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Leo Parker
Leo Parker
Background information
Born	April 18, 1925; Washington, D.C., U.S.
Died	February 11, 1962 (aged 36); New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres	Jazz
Instruments	Baritone saxophone

Leo Parker (April 18, 1925 – February 11, 1962)^[1] was an American jazz musician, who primarily played baritone saxophone. Parker was the earliest baritone saxophonist to play bebop.^[2]

Early life

Born in Washington, D.C.,^[1] Parker studied alto saxophone in high school and played this instrument on a recording with Coleman Hawkins in 1944.^[1]

Career

Parker switched to baritone saxophone in 1944 when he joined Billy Eckstine's bebop band, playing there until 1946.^[1] In 1945, he was a member of the "Unholy Four" of saxophonists, with Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons.^[1] He played on 52nd Street in New York with Dizzy Gillespie in 1946 and Illinois Jacquet in 1947-48,^[1] and later recorded with Fats Navarro, J.J. Johnson, Teddy Edwards, Wardell Gray and Charles Thompson.^[1] He and Thompson had a hit with their Apollo Records release, "Mad Lad".^[1]

Personal life

In the 1950s, Parker had problems with drug abuse, which interfered with his recording career.^[1] He made two comeback records for Blue Note in 1961, but the following year he died of a heart attack in New York City.^[1] He was 36.