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https://www.allmusic.com/artist/charlie-parker-mn0000211758/biography
Charlie Parker
(1920-1955)
Biography by Scott Yanow
One of a handful of musicians who can be said to have permanently changed jazz, Charlie Parker was arguably the greatest saxophonist of all time. He could play remarkably fast lines that, if slowed down to half speed, would reveal that every note made sense. "Bird," along with his contemporaries Dizzy Gillespie and Bud Powell, is considered a founder of bebop; in reality he was an intuitive player who simply was expressing himself. Rather than basing his improvisations closely on the melody as was done in swing, he was a master of chordal improvising, creating new melodies that were based on the structure of a song. In fact, Bird wrote several future standards (such as "Anthropology," "Ornithology," "Scrapple from the Apple," and "Ko Ko," along with such blues numbers as "Now's the Time" and "Parker's Mood") that "borrowed" and modernized the chord structures of older tunes. Parker's remarkable technique, fairly original sound, and ability to come up with harmonically advanced phrases that could be both logical and whimsical were highly influential. By 1950, it was impossible to play "modern jazz" with credibility without closely studying Charlie Parker.
Born in Kansas City, KS, Charlie Parker grew up in Kansas City, MO. He first played baritone horn before switching to alto. Parker was so enamored of the rich Kansas City music scene that he dropped out of school when he was 14, even though his musicianship at that point was questionable (with his ideas coming out faster than his fingers could play them). After a few humiliations at jam sessions, Bird worked hard woodshedding over one summer, building up his technique and mastery of the fundamentals. By 1937, when he first joined Jay McShann's Orchestra, he was already a long way toward becoming a major player.
Charlie Parker, who was early on influenced by Lester Young and the sound of Buster Smith, visited New York for the first time in 1939, working as a dishwasher at one point so he could hear Art Tatum play on a nightly basis. He made his recording debut with Jay McShann in 1940, creating remarkable solos with a small group from McShann's orchestra on "Oh, Lady Be Good" and "Honeysuckle Rose." When the McShann big band arrived in New York in 1941, Parker had short solos on a few of their studio blues records, and his broadcasts with the orchestra greatly impressed (and sometimes scared) other musicians who had never heard his ideas before. Parker, who had met and jammed with Dizzy Gillespie for the first time in 1940, had a short stint with Noble Sissle's band in 1942, played tenor with Earl Hines' sadly unrecorded bop band of 1943, and spent a few months in 1944 with Billy Eckstine's orchestra, leaving before that group made their first records. Gillespie was also in the Hines and Eckstine big bands, and the duo became a team starting in late 1944.
Although Charlie Parker recorded with Tiny Grimes' combo in 1944, it was his collaborations with Dizzy Gillespie in 1945 that startled the jazz world. To hear the two virtuosos play rapid unisons on such new songs as "Groovin' High," "Dizzy Atmosphere," "Shaw 'Nuff," "Salt Peanuts," and "Hot House," and then launch into fiery and unpredictable solos could be an upsetting experience for listeners much more familiar with Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman. Although the new music was evolutionary rather than revolutionary, the recording strike of 1943-1944 resulted in bebop arriving fully formed on records, seemingly out of nowhere.
Unfortunately, Charlie Parker was a heroin addict ever since he was a teenager, and some other musicians who idolized Bird foolishly took up drugs in the hope that it would elevate their playing to his level. When Gillespie and Parker (known as "Diz and Bird") traveled to Los Angeles and were met with a mixture of hostility and indifference (except by younger musicians who listened closely), they decided to return to New York. Impulsively, Parker cashed in his ticket, ended up staying in L.A., and, after some recordings and performances (including a classic version of "Oh, Lady Be Good" with Jazz at the Philharmonic), the lack of drugs (which he combated by drinking an excess of liquor) resulted in a mental breakdown and six months of confinement at the Camarillo State Hospital. Released in January 1947, Parker soon headed back to New York and engaged in some of the most rewarding playing of his career, leading a quintet that included Miles Davis, Duke Jordan, Tommy Potter, and Max Roach. Parker, who recorded simultaneously for the Savoy and Dial labels, was in peak form during the 1947-1951 period, visiting Europe in 1949 and 1950, and realizing a lifelong dream to record with strings starting in 1949 when he switched to Norman Granz's Verve label.
But Charlie Parker, due to his drug addiction and chance-taking personality, enjoyed playing with fire too much. In 1951, his cabaret license was revoked in New York (making it difficult for him to play in clubs) and he became increasingly unreliable. Although he could still play at his best when he was inspired (such as at the 1953 Massey Hall concert with Gillespie), Bird was heading downhill. In 1954, he twice attempted suicide before spending time in Bellevue. His health, shaken by a very full if brief life of excesses, gradually declined, and when he died in March 1955 at the age of 34, he could have passed for 64.
Charlie Parker, who was a legendary figure during his lifetime, has if anything grown in stature since his death. Virtually all of his studio recordings are available on CD along with a countless number of radio broadcasts and club appearances. Clint Eastwood put together a well-intentioned if simplified movie about aspects of his life (Bird). Parker's influence, after the rise of John Coltrane, has become more indirect than direct, but jazz would sound a great deal different if Charlie Parker had not existed. The phrase "Bird Lives" (which was scrawled as graffiti after his death) is still very true.
http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/charlieparker
Charlie Parker
Born: August 29, 1920 | Died: March 12, 1955
The
only child of Charles and Addie Parker, Charlie Parker was one of the
most important and influential saxophonists and jazz players of the
1940’s.
When Parker was still a child, his family moved to Kansas
City, Missouri, where jazz, blues and gospel music were flourishing.
His first contact with music came from school, where he played baritone
horn with the school’s band. When he was 15, he showed a great interest
in music and a love for the alto saxophone. Soon, Parker was playing
with local bands until 1935, when he left school to pursue a music
career.
From 1935 to 1939, Parker worked in Kansas City with
several local jazz and blues bands from which he developed his art. In
1939, Parker visited New York for the first time, and he stayed for
nearly a year working as a professional musician and often participating
in jam sessions. The New York atmosphere greatly influenced Parker's
musical style.
In 1938, Parker joined the band of pianist Jay
McShann, with whom he toured around Southwest Chicago and New York. A
year later, Parker traveled to Chicago and was a regular performer at a
club on 55th street. Parker soon moved to New York. He washed dishes at a
local food place where he met guitarist Biddy Fleet, the man who taught
him about instrumental harmony. Shortly afterwards, Parker returned to
Kansas City to attend his father’s funeral. Once there, he joined Harlan
Leonard’s Rockets and stayed for five months. In 1939, Yardbird
rejoined McShann and was placed in charge of the reed section. Then, in
1940, Parker made his first recording with the McShann orchestra.
During
the four years that Parker stayed with McShann's band, he got the
opportunity to perform solo in several of their recordings, such as
Hootie Blues, Sepian Bounce, and the 1941 hit Confessing the Blues. In
1942, while on tour with McShann, Parker performed in jam sessions at
Monroe’s and Minton’s Playhouse in Harlem. There he caught the attention
of up-and-coming jazz artists like Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk.
Later that year, Parker broke with McShann and joined Earl Hines for
eight months.
The year 1945 was extremely important for Parker.
During that time he led his own group in New York and also worked with
Gillespie in several ensembles. In December, Parker and Gillespie took
their music to Hollywood on a six-week nightclub tour. Parker continued
to perform in Los Angeles until June 1946, when he suffered a nervous
breakdown and was confined at a state hospital. After his release in
January 1947, Parker returned to New York and formed a quintet that
performed some of his most famous tunes.
From 1947 to 1951,
Parker worked in a number of nightclubs, radio studios, and other venues
performing solo or with the accompaniment of other musicians. During
this time, he visited Europe where he was cheered by devoted fans and
did numerous recordings. March 5, 1955, was Parker’s last public
engagement at Birdland, a nightclub in New York that was named in his
honor. He died a week later in a friend’s apartment.
Charles
“Yardbird” Parker was an amazing saxophonist who gained wide recognition
for his brilliant solos and innovative improvisations. He was, without a
doubt, one of the most influential and talented musicians in jazz
history.
Charlie Parker Quartet: 'Now's The Time'. Verve label (1951):
Now’s the Time compiles two of Charlie Parker’s rare quartet dates (he
usually recorded in a quintet format). Both are spectacular sessions,
full of intricate originals by Bird, complemented by two beautiful
readings of the standards “The Song Is You” and “I Remember You”. A 1950
quartet date (save for one track on which Bird is joined by the great
Coleman Hawkins) and a 1951 quintet session with Red Rodney on trumpet
have been added as a bonus.
The Genius of Charlie Parker, Vol. 3: Now's the Time Review
by Robert Taylor
Now's the Time captures Charlie Parker during one of his peak recording periods. The personnel of Hank Jones, Al Haig, Percy Heath, Teddy Kotick, and Max Roach
all contribute immeasurably to this classic session. There are numerous
outtakes, which offers a fascinating analysis of Parker's
improvisations, as well as classics such as "Song Is You," "Laird
Baird," "Kim," and "Now's the Time." What makes this session extra
special is the excellent recording quality that too many of his early
recordings, brilliant as they are, suffered from. Hearing the clarity of
each player contributes to one of bebop's best sessions. This is
essential music.
50 great moments in jazz: Charlie Parker
by John Fordham
20 July 2009
http://panopticonreview.blogspot.com/2013/08/charles-parker.html
From the Panopticon Review Archives
(Originally posted on August 30, 2013):
Friday, August 30, 2013
A Birthday Tribute To Charles Christopher Parker, Jr. Better Known As "Bird" (1920-1955): Alto Saxophonist, Composer, Cultural Icon, and Musical Genius
Kofi
(1920-1955)
MAJOR WORKS:
2002 - The Great Bronze Doors and Statue of Mary - Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles, California
2001 - Prologue - addition to the FDR Memorial, Washington D.C.
1999 - Charlie "Bird" Parker Memorial, Kansas City, Missouri
1997 - Duke Ellington Monument - Central Park, New York City
1997 - Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Washington D.C.
1994 - Plumed Serpent, Plaza de César Chávez, San Jose, California
1988 - Gates of The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu
1986 - Joe Louis Memorial, Detroit, Michigan
1984 - Olympic Gateway - Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
1983 - Fountain Figure No. 1, Fountain Figure No. 2, and Fountain Figure No. 3, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
1980/81 - Stephanie and Spy - Hammer Museum, University of California, Los Angeles Campus, Los Angeles, California
1978 - Dance Door - Los Angeles Music Center, Los Angeles, California
http://www.npr.org/2007/08/29/13999003/charlie-parker-bird-lives-part-1
Charlie Parker: 'Bird Lives!' Part 1
Regardless of the velocity or intricacy of his solos, Parker never left behind the basic blues of his hometown, Kansas City, Kansas. Born August 29, 1920, he grew up in the notorious, mobster-ridden town that was also a haven for jazz. His father abandoned his family when Parker was just a child, so his mother worked nights to support the family. This left Bird the perfect opportunity to sneak into the local bars to listen to jazz artists like saxophonists Lester Young and Chu Berry, and trumpeter Roy Eldridge.
01- Bloomdido - Charlie Parker / Dizzy Gillespie
Bird & Diz, Verve label, 1950
Charlie Parker / Dizzy Gillespie – Bird And Diz
Eventually, Parker began working with Kansas City saxophonist Buster Smith, who according to jazz historian Phil Schaap was known as "Prof" for his work with young musicians. Parker had to travel to New York to find Smith. Upon his arrival he took a job as a dishwasher at a Harlem club called Jimmy's Chicken Shack, where piano virtuoso Art Tatum played regularly. According to writer Gary Giddins, the then-nineteen year old Parker received his first musical vision there in New York. As trumpeter Wynton Marsalis notes, it was from Tatum that Parker first learned how to solo. Whenever he could, Parker played in neighborhood jam sessions and one cold night, in December 1939, he had a musical revelation. When he used higher chord intervals while playing the Ray Noble hit song, "Cherokee," he found that he could resolve the resulting tension with a complex shower of just the right notes. In the words of a Down Beat feature, Parker said that he had came alive.
Before his twentieth birthday, Parker returned to Kansas City. He took a job with the Harlan Leonard Band, but quickly left to join pianist Jay McShann's big band. While travelling through Nebraska with the group, Parker hit a chicken while driving and according to McShann, this is where Parker got the nickname "Bird." The band eventually came to New York City to play the legendary Savoy Ballroom. Phil Schaap points out that this was Parker's first real performance in New York City, a significant milestone in the history of jazz.
Parker wasn't the only bebop innovator in McShann's big band — Dizzy Gillespie was also in the group. The two horn players had met previously back in Kansas City, when Dizzy was touring with Cab Calloway's big band. In his radio interview with Paul Desmond, Parker recalls the first time he met Diz, while Gillespie reveals how influential Parker's phrasing was on Diz's own playing.
After finding a musical soul mate in Dizzy, Parker found himself working with the trumpeter again in 1942, with pianist Earl Hines. Two years later, Bird and Dizzy joined Billy Eckstine's Band, with bebop pioneers such as trumpeters Fats Navarro, tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon, and drummer Art Blakey; unfortunately, that particular group of musicians folded before recording with Bird.
During this time, New York City's 52nd Street was ablaze with jazz, but it was Uptown in Harlem where bebop was on the rise. At Harlem after-hour clubs like Monroe's and Minton's, Bird and Diz played their freshly minted solos at a blistering pace, a clear challenge to the swing-oriented 52nd Street sound. At Minton's, the two friends formed a house band with pianist Thelonious Monk and drummer Kenny Clarke. As jazz historian Stanley Crouch says, "[they] were really trying to find a way to play that was interesting to them"
In January 1945, Parker and Gillespie entered the studio together for first time to accompany singer and trombonist Trummy Young on a song called, "Sorta Kinda." The first landmark bebop recording session took place four months later, when Diz and Bird recorded "Shaw Nuff," and before long Savoy Records came knocking and offered Bird the opportunity to record on his own. When the day arrived, a pianist scheduled for the session couldn't make it and Bird asked Dizzy to fill in. The result is one of Parker's most beloved classics - "KoKo." Gary Giddins describes this song as perhaps Bird's greatest recording, and both "Shaw Nuff" and "KoKo" are now viewed as the birth of recorded bebop.
In early 1946, Diz and Bird accepted a two-month engagement at Billy Berg's nightclub in Hollywood. At that time, Parker's heroin addiction was getting as much attention as his musical talent. Dizzy was commissioned to bring a quintet, but he brought seven musicians due to Bird's unreliability. Once the engagement ended, all the musicians returned to New York except for Bird, who cashed in his airplane ticket and stayed in California.
Stranded in California with a serious drug addiction, Parker's need for cash led him to Ross Russell of Dial Records. There, Parker recorded four classics: "Moose The Mooch," "Yardbird Suite," "Night In Tunisia" and "Ornithology." Parker's addiction was rapidly debilitating him, and by the time he recorded the "Lover Man," session with Howard McGee, he could hardly stand up to play.
After the "Lover Man" session, Parker suffered a nervous breakdown. This led to his arrest, and subsequent treatment for drug addiction at the Camarillo State Hospital, where Parker later wrote a song called "Relaxin' At Camarillo." Six months after this stay at Camarillo, Parker returned to New York with a new vitality. Bird's legacy continues in part two of this special edition of Jazz Profiles.
Next on Jazz Profiles:
http://www.jazz.com/dozens/the-dozens-steve-coleman-on-charlie-parker
THE DOZENS: STEVE COLEMAN ON CHARLIE PARKER
(Ted Panken editor)
The music of Charles Parker Jr. – as well as the music of many other musicians – probably has the greatest influence on my own music. I view Parker as a major composer, albeit primarily a spontaneous composer. His written compositions, similar to many other very strong spontaneous composers, were mainly jumping-off points for his spontaneous discussions. Parker was also someone whose function would be analogous to the role of a master drummer in traditional West African societies. For me, Parker translated these combined ideas, via a style that is a sophisticated version of the Blues, into something that can express life, from the point of view of the African-American experience in the 20th century. Many others, John Coltrane for example, contributed to the expression of this transitional music on a technical, intellectual and spiritual level.
I get a lot of what I call micro-information from Parker. There is much in the way of technical things such as melodic movements and progressions, etc., but there are also the linguistic aspects of Parker’s music and the emotional and spiritual content. In studying the history of how this music was developed, one can glean a great deal of insight about the natural world as well as human nature in general. This story has been told many times before; the clothes may be different, but it is the same story.
In my opinion, by far the most dramatic feature of Bird’s musical language is the rhythmic aspect, in particular his phrasing and timing, not only his own playing but in combination with dynamic players such as Max Roach, Roy Haynes, Bud Powell, Fats Navarro, Dizzy Gillespie, and others. Although much more has been written about the harmonic aspects of Bird’s musical language, most of this harmonic conception was already present in the music of pianists and saxophonists from the previous era, before Parker arrived on the scene. Among others, the music of pianists Duke Ellington and Art Tatum, as well as saxophonists Coleman Hawkins and Don Byas, demonstrated an already quite sophisticated grasp of harmony. Just about any recording of Tatum demonstrates a harmonic language that rivaled anything from the musicians of Charlie Parker’s time. Furthermore, one could look at examples such as Coleman Hawkins’ famous 1939 rendition of Body and Soul or Don Byas’ 1945 Town Hall duos with Slam Stewart (I’ve Got Rhythm and Indiana) to see that many of these harmonic aspects were already quite developed. Also in Byas’ recordings, we already see some hint of the rhythmic language that would emerge fully developed in Parker’s playing.
Not a lot has been written about the rhythmic aspects of this language, and for good reason – there are no words and developed descriptive concepts for it in most Western languages. Western music theory has developed primarily in directions that are great for describing the tonal aspects of music, particularly harmony. However, the language to describe rhythm itself is not very well developed, apart from descriptions of time signatures and other notation-related devices. But over the years, musicians themselves have developed a kind of insider’s language, an informal slang that is helpful to allude to what is already intuited and culturally implied.
The implications of Parker’s phrasing helped to catalyze the rhythmic responses that eventually would come from players such as Max Roach, Bud Powell, Fats Navarro, etc. Although the descriptive aspects of these rhythmic concepts are underdeveloped, we could extend our ability to discuss this language by drawing from the perspective of the rhythmic language of the African Diaspora. Dizzy Gillespie referred to Charlie Parker’s rhythmic conception as sanctified rhythms, suggesting a style of playing that was related to music heard in church. Later in this article I will take that analogy a little further when I discuss ternary versus duple time.
There is a famous quote by Beethoven that “music is a higher revelation than philosophy.” The tradition of Armstrong, Ellington, Monk, Bird, Von Freeman, Coltrane, etc., has demonstrated to the world the great heights that spontaneous composition can be taken to, and there is great importance in this. In the West, especially sophisticated spontaneous composition became virtually a lost art, probably only kept alive in the context of the French Organ improvisational schools (Pierre Cochereau, Marcel Dupré, etc.) and some of the various forms of folk music. But the form and approach of the concept of spontaneous composition that was developed in the Armstrong-Parker-Coltrane continuum (to use a phrase coined by Anthony Braxton) and the amount of information that this form of composition projects (both material and spiritual information) is staggering in its scope. This is particularly true when you look at the relatively short amount of time that it has taken for this music to develop.
That is not to say that other forms of music have not accomplished the same thing in their own way. But this article deals specifically with spontaneous composition as expressed in the music of Charlie Parker.
I will address most of the following performances in some detail with technical analysis, and will mostly concentrate on the rhythmic, melodic and linguistic elements of Parker’s music.
1. TRACK: Ko-Ko
ARTIST: Charlie Parker
CD: Complete Royal Roost… (Savoy)
Musicians: Miles Davis (tp) Charlie Parker (as) Al Haig (p) Tommy Potter (b) Max Roach (d)
Recorded: New York, Royal Roost, September 4, 1948
This is one of the slickest melodies that I’ve ever heard. And the manner in which it is played is just sophisticated slang at its highest level. The way the melody weaves back and forth is unreal, and Yard and Max keep this kind of motion going in the spontaneous part of the song.
I’m a big boxing fan, and I see a lot of similarities between boxing and music. To be more specific, I should say that I see similarities between boxing and music that are done a certain way. There was a point in round seven of the December 8, 2007, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. versus Ricky Hatton fight (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16EGkaCHmFg), starting with an uppercut at 0:44 of this video (2:19 of the round), and also beginning with the check left hook at 2:22 of the video (0:42 of the round) when Floyd was really beginning to open up on Ricky, hitting him with punches coming from different angles in an unpredictable rhythm. If you listen to this fight with headphones on you can almost hear the musicality of the rhythm of the punches. Mayweather was throwing body shots (i.e. punches) and head shots, all coming from different angles: hooks, crosses, straight shots, uppercuts, jabs, an assortment of punches in an unpredictable rhythm. But it’s not only that Mayweather’s rhythm that was unpredictable, It was also the groove that he got into.
In my opinion, the work of Max Roach in this performance of Ko-Ko is very similar to the smooth, fluent, unpredictable groove that elite fighters like Mayweather, Jr., employ. The interplay of Max’s drumming with Bird’s improvisation sets up a very similar feel to what I saw in Mayweather’s rhythm. Near the end of Ko-Ko, at 2:15, Max does exactly this same kind of boxer motion, accompanying the second half of Miles’ interlude improvisation and continuing into Bird’s improvisation, only in this case it is like a counterpoint, a conversation in slang between Yard and Max. This is a technique that is both seen and heard throughout the African Diaspora. A certain amount of trickery is involved, a slickness that is demonstrated, for example, by the cross-over dribble and other moves of athletes: for example, the ‘ankle breaking’ moves of basketball player Allan Iverson. In addition to this, Max’s solo just before the head out is absolutely masterful. Try listening to it at half speed if you can.
This was the first Charlie Parker recording that I ever heard, as it was the first cut on side A of an album (remember those?) that my father gave me. And I can still vividly remember my response – I had absolutely NO IDEA of what was going on in terms of structure or anything else. It all seemed so esoteric and mysterious to me, as I was previously exposed to the more explicit forms of these rhythmic devices as presented in the popular African-American music that I grew up listening to. Compared to music that I had been listening to when I was younger (before the age of 17), the detailed structures in the music of Parker and his associates were moving so much more quickly, with greater subtlety and on a much more sophisticated level than I was accustomed to. However from the beginning, while listening to this music, I did intuitively get the distinct impression of communication, that the music sounded like conversations.
In discussing Ko-Ko, first of all the rhythm of the head is like something from the hood, but on Mars! In the form and movement there is so much hesitation, backpedaling, and stratification. The ever-present phrasing in groups of three and the way the melody shifts in uneven groups, dividing the 32 beats into an unpredictable pattern of 3-3-2-2-3-3-2-2-1-3-4-4. By backpedaling I mean the way that the rhythmic patterns seem to reverse in movement – for example the 8s are broken up as 3-3-2, then as 2-3-3. By hesitation I am referring to the way the next 8 is broken up as 2-2-1-3, as kind of stuttering movement.
Opening melody of Ko-Ko
Stratification is just my term for the funky nature of the melody and Max’s accompaniment. With this music I have always paid more attention to the melody, drums and bass – however, this song form is composed of only melody and drums, with Max’s part being spontaneously composed. The way Max scrapes the brushes rhythmically across the snare, frequently pivoting in unpredictable places, adds to the elusiveness and sophistication of this performance. For example, during the head and under Miles’ first interlude improvisation (starting at measure 9), Max provides an esoteric commentary, filling in a little more as Parker enters (in measure 17) – however, the beat is always implicit, never directly stated. On this rendition of Ko-Ko, Bird’s temporal sense is so strong that his playing provides the clues for the uninitiated listener to find his/her balance.
Melody of Ko-Ko, trumpet, sax, snare & bass drum
One rarely hears this kind of commentary from drummers, as much of today’s music is explicitly stated. The way Max chooses only specific parts of the melody to use as points for his commentary is part of what makes the rhythm so mysterious. Much is hinted at, instead of directly stated. This continues in the spontaneously composed sections of this performance, as Yard plays in a way where there are very hard accents which form an interplay with Max’s spacious exclamations. Punches are being mixed here, some hard, some soft, upstairs and downstairs, in ways that form a hard-hitting but unpredictable groove. I’ve always felt that the obvious speed and virtuosity of this music obscures its more subtle dimensions from many listeners, almost as if only the initiates of some kind of secret order are able to understand it. This kind of slickness and dialog continues throughout this performance, building in ways that ebb and flow just as in a conversation. By the way Miles plays the F in measure 28 early – but based on the original 1945 studio recording with Diz and Bird playing the melody, this F should fall on the first beat of measure 29. However, Yard and Max play their parts correctly, so the still developing Miles Davis probably had trouble negotiating this rapid tempo.
Spontaneously composed music can be analyzed in a similar fashion to counterpoint, in terms of the interaction of the voices. However, it is a counterpoint that has its own rules based on a natural order and intuitive-logic – what esoteric scholar and philosopher Schwaller de Lubicz referred to as Intelligence of the Heart. Also, in my opinion, the cultural DNA of the creators of this music should be taken into account, just as you should take environment and culture into account when studying any human endeavors. Max tends to play in a way that both interjects commentary between Bird’s pauses and punctuates Parker’s phrases with termination figures. For a drummer to do this effectively he/she must be very familiar with the manner of speaking of the soloist in order to be able to successfully anticipate the varied expressions.
I have heard many live recordings where it is clear that Max is anticipating Parker’s sentence structures and applying the appropriate punctuation. This is not unusual – close friends frequently finish each other’s sentences in conversations. With musicians such as Parker and Roach everything is internalized on a reflex level. As this music is rapidly moving sound being created somewhat spontaneously, I believe that the foreground mental activity occurs primarily on the semantic level in the mind, while the internalized, agreed upon syntactic musical formations may be dealt with by some other more automated process, such as theorized by the concept of the mirror neuron system. What is striking here is the level that the conversations are occurring on – these are very deep subjects! Most of the time, critics and academics discuss this music in terms of individual musical accomplishments, and don’t focus enough attention on the interplay. I feel this music first and foremost tells a story. There is definitely a conscious attempt to express the music using a conversational logic. So what I am saying is that while syntax is important, semantics is primary. Too often what the music refers to, or may refer to is ignored.
The last half of the bridge going into the last eight before Roach’s solo (at 1:32) provides one of these rhythmic voice leading points where Max goes into his boxing thing, playing some of the funkiest stuff I’ve heard. Just as instructive are the vocal exclamations of the musicians and possibly some initiated members of the audience, which form additional commentary. There is so much going on in this section that you could write a book about it – an entire world of possibilities is implied, as the rhythmic relationships are far more subtle than what is happening harmonically.
2nd half of last bridge and last 8 of Ko-Ko, Bird’s solo
This illustrates that on these faster pieces Yard tended to play with bursts of sentences punctuated with shorter internal groupings using hard accents, whereas Max played in a way that effectively demarcated Parker’s phrases with longer groupings setting up shifting epitritic patterns*. Max sets these patterns up by repeated figures designed to impress upon the listener a particular rhythmic form, only to suddenly displace the rhythm from what the listener was conditioned to expect. The passage above is a perfect example of this, setting up a hypnotic dance of 2-3-3, only to shift the expected equilibrium with the response of 2-1-3-1-1, then continuing with a slight variation of the initial dance.
Even the vocal exclamations of the musicians and audience members participates in what I consider to be secular ritualized performances. All of these features that I mention are traits that I consider to be a kind of musical DNA that has been retained from Africa. This music’s level of sophistication demanded the intellectual as well as emotional participation of musicians and non-musicians alike (when they could get into the music, which not all people could). The rate of change of each instrument is also instructive. Obviously the soloists are in the foreground playing the instruments that have the swifter motion. In the case of this particular group, the bass would be approximately half the speed of the soloist, with the drums having a mercurial and protean function. In terms of commentaries, the drummer would be the next slowest after the bass and piano, and would be providing the slowest commentary from a rhythmic point of view. However, elements of the drum part are closer to the speed of the soloist.
*The epitritic ratio is 4 against 3 – that is, Max playing the 4 against slow 3 (i.e. a slow pulse which is every 3 measures of 1/1 time). This ratio is used a lot on the continent of Africa.
3. TRACK: Perhaps – Take 1
Artist: Charlie Parker
CD: The Complete Savoy Studio Sessions [Savoy SJL 5500]
Musicians: Miles Davis (tp) Charlie Parker (as) John Lewis (p) Curly Russell (b) Max Roach (d)
Recorded: New York, September 24 1948
This composition is another example of the many linguistic rhythmic devices Parker used in his music that are not much discussed. In my opinion, the composed melody is clearly an explanation with variations. The opening phrase of the melody is an explanation of some kind, followed by “but perhaps” (going into measure 5), which begins the first alternate explanation. Then “perhaps” (into measure 7) begins a second alternate explanation. “Perhaps” (into measure 9) begins the final clarification, then the melody ends with the responses in measures 11 and 12 – “perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.” Therefore we can think of the melodic segments in between the “perhaps” as some sort of discussion and clarification of a particular situation, lending more evidence to the literal admonishment of the cats to “always tell a story” with your music. Obviously in this song there is an added onomatopoetic dimension to the melody that allowed me to at least recognize the perhaps musical phrase at an early stage in my career when I knew very little about the structure of music. But this more obvious example also served notice to me that these possibilities existed within this music, and just maybe there also were elements of the spontaneous compositions that exhibited these features.
This was my intuitive reaction to this song when I first heard it in my formative years as I was still learning how to play, and it is still how I understand it when I listen today. But beyond the more obvious example of this composed melody, I feel that the spontaneous part of this composition, indeed of all of Parker’s compositions, are also explanations, and that they are all telling stories. And as mentioned before, they contain the same kinds of exclamations, dialog, linguistic phraseology, and common sense structure that is contained in everyday conversation, with the exception that this linguistic structure is based on the sub-culture of the African-American community of that time, what most people would call slang. This is particularly evident in the rhythm of the musical phrases. The way Max answers the melody is definitely conversational. I hear the same kinds of rhythms that I see when watching certain boxers, basketball players, dancers, and the timing of most of the various activities that go on in the hood. However, this same rhythmic sensibility can occur on various levels of sophistication, and with the music of Bird and his cohorts, it occurs on an extremely sophisticated artistic level.
This subject of musical conversation brings up the issue of African-Diapora DNA. Scholar Schwaller de Lubicz made reference to a theory that the ancient Egyptians, at some very early point in their existence, had a language whose structure and utterances consisted of pure modulated tones similar to music, as opposed to the phonetic languages of today. Given that their ancient writing contained no symbols for vowels, this idea may seem far-fetched. However, because the recorded writing of this civilization documents over two millennia, a great deal of change must have occurred within the language.
Many modern linguists believe somewhat the opposite, that the original human languages contained clicks or were predominantly click languages. These linguists use the languages of the Hadza people of Tanzania and Jul’hoan people of Botswana as evidence. However, the evidence of drum languages in the Niger-Congo region of Sub-Saharan Africa tells another story. For example, the drum languages of the Yoruba of Nigeria, Ghana, Togo and Benin; the Ewe of Ghana, Togo and Benin; the Akan of Ghana; and the Dagomba of northern Ghana, still exist today. In the languages of these areas, register tone languages are common, where pitch is used to distinguish words (as opposed to contour, as in Chinese). Since many of these West-African languages are tonal, suprasegmental communication is possible through purely prosodic means (i.e. rhythm, stress and intonation). There is little doubt that emotional prosody (sounds that represent pleasure, surprise, anger, happiness, sadness, etc.) predated the modern concept of languages. If the early ancient Egyptians developed a highly structured form of suprasegmental communication, it is quite possible that de Lubicz’ theory is correct. In any case, there is plenty of precedent for the exclusive use of tones as language.
Regarding the sections containing spontaneous composition, of course, many musical devices are involved, rhythmic, melodic, harmonic and formal, all on a very high level. Which is why most students of this music are absorbed in the musical parameters – there is so much there. But I propose that much of what is being accomplished musically can be seen more clearly if we take into account the perspective of the African-Diaspora, rather than have discussions primarily about harmonic structure, etc. Many of the rhythms that Parker uses are not merely related to African music in the linguistic sense that I have outlined above, nor only related to the notion of having a certain kind of swing or groove. Also many of the structural rhythmic tendencies of the Diaspora have been retained within African-American culture.
We can start by looking at the concept of clave in Parker’s playing. The phrase at 0:26 of take 1 is precisely the kind of slick musical sentence that Parker was renowned for among his peers. I feel that the emphasis in the phrasing contains rhythmic figures very similar to various clave patterns. This phrase is repeated almost verbatim at 0:55 with the addition of a turn and a slight shift in the clave pattern:
(at 0:26 )
versus:
(at 0:55)
Of course, you need to listen to the recording to get a feel for the emphasis, but my point here is that there does not seem to be much discussion of this aspect of Bird’s internal sense of rhythmic structure. Recognition of a sense of clave in Parker’s playing is a key (pardon my pun) to beginning to investigate his complex rhythmic concepts in greater detail. It would be instructive to listen to Bird’s spontaneous compositions only for their rhythmic content without regard for the pitches. Then it would be revealed that many of his phrases contain the same kinds of rhythmic structures found in the phrasing of the master drummers of West Africa, with the exception of the pitch conception. An investigation of the starting and ending points of Parker’s phrases reveals a kinship to these Sub-Saharan drum masters.
Take as an example this melodic sentence at 0:38 of take 1 of Perhaps:
There are several rhythmic shifts of emphasis here that suggest a compressing and lengthening of phrases. Starting on beat 3 of measure 2, the shift in emphasis within the phrase suggests groupings of 6-4-5-3-4 (in 4th note pulses). This concept is similar to the classic mop-mop figure, i.e., 4-3-5-4, and is one of the hallmarks of Bird’s spontaneous compositions.
Charlie Parker (alto sax), Miles Davis (), Duke Jordan (piano), Tommy Potter (bass), Max Roach (drums).
Composed by Charlie Parker
Rating: 100/100 (learn more)
These two versions of "All The Things You Are," the first recorded in the studio as "Bird of Paradise" five months before the second, are examples of how Charlie Parker approached creating in a studio environment differently than playing in live performances. It seems to me that Bird thought of the studio as a place to present his ideas to the public in the clearest possible form analogous to sculptures, where each take was an attempt to improve upon the last. On the other hand, the gigs seem to be a dynamic laboratory for experimentation, an area for taking chances and trying out new ideas and combinations, and for unfettered communication among the musicians and between the musicians and audience members (who were usually rather vocal in their feedback). Many professional musicians take this approach. From a musician's standpoint, I much prefer listening to the live recordings, although the sound quality, of course, is far inferior. Here I look at two versions of the same form, one a studio recording taken at a slightly slower tempo (although both versions serve a ballade function), the other from a gig that featured a singer.
"Bird of Paradise" (essentially the same form as "All The Things You Are" without a statement of the composed melody) is truly a sculpture, pristine and refined. Parker had three attempts at creating this masterpiece, each take a refinement of the last. Consisting of only a one chorus statement, the form of the spontaneous composition is exact similar to a fine jewel. However there is little chance taking, Charlie seems to be concentrating on getting it right.
Bird performs the live version of "All The Things You Are" with much more abandon, being encouraged by band mates and audience members alike. Here different kinds of devices are attempted reminiscent of the previous performances we have looked at. After the first reserved and extremely melodic opening phrase, there is a sudden outburst of a wild nature, a posture which increases as the song moves on. Melodically there are a lot more alternate paths and the rhythms are more varied; it is clear that by this point in Parker's career, these devices had been totally internalized and had become second nature. However, Bird's trademark sense of melodic and rhythmic symmetry is still evident even in his most experimental forays.
I consider this period around 1948-1949 to be Parker's most creative and stable period. His entire professional career was about 151/2 years total, very short by most standards, due to the chaotic nature of his life. Many of the experiments that he wanted to try out were left unexplored because of lack of organization and the various health problems that plagued him in the '50s. Also during 1948-1949 he had a stable band that worked consistently and which he rehearsed, with the result that the arrangements and forms of the compositions were more sophisticated. Much of the original material in his repertoire comes from this time period as well�he composed later compositions primarily either just before or during record dates. With the exception of Max Roach, the sidemen in this steady working band were not on Bird's level. Miles was still developing, beginning to hit his stride around the time he left Parker's group, and the other musicians were competent but not extraordinary. However this group was balanced in that everyone fulfilled a function.
Miles Davis once mentioned that Charlie Parker's approach was not one style, but many. I agree with this statement, and as a result I've never liked calling Bird's style Be-Bop. Charlie Parker had a complicated personality, and his approach to music reflected this complexity. From the perspective of a spontaneous composer, he was in many ways a bridge figure who came of age among accomplished veterans of a sophisticated blues-based idiom, but had the vision to look forward to an even more sophisticated abstract expression while still retaining the feeling and storytelling function of folklore. Parker's time in the physical plane was brief. However, in a short period of time he served the function of a modern griot, an avatar for the prototypical spontaneous composer. In the process, his creations turned the musical world upside down.
Reviewer: Steve Coleman
https://www.allmusic.com/album/bird-the-original-recordings-of-charlie-parker-mw0000201731
Bird: The Original Recordings of Charlie Parker
Review by Rovi Staff
Allmusic
This compilation of original Verve sessions (spanning 1947-1953) comes highly recommended, not only for its earful of superb musicianship from the creators of modern jazz, but for the sound quality of the recordings. Many Parker releases, culled from poorly engineered live recordings or audience bootlegs, require tolerating so much sonic hiss and extraneous noise that it distances and distracts from the enjoyment. Not so with these Verve tracks, which are astonishingly clear and well-balanced throughout, highlighting Parker's dazzling technique and full, incisive tone to good measure.
Joined by the likes of Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Young, Thelonious Monk, and Max Roach, among others, Bird and ensemble blaze through versions of "Mohawk," "Now's the Time," and "Laird Baird" (which Parker dedicated to his son). Those allergic to orchestral arrangements should be forewarned that several tracks, including "Laura," "April in Paris," and "Just Friends" (which includes the solo Parker reputedly claimed was his own favorite), are string-laden. Parker's playing transcends all, however, and Bird: The Original Recordings is an outstanding collection for fans and newcomers alike.
"Au Privave" by Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Bird: The Original Recordings Of Charlie Parker
Verve Records – 837 176-2 Formato: CD, Compilation PaÃs: US Publicado: 1988 Género: Jazz Estilo:
Bop
Lista de TÃtulos
Tracklist:
01.- Now's The Time
02.- Laura
03.- Mohawk
04.- Kim
05.- Blues For Alice
06.- Laird Baird
07.- K.C. Blues
08.- Lover Man
09.- Just Friends
10.- The Bird
11.- April In Paris
12.- Lester Leaps In
Charlie Parker / The Savoy Recordings Master Takes:
Charlie Parker On Dial (Volume 6):
Tracklist 00:00 Drifting On A Reed (1151-B) Personnel: Charlie Parker Sextet Miles Davis tpt; J.J. Johnson tbn; Charlie Parker alt; Duke Jordan p; Tommy Potter bs; Max Roach d. WOR Studios, Broadway at 38th St, New York City - Wednesday, December 17, 1947.
03:01 Drifting On A Reed (1151-D) Personnel: Charlie Parker Sextet Miles Davis tpt; J.J. Johnson tbn; Charlie Parker alt; Duke Jordan p; Tommy Potter bs; Max Roach d. WOR Studios, Broadway at 38th St, New York City - Wednesday, December 17, 1947.
05:59 Drifting On A Reed (1151-E) Personnel: Charlie Parker Sextet Miles Davis tpt; J.J. Johnson tbn; Charlie Parker alt; Duke Jordan p; Tommy Potter bs; Max Roach d. WOR Studios, Broadway at 38th St, New York City - Wednesday, December 17, 1947.
08:56 Quasimodo (1152-A) Personnel: Charlie Parker Sextet Miles Davis tpt; J.J. Johnson tbn; Charlie Parker alt; Duke Jordan p; Tommy Potter bs; Max Roach d. WOR Studios, Broadway at 38th St, New York City - Wednesday, December 17, 1947.
11:55 Quasimodo (1152-B) Personnel: Charlie Parker Sextet Miles Davis tpt; J.J. Johnson tbn; Charlie Parker alt; Duke Jordan p; Tommy Potter bs; Max Roach d. WOR Studios, Broadway at 38th St, New York City - Wednesday, December 17, 1947.
14:53 Charlie's Wig (1153-B) Personnel: Charlie Parker Sextet Miles Davis tpt; J.J. Johnson tbn; Charlie Parker alt; Duke Jordan p; Tommy Potter bs; Max Roach d. WOR Studios, Broadway at 38th St, New York City - Wednesday, December 17, 1947.
17:43 Charlie's Wig (1153-D) Personnel: Charlie Parker Sextet Miles Davis tpt; J.J. Johnson tbn; Charlie Parker alt; Duke Jordan p; Tommy Potter bs; Max Roach d. WOR Studios, Broadway at 38th St, New York City - Wednesday, December 17, 1947.
20:33 Charlie's Wig (1153-E) Personnel: Charlie Parker Sextet Miles Davis tpt; J.J. Johnson tbn; Charlie Parker alt; Duke Jordan p; Tommy Potter bs; Max Roach d. WOR Studios, Broadway at 38th St, New York City - Wednesday, December 17, 1947.
23:19 Bongo Beep (1154-B) Personnel: Charlie Parker Sextet Miles Davis tpt; J.J. Johnson tbn; Charlie Parker alt; Duke Jordan p; Tommy Potter bs; Max Roach d. WOR Studios, Broadway at 38th St, New York City - Wednesday, December 17, 1947.
26:22 Bongo Beep (1154-C) Personnel: Charlie Parker Sextet Miles Davis tpt; J.J. Johnson tbn; Charlie Parker alt; Duke Jordan p; Tommy Potter bs; Max Roach d. WOR Studios, Broadway at 38th St, New York City - Wednesday, December 17, 1947.
29:24 Crazeology (Excerpt 1155-A) Personnel: Charlie Parker Sextet Miles Davis tpt; J.J. Johnson tbn; Charlie Parker alt; Duke Jordan p; Tommy Potter bs; Max Roach d. WOR Studios, Broadway at 38th St, New York City - Wednesday, December 17, 1947.
30:26 Crazeology (Excerpt 1155-B) Personnel: Charlie Parker Sextet Miles Davis tpt; J.J. Johnson tbn; Charlie Parker alt; Duke Jordan p; Tommy Potter bs; Max Roach d. WOR Studios, Broadway at 38th St, New York City - Wednesday, December 17, 1947.
31:02 Crazeology (1155-C) Personnel: Charlie Parker Sextet Miles Davis tpt; J.J. Johnson tbn; Charlie Parker alt; Duke Jordan p; Tommy Potter bs; Max Roach d. WOR Studios, Broadway at 38th St, New York City - Wednesday, December 17, 1947.
34:04 Crazeology (1155-D) Personnel: Charlie Parker Sextet Miles Davis tpt; J.J. Johnson tbn; Charlie Parker alt; Duke Jordan p; Tommy Potter bs; Max Roach d. WOR Studios, Broadway at 38th St, New York City - Wednesday, December 17, 1947.
37:08 How Deep Is The Ocean (1156-A) Personnel: Charlie Parker Sextet Miles Davis tpt; J.J. Johnson tbn; Charlie Parker alt; Duke Jordan p; Tommy Potter bs; Max Roach d. WOR Studios, Broadway at 38th St, New York City - Wednesday, December 17, 1947.
40:34 How Deep Is The Ocean (1156-B)
Personnel: Charlie Parker Sextet
Miles Davis tpt; J.J. Johnson tbn; Charlie Parker alt; Duke Jordan p; Tommy Potter bs; Max Roach d.
WOR Studios, Broadway at 38th St, New York City - Wednesday, December 17, 1947.
Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker at Carnegie Hall NYC 1947:
A number of artists contributed to the invention of Bebop. But whenever I dream of a band to play this music, Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker are always my first pick as trumpet player and saxophonist. There always seemed to be magic created when they were together. It did not hurt that they were appearing together in one of the finest performance spaces in North America – Carnegie Hall. And on this very fine live recording from 1947, they had been performed together quite a bit, and they play simultaneously with intensity and ease. John is an excellent musician who had and would play with them a lot, including in Dizzy’s adventurous big band. And Al McKibbon not only played with everybody on the scene, but did it for decades.
Director, Co-producer: Don McGlynn
Co-producer: Mark Cantor
Executive Producer: Steve Holmgren
Associate Producer: Franny Alfano
Podcast Producers: Kian Vaziri and Franny Alfano
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXK0pZx92MU
Charlie Parker- "Confirmation"
Confirmation is a bebop standard composed by saxophonist Charlie Parker in 1945. It is known as a challenging number due to its long, complex head and rapid chord changes, which feature an extended cycle of fifths (see Bird changes). Jazz educator Dariusz Terefenko has pointed out the speed and intricacy of "Confirmation's" "harmonic rhythm" (the rate and manner in which chords change underneath the melody), which he notes is typical of the bebop era.
The first recording of "Confirmation" was made by Dizzy Gillespie at a small group session for Dial Records by producer Ross Russell in February 1946 at which Parker was not present. Parker did not record a studio version of "Confirmation" until July 1953. However, Parker did play the piece frequently during live performances, and at least five live recordings of Parker performing "Confirmation" are known to exist. The earliest of these is a 1947 performance with Gillespie at Carnegie Hall.
The musicologist Henry Martin extensively analyses the piece in his 2020 book Charlie Parker, Composer. Martin wrote that the piece "may be Parker's finest display of compositional skill" and describes it as "combining wit, intricacy, and an originality of construction that Parker was unable to equal again".[2] Gary Giddins describes it as an irresistibly bright and songful piece.[4]
Martin Williams, writing in Down Beat Magazine in 1965, described "Confirmation" as a "continuous and linear invention" in contrast to the construction of typical pop or jazz compositions, that skips along beautifully with no repeats. The last eight bars however form a type of repeat to finish the melodic line. Williams praised its ingenious and delightful melody. Brian Priestley in his biography of Parker, Chasin' the Bird: The Life and Legacy of Charlie Parker, writes that the first eight, the middle eight and the last eight bars are extremely closely related and finds that "it is instructive how one small difference necessitates another small difference which necessitates yet another small difference" in order to "maintain a perfect balance".
Ted Gioia included "Confirmation" in his 2012 analysis of jazz standards, The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire. Gioia wrote that he marvels at "a piece that can sound so highly structured and spontaneous at the same time". Gioia wrote that "Confirmation" and Parker's "Donna Lee" could "almost serve a primer in modern jazz phrase construction".
The jazz singer Sheila Jordan sang a vocal version of "Confirmation", with lyrics by Skeeter Spight and Leroy Mitchell.[6] Thelonious Monk would give his prospective piano students "Confirmation" and tell them to learn it in different keys.
Partial list of recordings of 'Confirmation':
- Joe Albany – Bird Lives (Interplay, 1979)
- Art Blakey with Clifford Brown and Lou Donaldson – A Night at Birdland Vol. 2 (Blue Note, 1954)
- Ron Carter – Carnaval (Galaxy, 1983)
- Tommy Flanagan – Confirmation (Enja, 1976)
- Dexter Gordon – Daddy Plays the Horn (Bethlehem, 1955)
- Al Haig – Un Poco Loco (Spotlite, 1999)
- John Lewis – Statements and Sketches for Development (Sony, 1976)
- Warne Marsh – The Unissued Copenhagen Studio Recordings (Storyville, 1997)
- Jackie McLean – 4, 5 and 6 (Prestige, 1956), Live at Montmartre (SteepleChase, 1972)
- The Modern Jazz Quartet – Last Concert (Atlantic, 1974)
- Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie – Diz 'N Bird At Carnegie Hall (Roost, 1997)
- Oscar Peterson – The London House Sessions (Polygram, 1961)
- Bud Powell – Bud Plays Bird (Blue Note, 1997)
- George Russell – George Russell Sextet at Beethoven Hall (MPS, 1965)
- George Shearing and Hank Jones – The Spirit of 176 (Concord, 1988)
