Leo Parker

Leo Parker ( born April 18, 1925 in Washington, DC; † February 11, 1962 in New York City, New York ) was an American jazz saxophonist.

Life and work

Parker began his musical career on the alto saxophone and did some studio recordings with Coleman Hawkins. Parker joined 1944 baritone saxophone when he was touring band of Billy Eckstine with the bebop - oriented Big. The next year he was a member of the so-called "Unholy Four". The other members of the saxophone set were Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons, but on some occasions committed Eckstine namesake Charlie Parker, who probably had the greatest influence on Leo Parker. Leo Parker transferred the bebop phrasing on the baritone saxophone, and thus established the instrument in modern jazz.

After leaving Eckstine, Leo Parker played in New York with Dizzy Gillespie and Fats Navarro before he played with Illinois Jacquet's Popular band. At a recording session with Sir Charles Thompson, he played the title Mad Lad, who then became his nickname.

In addition to other studio recordings with Gordon, he played with Stitt, Ammons, Teddy Edwards, Wardell Gray and others. Parker's career was quickly over: In 1947 influenced his drug addiction seriously his health. He played occasionally in the 1950s, recorded a single for United and was occasionally involved in recordings, on which he was usually far from its potential. In 1961 he began a comeback and played two plates for Blue Note Records, a, but died in 1962 of heart failure.

Discography

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