At the peak of fame and fortune, Charlie Parker lost direction and his life fell apart. Giddins book doesn't focus much on the later stage of Charlie's life but it definitely manages to stand apart from other books on him with good pictures and accurate hard-to-find information. For example, it is only from this source that we learn that by the end of his life, Charlie had got tired of jazz and wanted to write orchestral scores. (p. 112) Parker is remembered today more for his innovative music techniques and his unique voice than anything else. His personal problems never overshadowed his numerous achievements. We should pay tribute to this man for creating new ways of making jazz music. One of his very well-known techniques was Bebop, a form so music that took the country by storm in 1950s and was a rage among music-lovers. Charlie believed in innovation and improvisation. He was not satisfied with the trends of his times and decided to create new and better...

The flexibility he introduced to jazz is unparalleled even today. The great legendary musician would sometimes create tunes right in the middle of his performance and people would remain in awe of his musical genius.
Giddins' book is only 128-pages long but that is precisely what makes it highly readable. The hero Giddins chose, as his subject was no ordinary man. He was a genius who brought social and technological revolution with his music. He gave others a vision and courage to showcase their talents. Charlie particularly influenced the black community because his music would often talk about the pain and suffering that his community had endured. He showed the world in general and black youth in particular that if you had talent and courage, you could achieve anything in life.

REFERENCE:

Gary Giddins, Celebrating Bird: The Triumph of Charlie Parker (New York: Beech Tree Books William Morrow, 1987)