[rzzzzz]

The Long Journey of Charlie Parker’s Saxophone

The newly acquired instrument, played by the father of bebop, is on view at the National Museum of African American History and Culture

www.smithsonianmag.com

(apologies if this yarn has already been discussed on the forum. i searched around a little, and didn't find it.)

I'm old enough to remember Hurricane Diana, but not Diane. A year after Bird's death, their house in Lumberville, just outside of New Hope, PA, was getting flooded, and his widow gets a boat to literally ride out the storm, and choosing especially to save that plastic sax he used at Massey Hall.
(Man I love that area. How did I not know that they lived there, let alone that Chan ran a joint for a pretty long time? Sheesh. I also didn't realize that the beautiful King of his that was acquired by the Smithsonian was used at his Strings session.)

 

[Reet McVouty]

Actually, the horn in discussion here was his Super 20, not the Grafton. There was another thread on this. Charlie Parkers alto display at Smithsonian

 

[rzzzzz]

Actually, the horn in discussion here was his Super 20, not the Grafton. There was another thread on this. Charlie Parkers alto display at Smithsonian

No no, both saxes are described by the Smithsonian article. Mostly they talk about the King, which I saw at the Smithsonian History Museum, which I guess has now moved to the African American Museum, if I'm reading this article right. But near the end of the article they note that it was the GRAFTON that Chan rescued with the rowboat in Lumberville, which has since been put on display elsewhere.

I recently replaced a vinyl copy of The Shape of Jazz to Come, which had been part of a stack that got swiped. And, of course, Ornette is play the Grafton on that one. Funny that a cheap, fragile plastic horn was favored by both Bird and Ornette. I'd defy anyone to come up with a better alto duo than the two of them.

 

[Reet McVouty]

No no, both saxes are described by the Smithsonian article. Mostly they talk about the King, which I saw at the Smithsonian History Museum, which I guess has now moved to the African American Museum, if I'm reading this article right. But near the end of the article they note that it was the GRAFTON that Chan rescued with the rowboat in Lumberville, which has since been put on display elsewhere.

I recently replaced a vinyl copy of The Shape of Jazz to Come, which had been part of a swiped stack that got swiped. And, of course, Ornette is play the Grafton on that one. Funny that a cheap, fragile plastic horn was favored by both Bird and Ornette. I'd defy anyone to come up with a better alto duo than the two of them.

I believe the Grafton is still on display in Kansas City. "Coming Home Kansas City Buys Sax Charlie Parker Played" by 1994, Reuters News Service - St Louis Post-Dispatch (MO), September 9, 1994 | Online Research Library: Questia

 

[PigSquealer]

The Long Journey of Charlie Parker’s Saxophone

The newly acquired instrument, played by the father of bebop, is on view at the National Museum of African American History and Culture

www.smithsonianmag.com

(apologies if this yarn has already been discussed on the forum. i searched around a little, and didn't find it.)

I'm old enough to remember Hurricane Diana, but not Diane. A year after Bird's death, their house in Lumberville, just outside of New Hope, PA, was getting flooded, and his widow gets a boat to literally ride out the storm, and choosing especially to save that plastic sax he used at Massey Hall.
(Man I love that area. How did I not know that they lived there, let alone that Chan ran a joint for a pretty long time? Sheesh. I also didn't realize that the beautiful King of his that was acquired by the Smithsonian was used at his Strings session.)

Can anyone other than Milandro find anything this week?‍♂
The article above was posted the same month as part of the National Museum of African American History and Culture Exhibit. Great read ! If you think it's useful to have both threads merged. I have no problem bring the other one here or whatever. It would make it useful for all interested.

 

[PigSquealer]

I believe the Grafton is still on display in Kansas City. "Coming Home Kansas City Buys Sax Charlie Parker Played" by 1994, Reuters News Service - St Louis Post-Dispatch (MO), September 9, 1994 | Online Research Library: Questia

Very cool ? Here's the American Jazz Museums (Kansas City) article.
Charlie Parker's Plastic Sax