Alto saxophone giant Charlie Parker can rightfully be considered the father of modern jazz. Originally from Kansas City, Charlie Parker moved to New York permanently in 1940, playing with Jay McShann's big band, then with Earl Hines and Billy Eckstine. During this period, however, something else was brewing. Parker began playing in the small clubs on 52nd Street, where a handful of musicians led by trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie were breaking new ground. Rather than dealing primarily wit...  [+]