What type of Sax did Charlie Parker play?

alto saxophone
Primarily a player of the alto saxophone, Parker’s tone ranged from clean and penetrating to sweet and somber. He was known for the very clear, sweet and articulate note he could produce from the saxophone. Parker acquired the nickname “Yardbird” early in his career on the road with Jay McShann.

What type of alto did Charlie Parker play?

The King Super 20 Alto sax is as beautiful, and unique, as the man who made it sing. “This is one of two instruments that have clear provenance and connection with Charlie Parker,” explains Dwandalyn Reece, the museum’s curator of music and the performing arts.

Did Charlie Parker play a plastic sax?

The Grafton alto saxophone is special for a number of reasons. First, it is made of plastic, unlike most saxophones, which are made of brass. It was played by Kansas City native and one of the greatest saxophone players of all time, Charlie Parker, during the Jazz at Massey Hall concert.

What saxophone is used in marching band?

alto sax
Saxophone: Saxophones come in a variety of sizes and types; the alto sax, tenor sax, and the baritone sax are the most commonly used in marching bands.

Why did Charlie Parker play saxophone?

As a teen, he played the baritone horn in the school band. By the time Parker was 15, the alto saxophone was his instrument of choice. (Parker’s mother had given him a saxophone a few years prior, to help cheer him up after his father had abandoned the family.)

What makes the Grafton saxophone different from other saxophones?

There were two major differences between the Grafton and a conventional saxophone. Firstly, the extra thickness of the plastic body made for a slightly ‘tubby’ feel when holding the instrument. The other difference was more of a concern to a saxophone player used to a metal instrument.

Is alto sax in marching band?

tenor vs. baritone for marching. The alto saxophone is best for marching band. It is lighter than the tenor or baritone sax, and its music is typically more fun to play.

Do college marching bands have saxophones?

American marching bands vary considerably in their instrumentation. Some bands omit some or all woodwinds, but it is not uncommon to see piccolos, flutes, soprano clarinets, alto saxophones, and tenor saxophones (woodwinds are not used in drum corps). Some especially large bands use flugelhorns and bass trombones.

What saxophone does Joshua Redman?

Tenor and soprano saxophones are Joshua’s primary instruments. He also plays alto sax from time to time.

What reeds did Charlie Parker use?

Charlie Parker is also known to have played a Brilhart Ebolin, a Runyon Model 22 and, perhaps surprisingly for an alto player of his style, a metal mouthpiece made by Selmer. He used very hard 4 strength reeds, although he may have begun using softer reeds in the 1950s.

What kind of saxophone did Charlie Parker play?

The shorter sax is a C soprano. Charlie Parker played mostly alto saxophone. Charlie was famous for playing a Conn 6M, though he frequently played whatever horn was available to him at the time; rather it be a Conn, King, Selmer, or even a Grafton plastic saxophone.

Who was the first jazz saxophone player?

Born on this day in 1920, composer and saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker was a pioneer of mid-twentieth-century jazz and later the bebop movement. Alto saxophone owned and played by Charlie Parker

What was Charlie Parker’s job before his music career?

In 1939 Parker moved to New York City, to pursue a career in music. He held several other jobs as well. He worked for nine dollars a week as a dishwasher at Jimmie’s Chicken Shack, where pianist Art Tatum performed.

What influenced Charlie Parker’s playing style?

Bands led by Count Basie and Bennie Moten certainly influenced Parker. He played with local bands in jazz clubs around Kansas City, Missouri, where he perfected his technique, with the assistance of Buster Smith, whose dynamic transitions to double and triple time influenced Parker’s developing style.