1. Shane Perryman
Summers
9th Pre AP LA
11/12
When the general public thinks of jazz (of any sort), most do not know any names outside
Louis Armstrong and Kenny G. While Louis is a prominent character (Kenny being. . .), his
music does not reflect the culture of jazz music, it simply covers the emotion and feeling. With
this in mind, it is safe to say that most Western peoples cannot recognize the complexity and
contrast of the different jazz genres, and are simply ignorant of the social influences involved
with them. This paper will focus on one of the scarier forms of jazz called “bebop,” along with
its infamous, unforgettable shadows. While the sober outcome of bebop will forever be
unknown, it is certain that “hard drugs” strongly influenced the culture and persona of the music.
“His crowd, the people he hung out with. . . the guy who pushed dope was always
around. . .” (Deveaux 254) remembers John “Dizzy” Gillespie. John is of course referring to
Charlie Parker, the alto sax player who became addicted to heroin at age fifteen. The crave began
after a car accident, which broke three of Parker’s ribs (Followel).Soon after Parker became the
best bebop soloist of all time, sparking the heroin age of jazz music. Now, before bebop, there
was “Dixieland” with Armstrong, Basie, Ellington, etc. The drugs involved consisted of most
marijuana and alcohol(which are both hardly frowned upon in modern society (at least a large
fraction seem to agree)). With that established, it is impossible to say (out loud) that the leap
from marijuana to heroin was no surprise. But why did musicians choose heroin, and what does
Parker have to do with it? Siddhartha Gautama may have claimed desire.
2. Shane Perryman
Summers
9th Pre AP LA
11/12
Everyone wanted to play like Parker, and the one substance that set him apart was heroin.
Every saxophone player on 52nd street jumped on it, hungry for fame. Heroin. “No two musicians
fell prey for drugs for precisely the same reasons” (Burns 358). Miles Davisstarted using it
(along with cocaine) after returning from Europe. He left his girlfriend and became depressed
after white critics began degrading his music (Deveaux 446-447). Many musicians became
hooked after returning from WWII (Burns). Most were certain heroin did not help anyone play
better, but were told that heroin could help one “hear” better (Clarke). No matter the reason, the
spark of heroin was traced back to Parker, the man who brought it into the New York jazz scene.
There is no doubt drugs (cocaine especially) altered a musicians playing style. Davis
repeatedly mentioned that cocaine completely enhanced his creative thinking (Davis 254).
Heroin changed Coltrane’s entire harmonic foundation, and almost every other victim’s melodic
ideas. Most critics (white men) said the sound was worse, but one thing must be understood; the
musicians were addicted to these drugs. It was no longer a matter of playing better, more a
matter of getting more drugs, more money, more women, etc. Players stopped caring about the
“pocket” of their music, and the feeling left. This gave Miles a chance to change music for the
first time in his career, creating hard bop (relatable to the evolution of rock to metal), which is an
entirely different subject.
Now, no one can deny the sole dedication jazz musicians made to the music. Charlie
Parker practiced 11-15 hours a day for a period of three to four years, Gillespie hardly let a horn
3. Shane Perryman
Summers
9th Pre AP LA
11/12
out of his hands, Coltrane practiced literally all day everyday (forgetting to eat, and hardly
sleeping), and Rollins claims to practice in the dressing room during intermissions. So how are
these men deemed unprofessional? Parker “. . . walked out on stage in his socks. . . passed out
cold on stage. . .” (Deveaux 194) This is not an exception. This was a reputation for being
extremely late, “grinning” on stage, and leaving gigs early.
Who is this writer, to criticize genius? No one. Sober bebop could have easily been a herd
of white men making funny faces, playing pre-written solos. Yes it is true, heroin abridged
bebop’s life span, but it gave birth to numerous offspring. It would not have done so if not for
these drugs (not that it matters).
