Swipe to read Yoko Suzuki on Les Brown and Charlie Parker! "While both Brown and Christy were renowned jazz musicians and might have had more exposure to the general public, Parker’s contribution to jazz history as a bebop pioneer is incomparable. Born in Kansas City, Kansas, Parker grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. After performing in Kansas City with various bands, Parker toured with big bands led by Jay McShann, Earl Hines, and Billy Eckstein during the early 1940s. His distinctive alto saxophone sound, virtuosic technique, and bebop vocabularies were developed during these years." —Yoko Suzuki