Charlie Parker nominated by Ken Clarke
Great Lives
BBC
4.2 • 1.3K Ratings
🗓️ 3 January 2020
⏱️ 30 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
From Kansas City to New York, young Charlie Parker conquered the world of jazz.. He was famous during his life, and even more famous after he died aged 34. He's nominated here by former health minister, home secretary and chancellor of the exchequer, Kenneth Clarke. Together with Richard Williams and Val Wilmer, Ken recounts what made Bird great, and why he died so very young.
"If you look at the street scenes of Harlem in 1940, it was a squalid place. Club life in New York was probably a smart escape." Ken Clarke
The programme also includes clips by Dizzy Gillespie and Annie Ross. and music such as Koko and Now's the Time. The presenter is Matthew Parris, and the producer in Bristol is Miles Warde.
Transcript
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| 0:45.0 | Green Light. |
| 0:48.0 | My guest today has been Health Secretary, Home Secretary, Chancellor, and Father of the House. |
| 0:53.7 | He served throughout both Margaret Thatcher's and John Major's time at number 10, |
| 0:58.3 | ran for the leadership of the party more than once, |
| 1:01.1 | and in September had the Conservative whip withdrawn. He is Ken Clark. |
| 1:07.0 | Last time on this programme, Ken, you chose Disraeli, that was before my time in the chair, |
| 1:12.4 | so who's your choice this time and why? |
| 1:14.8 | Charlie Parker and you can't give his political biography because he has not. |
| 1:19.1 | This is part of the more civilized side of my life really. when I've not been a political fanatic I'm |
| 1:25.8 | pretty keen on jazz and jazz is the only music has ever moved me got me engaged |
| 1:30.4 | and Charlie Parker is I think the great figure of modern jazz he was a |
| 1:36.3 | completely disreputable heroin addict from Kansas City wound up in New York was a |
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