Z2 Comics has announced that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has penned the introduction to its upcoming graphic novel biography of jazz great Charlie Parker (see "’Chasin’ the Bird: Charlie Parker in California’").  Abdul-Jabbar, known as a jazz aficionado and occasional writer about jazz, is the latest addition to the package, which includes a flexi-disc recording of a previously unreleased song from Parker’s stay in Los Angeles, the topic of Chasin’ the Bird: Charlie Parker in California.

The all-time NBA scoring leader and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient is a fan of the work.  "What is especially impressive is how Dave Chisholm and Peter Markowski capture in words and art, the spirit of Bird’s music, rooted in the traditions of classic music but reshaped into his own—and their own—personal expression," Abdul-Jabbar said.  "It is the universal quest each person embarks on to find their unique voice."