PRESS RELEASE

Sunday, March 14 & 21, 2004 @ 5pm * The Lizard Lounge
1667 Mass Ave. Cambridge, MA. (617)547-0759 * $7 at the door

The Lizard Lounge Presents
Live Bird
an intimate portrait of Charlie "Bird" Parker
Written Directed & Performed by Jeff Robinson

"I knew Charlie as a man and not simply as a musical genius. Jeff
portrays the Charlie I knew."
Widow, Doris Parker

"This is one of the best plays about Bird that I've ever experienced"
Frank Morgan, Jazz Legend and Charlie Parker protege!

"Live Bird should be moved to off-Broadway... It deserves wider
exposure"
Ira Gitler, Jazz Historian, Critic

"Robinson has Bird down cold... Robinson does it so convincingly
you'll forgive Parker for his flaws just to be in his presence"
David Yaffe, The Village Voice

"If you have an opportunity to see Jeff Robinson's Live Bird you
must."
Nick Catalano, All About Jazz.com

"It takes a multifaceted individual to conceive and perform a one-
man play on Charlie Parker, and Jeff Robinson fit's the bill"
Bob Blumenthal, Boston Globe

Live Bird is a one-man show celebrating the life of jazz legend
Charlie "Bird" Parker. The play is set in a bar in Harlem, NY the
summer of 1947. Bird talks about his days in Kansas City, Missouri
to imaginary characters, imitates Lester Young and plays some of his
own songs.

Playwright, actor, director and musician Jeff Robinson was nominated
for Best Actor by the Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE)
for his portrayal of Charlie Parker in the play. Jeff was nominated
for a "Best Actor" award by IRNE for his performance as the Stage
Manager in the Wheelock Family Theatre (WFT) production of "Our
Town." He has appeared in several productions at the WFT, including
the Boston Premiere of "To Kill a Mockingbird".

He has directed several plays including Pearl Cleage's "Blues for an
Alabama Sky" which he received an IRNE nomination for Best Director.
Robinson directed Craig Lucas's "Reckless" for Theatre Zone and also
his self-titled "Alley Cats" at the Institute of Contemporary Art
(ICA) with the Baldwin Theatre

The Jeff Robinson Trio have been performing at the Lizard Lounge in
Cambridge, MA every Sunday for more than seven years. They accompany
poets, spoken word artist, performance artist, rappers and singers
and have made an impact on the national spoken word/poetry movement.
They have performed or shared the stage with Dead Prez, Saul
Williams, Amiri Baraka, Patricia Smith, Askia Toure, Mr. Lif, Ralph
Nader, The Last Poets and many others. The trio currently have a
monthly residency at the legendary Nuyorican Poets Café on the Lower
East Side in New York City

They've also worked with Miles Davis Biographer/Poet Quincy Troupe
at the Langston Hughes Centennial Celebration in Langston's home
town, Joplin MO. And or currently collaborationg with Mr. Troupe on
a CD. They headlined the Boston Phoenix, WFNX Best Music Poll
Festival, Spoken Word Performance Stage and Tribute to William
Burroughs and were featured artist at the Jack Kerouac festival
performing Kerouac's "San Francisco Blues" in Kerouac's home town,
Lowell MA.

They have worked with several national Poetry Slam Champions; 1997
AC Rucker (AKA Da Boogie Man), 1998 Regie Gibson, 1999 Roger Bonair
Agard, 2000 Shane Koyczan, 2001 Mayda del Valle who is also a member
of the Def Poetry Jam on Broadway cast. They've also worked with
Author/Poet Bryon Bain and the original members of the Blackout Arts
Collective. They have shared the stage with former US Poet Laureate
Robert Pinsky and musician, spoken word legend Gil Scott Heron. .


Jeff's radio show "Poetry Jam" can be heard every Wednesdays from
8:00 to 9:00pm EST at WMBR 88.1 in Cambridge, MA and http://WMBR.org
on the internet. The show mixes Spoken Word, Poetry, Jazz and
Comedy.