WKCR is elated to announce two very special birthday broadcasts, spanning a combined 3 days: Lester Young, known also as “Prez,” and Charlie “Bird” Parker. We celebrate each of these saxophone giants with a 24-hour birthday broadcast: Prez on August 27 and Bird on August 29. We bridge the two legends’ birthdays on August 28 by playing Prez until noon, then switching to Bird.
Lester Young, known as the “President” of the tenor saxophone, truly revealed his unique style during his time with the Count Basie Orchestra, beginning in 1933. On tunes like “Taxi War Dance,” “D.B. Blues,” and “Lester Leaps In,” you can hear his signature light touch, quick and subtle vibrato, lyrical phrasing, and sophisticated harmonic improvisation. He shared a deep musical and personal bond with Billie Holiday—she gave him the nickname “Prez,” and he called her “Lady Day.” Their recordings together, such as “A Sailboat in the Moonlight” and “Mean to Me,” remain among the most moving and influential duets in jazz history. Lester Young forever changed the tenor saxophone, opening up new emotional and stylistic possibilities. His influence reached generations of musicians, including a young Charlie Parker, who cited Young’s sound as a major inspiration.
Miles Davis once said: “You can tell the history of jazz in four words: Louis Armstrong. Charlie Parker.” In that spirit, we’ll skip the usual biographical summary of Parker’s life and simply say that he transformed the course of modern music within his brief 34 years. Elements of his life and career remain enigmatic—such as the origin of his
nickname, “Bird,” which some say came from his love of chicken, while others claim it was short for “Yardbird,” a slang term from his Kansas City days. Regardless, Parker’s impact on jazz is undeniable and far-reaching. No figure casts a greater shadow over the art form than Charlie Parker, especially here at WKCR. Due to Phil Schaap’s lifelong devotion to Bird—and his legendary “Birdflight” radio shows, which he began hosting in 1981 and which still air on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings—Charlie Parker is the most frequently played artist in WKCR history.
Listeners can tune in to our 3-day birthday festival for Prez and Bird on 89.9FM or stream the birthday broadcast live on our website, wkcr.org. Follow WKCR on Instagram (@wkcr) and Twitter (@WKCRFM) for updates about this special broadcast and future events. As always, online listening is available 24/7 at wkcr.org via our web stream.
Schedule of hosts
Wednesday, August 27
12 midnight - 3 AM: Phil Schaap (archival)
3 AM - 6 AM: Paul Burkey (archival)
6 AM - 9 AM: Francisco Reyes
9 AM - 12 noon: Ella Presiado
12 noon - 3 PM: Sara Carson
3 PM - 6 PM: Maki Nientao
6 PM - 9 PM: Zachary Vanderslice
9 PM - 12 midnight: Matthew Rivera (archival)
Thursday, August 28
12 midnight - 3 AM: Charles Iselin (archival)
3 AM - 6 AM: Ale Díaz-Pizarro (archival)
6 AM - 9 AM: Phil Schaap (archival)
9 AM - 12 noon: Sid Gribetz
12 noon - 3 PM: Rachel Smith
3 PM - 6 PM: Ella Presiado & Solène Millsap
6 PM - 9 PM: Sharif Abdus-Salaam
9 PM - 12 midnight: Phil Schaap (archival)
Friday, August 29
12 midnight - 3 AM: Phil Schaap (archival)
3 AM - 6 AM: Sid Gribetz (archival)
6 AM - 9 AM: Schuyler Rabbin-Birnbaum (archival)
9 AM - 12 noon: Sid Gribetz
12 noon - 3 PM: Satch Peterson
3 PM - 6 PM: Casey Lamb
6 PM - 9 PM: Cliff Preiss
9 PM - 12 midnight: Phil Schaap (archival)
