Jazz giant Charlie “Bird” Parker was born on August 29, 1920 in Kansas City.

During his short life—he died at age 34—Parker became one of the most influential figures in jazz history.

On September 16, 2013 the University of Illinois Press releases Bird: The Life and Music of Charlie Parker by Chuck Haddix. The book covers Parker’s life, music, and career. Haddix artfully weaves together firsthand accounts from those who knew Bird with new information about his life and career to create a compelling narrative portrait of a tragic genius.