Leo Parker was an influential American jazz musician born on April 18, 1925, in Washington, D.C. He initially studied alto saxophone during his high school years at Armstrong High School, where he was classmates with notable musicians such as Charlie Rouse and Osie Johnson. Parker's early musical career included performances in Washington, D.C., and participation in jam sessions in New York City.

In 1944, Parker transitioned from alto to baritone saxophone when he joined Billy Eckstine's bebop band, a pivotal moment that established him as one of the earliest baritone saxophonists to play bebop. During his career, he was part of the "Unholy Four" of saxophonists alongside Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt, and Gene Ammons. Parker performed with prominent jazz figures such as Dizzy Gillespie, Illinois Jacquet, Fats Navarro, and J.J. Johnson, and he achieved a hit with Charles Thompson on their Apollo Records release, "Mad Lad."

Parker's career faced challenges in the 1950s due to drug abuse, which impacted his ability to record. However, he made a significant comeback with two records for Blue Note in 1961. Tragically, Parker's life was cut short when he died of a heart attack on February 11, 1962, in New York City at the age of 36.

His discography includes notable works such as "Let Me Tell You 'Bout It" and "Rollin' with Leo," both released on Blue Note in 1961, and his posthumous release, "Leo Parker: The Late Great King of the Baritone Sax" on Chess Records in 1971. Parker's contributions to jazz, particularly in the bebop genre, remain influential, and his legacy as a pioneering baritone saxophonist endures.