exhibit
Saxophone Supreme: The Life & Music of Charlie Parker
Celebrating Charlie “Bird” Parker — the Kansas City–raised alto saxophonist who pioneered bebop — in partnership with UMKC Libraries.
May 15, 2026 – July 12, 2026
On view in the Changing Gallery, American Jazz Museum.
A partnership between the American Jazz Museum and UMKC Libraries, Saxophone Supreme celebrates Charlie “Bird” Parker, one of the most influential musicians and composers of all time. Born and raised in the Kansas City area, alto saxophonist Charlie Parker pioneered bebop — a revolution in jazz. Throughout his career, Parker continued to innovate and explore new musical vistas. He influenced ensuing generations of musicians across a broad range of styles. His genius also inspired writers, artists, dancers, and filmmakers.
This exhibition features groundbreaking research, album covers, sheet music, photographs, memorabilia, and rare audio clips from the collections of the American Jazz Museum, LaBudde Special Collections / Marr Sound Archives at UMKC, the Institute for Jazz Studies at Rutgers University – Newark, Norman Saks, and Brian Johnston. Originally curated in 2020 by Chuck Haddix, Curator of the Sound Archives, and Geri Sanders, Director of Collections for the American Jazz Museum. Chuck Haddix is the author of Bird: The Life and Music of Charlie Parker for the University of Illinois Press, coauthor of Kansas City Jazz: From Ragtime to Bebop — A History for Oxford University Press, and host of the KCUR 89.3 radio show The Fish Fry.
Saxophone Supreme is also available online as a digital exhibit from UMKC Libraries — explore Parker’s story, images, and audio from anywhere.