said. “We wanted to shorten it and do more.”

This year’s celebration will have 23 performances from 13 groups and will be held at multiple locations throughout the city at locations including the American Jazz Museum, KC Jazz Clubs, and the Lincoln Cemetery at Parker’s gravesite. For more details on the event, visit the American Jazz Museum’s website at www.americanjazzmuseum.org or the KC Jazz Alive website at www.KCJazzAlive.org.