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Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Freedom To 

Religious Feedom Watch is a great site for exposing those who wish to squash the right to practice the religion of your choice. Spiritual freedom and freedom of expression are attached by those who despise individuals right to choose. This site shows who these people really are.

Thursday, August 17, 2006

More Bird 

In the great Clint Eastwood produced "Bird" the story of Charlie Parker is distilled into a chronology of his life changing events. From the famous cymbal throw to his legendary drug and alcohol dependency Eastwood has captured the essence of the life of perhaps the greatest talent in jazz history. Of course that statement is arguable but what can not be argued is that along with Dizzy and Monk, Parker changed the face of jazz and therefore music. Bebop was born with this trio and has lived long after their passing.

Parker is well played by Forrest Whitaker who has the same body type as Parker in his later years. Watching the movie you can't escape the fact of the terrible price Parker paid for his dependencies and can't help but wonder had he avoided psych mills like Camarillo. Realizing that the Narconon rehab program did not exist at that time doesn't remove the sting of the damage done by the brutes of psychiatry.

If only.

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Bird 

There are at least two stories on how Charlie Parker got the nickname of "Bird" or "Yardbird". One is that the tag Bird was given due to his choppy and very fast staccato style. The explanation most given by his fellows is that on a trip to Omaha that the car Parker was riding in hit a stray chicken on the road. Parker insisted that they turn around and go back to the scene of the accident, which they did. Upon arrival Parker jumped from the car and grabbed the chicken. On his return to the car he exclaimed that he had just procured dinner. Which in fact he had. From that day forward he was "Yardbird".

Of course Parker as a very young age succumbed to alcohol and drugs. Without the help from drug rehab programs such as Narconon he was forced to fight the fight alone and it eventually led to his death.

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