The Jazz Legacy Project: Charlie Parker, Einstein of Modern Music

Parker's rare combination of genius and persistence created a turning point in modern music. A kid who grew up on Kansas City blues helped turn jazz from a dance hall craze to music that belongs next to Bach. As with Louis Armstrong, music would never be the same after "Bird."

Each program is roughly 90 minutes, with the goal of bringing the casual jazz listener inside the minds and music of the most influential and interesting American musicians of all time. The life and music of the artist/composer is entertainingly narrated by the drummer, Mr. Justin Varnes, and seminal jazz pieces are played to illuminate the narration. These are NOT tribute concerts in the sense that the musicians are trying to recreate the original performances, but instead to celebrate the essence and accomplishments of the particular artist.

The Jazz Legacy Project:
Drummer and Narrator: Justin Varnes
Pianist: Nathanael Smith
Bassist: Kevin Smith
Saxophonist: John Sandfort

“It’s like a jazz concert and a jazz history class in one…and they play their behinds off, too!” – Tamara Fuller, the Velvet Note