Which Charlie Parker disciples are left?

[Soul Stream]

Jon Hendericks.

Did Tootie or Jimmy Heath ever play with Bird? Somehow I get the feeling they did.

Lou Donaldson, as mentioned, certainly played with Bird as there's even a photograph of it.

Terry Gibbs perhaps?

[Jim R]

How about Tommy Flanagan?

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Tommy left us nearly 4 years ago.

[Free For All]

Yes, I forgot that he had passed. Sorry.

[Michael Fitzgerald]

There's a pretty well-known photo of Coltrane sitting in the saxophone section of the Jimmy Heath big band looking up at Bird who is soloing out front.

Tootie is much younger (b. 1935) but it's still possible.

Mike

[brownie]

Terry Gibbs perhaps?

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In his autobiography 'Good Vibes', Terry Gibbs recalls Bird joining in at jam sessions. One of the occasion was around 1951 when Gibbs was having a gig at Georgie Auld's club Tin Pan Alley. Bird walked in as the band was into 'Out of Nowhere' and played one chorus after the another.

A number of musicians had come to the club after hearing that Bird was jamming there. Gibbs mentions that Tony Scott was the only one with enough nerve to follow Charlie Parker's performance.

Horace Silver and Charlie Mariano also played with Bird.

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Just recalled that Jerry Dodgion tells a story of jamming with Bird in California on his birthday. Make that *their* birthday.

Hear it here:

http://newarkwww.rutgers.edu/IJS/RT071504.html

Mike

[Soul Stream]

Great story and brings up the reality of music being a communal experience. Here Charlie Parker is pleading with horn players to come on stage and they're refusing. I guess it was lonely at the top.

[Michael Fitzgerald]

I had forgotten that Dodgion never actually played. Oh well, take him off the list.

Mike

[Chuck Nessa]

I had forgotten that Dodgion never actually played. Oh well, take him off the list.

Mike

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Harsh boy MF!

The beginning of the thread didn't say anything about recordings AFAIK.

Add Ira Sullivan and Jodie Christian to the list.

[Michael Fitzgerald]

According to Dodgion, he never *played* with Bird (never mind recording with him). He was just in the audience. I misremembered his story of that jam session.

Mike

[Stereojack]

Don't believe any of the following have been mentioned:

Buddy DeFranco

Sam Noto

Buddy Childers

Charlie Mariano

(above 3 with Kenton band)

Lawrence Marable

Dick Hyman (on film with Bird)

[bichos]

hazy osterwald! he played vibes at the paris jazzfestival 1949 in the farewll blues at the end of the concert together with bird, miles, bill coleman, lips page, dorham, bechet, byas, moody, haig, potter, roach! wow! he is still alive and swinging in his 80´s!

jean "toots" thielemans also! (also at that festival on guitar).

keep boppin´

marcel

[ValerieB]

i thought this was about bird's disciples! what does playing with bird have to do with that, necessarily?!?

[Free For All]

i thought this was about bird's disciples!  what does playing with bird have to do with that, necessarily?!?

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You're right, Valerie, the thread has sidetracked a bit, although I think both premises are being addressed, and I think the "alternate interpretation" (i.e., those who played w/Bird and are still around) has proved to be quite interesting as well.

Did you think of a "disciple" that hadn't yet been mentioned?

Sidetracked/hijacked threads are a regular event here........

[Jazz Kat]

Jackie McClean. Maybe mentioned. Sorry..

[Michael Fitzgerald]

If you define "disciple" as "a follower" or something like that, well - what's the point of asking the question? As long as there are musicians (and not just alto players) who listen to Bird and are inspired, there will be disciples.

But I don't think that's what was meant. If we think about Jesus and his disciples (the Apostles), those are people who had first-hand contact and who learned at the feet of the master. Considering the analogous situation with Bird and it's a limited number and there will eventually be no more of them living, hence the original question - which ones are left?

Mike

[ValerieB]

i thought this was about bird's disciples!  what does playing with bird have to do with that, necessarily?!?

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You're right, Valerie, the thread has sidetracked a bit, although I think both premises are being addressed, and I think the "alternate interpretation" (i.e., those who played w/Bird and are still around) has proved to be quite interesting as well.

Did you think of a "disciple" that hadn't yet been mentioned?

Sidetracked/hijacked threads are a regular event here........

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thanks, free for all. i already submitted mine a few days back.

[Hardbopjazz]

How about Phil Woods?...

No wait, he only played with Bird's wife and Bird's horn. I guess that doesn't count.

[jazzbo]

[AllenLowe]

well, we're all really disciples of Bird, IMHO - and let's not forget that Jesus was Bar Mitzvah'd, and word has it that the band was pretty good (though they did bring in a DJ later on in the party) -

as for musicians who played with Bird, there's a guy named Frank Brief, played on the Bird with Strings - still alive up in New Haven, Connecticut -

[Chuck Nessa]

as for musicians who played with Bird, there's a guy named Frank Brief, played on the Bird with Strings - still alive up in New Haven, Connecticut -

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I believe he spells it Brieff. He conducted the premier of the 5 movement version of Mahler's 1st symphony. It was with the New Haven Symphony and was issued on Odyssey.

[AllenLowe]

nice guy, too - I saw his name in some notes to a Bird collection and called him up when I lived in New Haven -

[Peter Friedman]

Arne Domnerus

Not sure if he actually played with Bird, but was with him in Sweden.

[clifford_thornton]

Jackie McClean. Maybe mentioned. Sorry..

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It's Mac-Cleane!

[Brad]

It's kind of a weird question because we're all his disciples in one way or another. I'm sure there are few musicians out there who can say they weren't influenced by him.