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Event
"LIVE BIRD" featuring Jeff Robinson as CHARLIE PARKER - A SPECIAL MATINEE PERFORMANCE
Sunday 8/26 - A SPECIAL MATINEE PERFORMANCE of "LIVE BIRD" featuring Jeff Robinson as CHARLIE "BIRD" PARKER $12 advance / $15 at the door 3:30 doors / 4:00 show https://livebird.com
A One Man Play about Jazz legend Charlie "Bird" Parker written, directed and starring Jeff Robinson
Doris Parker, the late widow of Charlie Parker I knew Charlie as a man and not simply as a musical genius. Jeff portrays the Charlie I knew.
Live Bird is a one-man play celebrating the life of jazz legend and alto saxophonist Charlie Bird Parker that takes place in a jazz club in NYC and written and performed by playwright, director, actor, and saxophonist Jeff Robinson. While playing the music of Charlie Parker on solo saxophone and filling the stage with imaginary characters Jeff brings us back to 1954 in a small Jazz club in Harlem NYC and the revered jazz icon Charlie Parker is on the gig.
As Bird, Robinson reminisces about his formative years in the hotbed of 1930s Kansas City Jazz scene. He also tackles Birds heroin addiction. Youll have a close-up and personal view of a moment in the life of jazz legend Charlie Bird Parker.
Live Bird made its debut at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) in Boston MA. in March of 1995. Jeff read just about everything written about Charlie Parker while he was researching for the play. He sent the finished script to jazz legends Max Roach and Jackie McLean, who both loved what they read and encouraged him to work on a full production.
The debut production at the ICA also featured commissioned paintings of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holliday and other jazz icons by world-renowned NYC artist the late Martha Glinski.
Jeff has performed the play in the Charlie Parker Festival in NYC, the Charlie Parker Celebration in Kansas City Missouri, the Clifford Brown Festival in Wilmington Delaware, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston Massachusetts, the Lowell Celebrates Kerouac Festival in Lowell Massachusetts, Berklee College of Music in Boston MA, the world famous 22 West Nightclub in Harlem, NY and the Gem Theater in Charlie Parkers childhood neighborhood in Kansas City Missouri and other festivals and theaters around the USA.
Robinson received a nomination for an Independent Reviewers of New England Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Charlie Parker in Live Bird.
Jeff had the pleasure of performing the play in Harlem NYC, and Doris Parker the late widow of Charlie Parker was in the audience. She loved his performance so much she befriended Robinson and gave him this quote:
I knew Charlie as a man and not simply as a musical genius. Jeff portrays the Charlie I knew.
Mr. Robinson also had the incredible experience of performing the play at the Green Lady Lounge in Charlie Parkers hometown Kansas City and Birds daughter Kim Parker was in the audience. She, like Doris, loved his performance so much that she befriended Robinson and gave him this quote
He got him! He caught the spirit and sound of Bird, from the tone of his voice to the sound of his saxophone. Live Bird lifted me. It was like seeing Bird come alive and do his thing! I was touched by the play and Jeffs performance. Brilliantly constructed.
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LocationThe Lizard Lounge (View)
1667 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States
Categories
Minimum Age: 21 |
Kid Friendly: No |
Dog Friendly: No |
Non-Smoking: Yes! |
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