Charlie Parker

Hear the music of the greatest sax player. Alto saxophonist Charlie Parker
was one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time, forging a brand new genre
in jazz, bebop, with fast tempos, virtuosic technique and advanced harmonies. In this
project the quartet celebrates some of Charlie’s finest compositions as well as some
great jazz standards that Charlie brought to prominence. In between numbers Neil
will also talk about some moments from Charlie’s eventful life and the influence he had on jazz.

The Main band for this project is Neil Maya on Alto sax, Philip Clouts on piano, Kev Sanders on double bass and Gary Evans on drums. (personnel can change due to other diary commitments)

Expect to hear great Charlie Parker originals such as…

Ornithology, Donna Lee, Anthropology, Blues for Alice, Confirmation, My Little Suede Shoes, Yardbird Suite.

And some great Charlie Parker arranged standards, originally recorded by Charlie such as…

Cherokee, All the Things You Are, Summer Time, A Night In Tunisia, What Is This Thing Called Love

What some audience members had to say about the Charlie Parker Story (from our Feb 25 Dorset tour):

  • This was an excellent evening, very entertaining, venue was friendly, refreshments and cake excellent.
  • Entertaining Talented Performers
  • Intimate enjoyable pleasurable
  • Interesting, informative, intriguing
  • Professional, polished, entertaining.
  • Entertaining virtuoso musicians
  • excellent jazz musicians
  • What an amazing evening of superb jazz from The Neil Maja Quartet! The life of Charlie Parker, jazz standards and original pieces delighted the audience that had a wide age range. Some from the village others travelled across Dorset. Jazz is loved but rarely heard locally. How special to experience such talent in a village hall! The magic of rural touring! 
  • What a great night was held in our village hall in Nether Compton on the 14th February 2025.  The Neil Maya Quartet performed The Charlie Parker story for us.  The Hall was packed to capacity with plenty of foot tapping and plenty of applause.  We would not hesitate to ask them to return in the near future.  Fabulous night

Two videos of the project from our Feb 25 recording session at White Noise Studios