Charlie Parker smiles at the Massey Hall concert in 1953. He was joined, from left to right, by pianist Bud Powell, Charles Mingus on bass, drummer Max Roach and Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet.

Seventy years ago, Charlie Parker and four other be-bop legends created what many call the greatest jazz concert ever— with Parker playing a plastic saxophone. A reissue of the recording is out.

Charlie Parker had pawned his saxophone. BROWNLEE: Dina Bennett is a doctor of ethnomusicology and interim director of the American Jazz Museum. BENNETT: He was given the plastic saxophone to play.

The Case: A woman owns a beautiful old alto saxophone that belonged to her father and according to family legend was once owned by the legendary jazz musician Charlie Bird" Parker. Her late father, a ...

The Case: A woman owns a beautiful old alto saxophone that belonged to her father and according to family legend was once owned by the legendary jazz musician Charlie "Bird" Parker.