For decades, Kansas City's jazz community has celebrated Charlie Parker's birthday with a musical tribute at his grave site in Lincoln Cemetery. In recent years that's taken the form of a "21 Sax Salute" — only with a lot of instruments besides saxophones, and a lot more than 21.
This year's salute capped the city’s second annual Charlie Parker Celebration — more than a week of panel discussions, a tour of significant Parker locations around town and shows at area clubs.
“It’s breathtaking. It’s breathtaking,” an emotional Kim Parker said of the graveside tribute to her father. “It’s just so heartwarming to see that jazz is still alive. It’s beautiful.”
To hear the musical tribute, along with the New Orleans-style second-line procession at the beginning and end of the celebration, listen to the story:
