Jazz legend Charlie Parker's LA story to be told in graphic novel

To celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of jazz giant Charlie Parker, Z2 comics and the estate of the saxophonist have announced the first-ever graphic novel on him, Chasin' the Bird: Charlie Parker in California.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Z2 comics is collaborating with jazz scholar and cartoonist Dave Chisholm to tell the real-life story of Parker's time in Los Angeles.

The book is named after Parker's 1947 standard.

It will start with Parker, famously known as Bird, and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, bringing the tunes of East Coast's bebop jazz to LA in late 1945.

Parker stayed in California for two years, and the time saw him go through numerous personal hardships and professional highpoints, including both being admitted to a mental hospital for six months and recording some of his most pathbreaking work.

"I am so thrilled and incredibly honoured to have gotten the opportunity to write and draw Chasin' the Bird'. My creative and professional life has basically consisted of a steady ping-pong between two obsessions of mine: music and comics.

Needless to say, I've had the time of my life writing and drawing this book, which has turned into an incredibly personal and meaningful project. I am beyond excited to share this with the world and help spread the word about Bird's wonderful music, Chisholm said in a statement.

Chasin' the Bird: Charlie Parker in California will come out in September, shortly after the centenary of Bird's birthday on August 29.

"Charlie Parker is one of the most well-known figures in jazz, and to publish a chapter of his tragically short life story in comics is an honour.

"Jazz has always been a perfect complement to comic books, and certainly an inspiration to some of our greats as well. Robert Crumb would be proud, Z2 publisher Josh Frankel said.