How many Charlie Parker Tunes Do You Know?

**MarkRhodes** · 03-19-2015, 09:49 AM

That is "know" as in "I can play it, know the head and changes, and can even take a solo chorus or two though I'm not saying that my performance would hold a candle to Charlie's...."

Also, we're counting as Charlie Parker tunes things closely associated with him even if he did not write them. Some say he wrote "Donna Lee," for example, while others say he did not. Either way, it counts as a Parker tune for the purpose of this poll.

**MarkRhodes** · 03-19-2015, 10:12 AM

While we're here, after voting, you could talk about your favorites, or the ones you found most difficult / challenging to learn (or to perform at tempo).

I always loved "My Little Suede Shoes." That was the first non-blues head of Charlie's that I learned. I still love that tune It makes me happy whenever I play it.

**setemupjoe** · 03-19-2015, 01:11 PM

These are the ones I know.

Anthropology
Au Privave
Billie's Bounce
Bloomdido
Blues for Alice
Chi Chi
Confirmation
Dexterity
Donna Lee
Moose the Mooch
My Little Suede Shoes
Now's The Time
Ornithology
Scrapple From The Apple
Segment
Yardbird Suite

Confirmation and Moose are the toughest for me to nail well. The ones I like to play the most would be Donna Lee, Segment and Dexterity not that I generally call them on a gig. I usually stick to songs people can relate to a little more.

**pushkar000** · 03-19-2015, 01:15 PM

Anthropology/Dexterity
Now's The Time/Billie's Bounce/Au Privave/Bloomdido (I need to run through these once)
Confirmation

I pressed "a couple" since in terms of playing changes its basically rhythm changes, blues and confirmation.

Favourites : Bloomdido and Dexterity, because I can look really hip when jamming with my friends, since for us, the standard Parker heads on blues and RC are Anthropology/Billie's Bounce. But they generally end up out-hipping me the next week...

Hardest : Confirmation. Took me a long time to learn and get up to tempo. I learned it exactly as Parker played it, with the embellishments and articulation. I'm not too good with the changes either.

**MarkRhodes** · 03-19-2015, 02:20 PM

[QUOTE=pushkar000;512672
I pressed "a couple" since in terms of playing changes its basically rhythm changes, blues and confirmation.

[/QUOTE]

The blues and rhythm changes were Parker's most used forms. (And everyone else's then too, I think!)

"Ornithology" is the "How High the Moon" changes, right? I've heard that the changes to "Yardbird Suite" are from "Rosetta" but I don't know "Rosetta," so that's not much help to me. I think "Scrapple" is the A section of rhythm changes with the "Honeysuckle Rose" bridge. (I think Miles' "Serpent's Tooth" is also like that.)

"What is This Thing Called Love?" and "Whispering" are two other tunes that served as the basis for some bebop "standards."

**setemupjoe** · 03-19-2015, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by MarkRhodes

I think "Scrapple" is the A section of rhythm changes with the "Honeysuckle Rose" bridge. (I think Miles' "Serpent's Tooth" is also like that.)

Scrapple is actually Honeysuckle A section with the bridge of Rhythm.

Serpents Tooth is the other way round. Rhythm changes in the A sections and a Honeysuckle bridge.

Dutchbopper · 03-19-2015, 02:52 PM

Never counted them. But if you think the heads are hard, try his solos.

DB

**jazzuki** · 03-19-2015, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by Dutchbopper

Never counted them. But if you think the heads are hard, try his solos.

DB

The video on YT is one of the best around if you're into bebop on guitar.

**MarkRhodes** · 03-19-2015, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by Dutchbopper

Never counted them. But if you think the heads are hard, try his solos.

DB

The solos are a whole 'nother deal. I worked on several of the easier blues solos ages ago ("KC Blues," "Now's The Time")and I learned a thing or two. Might be time to take a run at a few more....

You do fine work as always, DB! So glad you're here!

**GuyBoden** · 03-19-2015, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by Dutchbopper

Never counted them. But if you think the heads are hard, try his solos.

DB

Listen to DB, he's been playing and posting Charlie Parker tunes/solos for many, many years.............

**eddy b.** · 03-19-2015, 07:20 PM

Confirmation,donna lee, kc blues, groovin high, scrapple from the apple,au ptivave,mooch the moose,nows the time,billies bounce,ornithology,anthropology...these are the ones I have learned....though Donna Lee is always a challenge for me.

**Hep To The Jive** · 03-20-2015, 03:31 AM

My Little Suede Shoes is a great catchy tune! I love playing it at the gigs. Is it completely original by Parker, or he re- worked a folk tune or anything?

**Larry Feldman** · 03-22-2015, 03:09 AM

Dutchbopper that is some seriously amazing playing.

**Broyale** · 03-22-2015, 05:16 AM

I worked on a couple, last one was Scrapple from the Apple, but like alot of his music, I quickly forgot it.
Charlie Parker was an interesting person, but his music is a major turn-off for me and his solos are unlistenable. Its like 200 bpm note-vomit.

**larry graves** · 03-22-2015, 05:19 AM

This is just painting by numbers....copying!!.......L..

**grahambop** · 03-22-2015, 06:54 AM

Originally Posted by Broyale

I worked on a couple, last one was Scrapple from the Apple, but like alot of his music, I quickly forgot it.
Charlie Parker was an interesting person, but his music is a major turn-off for me and his solos are unlistenable. Its like 200 bpm note-vomit.

Not all Parker's music is fast. If you can't connect with this, I don't think you will ever understand jazz.

destinytot · 03-22-2015, 07:15 AM

Originally Posted by MarkRhodes

That is "know" as in "I can play it, know the head and changes, and can even take a solo chorus or two though I'm not saying that my performance would hold a candle to Charlie's...."

Also, we're counting as Charlie Parker tunes things closely associated with him even if he did not write them. Some say he wrote "Donna Lee," for example, while others say he did not. Either way, it counts as a Parker tune for the purpose of this poll.

None (yet). The articulation's got to be just right. I love his music too much to fool around with it.

**Broyale** · 03-22-2015, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by grahambop

Not all Parker's music is fast. If you can't connect with this, I don't think you will ever understand jazz.

Its okay, nothing I would buy. The melody doesn't really stick to me though. "shrugs"
So, if I don't find Parker's playing listenable this means I don't understand jazz? At what point in my jazz development am I supposed shut off all subjectivity and accept the greatness of Parker?

Dutchbopper · 03-22-2015, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by larry graves

This is just painting by numbers....copying!!.......L..

Yes it is. It's called learning. I went to that phase years ago. Highly recommended. You should try it too.

DB

Dutchbopper · 03-22-2015, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by Broyale

Charlie Parker was an interesting person, but his music is a major turn-off for me and his solos are unlistenable. Its like 200 bpm note-vomit.

I feel so disconnected from replies like this that, though we seem to be on the same forum (are we really?), I somehow doubt we even play the same instrument.

DB

**grahambop** · 03-22-2015, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by Broyale

Its okay, nothing I would buy. The melody doesn't really stick to me though. "shrugs"
So, if I don't find Parker's playing listenable this means I don't understand jazz? At what point in my jazz development am I supposed shut off all subjectivity and accept the greatness of Parker?

Well I seriously feel sorry for you if you can't dig that. From what I've read on the subject, most jazz musicians consider that to be one of the greatest expressions of Parker's music ever recorded. It's drenched in the feeling of the blues for a start.

But then you're the guy who prefers the heads and doesn't like solos and improvisation much, if I recall.

Which jazz musicians do you like? Is there a single jazz solo you DO like listening to?

**grahambop** · 03-22-2015, 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by Broyale

At what point in my jazz development am I supposed shut off all subjectivity and accept the greatness of Parker?

Perhaps at the point where you expect other jazz musicians to play with you and take you seriously? Which is your motivation for playing jazz, as you stated in a previous post.

**Broyale** · 03-22-2015, 07:54 AM

Originally Posted by grahambop

Perhaps at the point where you expect other jazz musicians to play with you and take you seriously? Which is your motivation for playing jazz, as you stated in a previous post.

So, its not about musicianship, but whether I fall in line with the accepted idea that Parker's music is awesome, even if you don't find anything in his music to be all that great or appealing?

**grahambop** · 03-22-2015, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by Broyale

So, its not about musicianship, but whether I fall in line with the accepted idea that Parker's music is awesome, even if you don't find anything in his music to be all that great or appealing?

Well if they call a Parker tune and you say you don't like Parker, you won't be making life any easier for yourself! But hey, if you can then blow them all away with great playing then good luck to you.

Dutchbopper · 03-22-2015, 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by Broyale

Its okay, nothing I would buy. The melody doesn't really stick to me though. "shrugs"
So, if I don't find Parker's playing listenable this means I don't understand jazz? At what point in my jazz development am I supposed shut off all subjectivity and accept the greatness of Parker?

Dear Broyale,

I have listened to your playing a while ago when you said something uninformed about laminate guitars. And I tried to get where that stament was coming from. So I checked out your clips. You are a beginner at best. That is ok in itself but it also means that your opinions may be more uninformed than subjective. On the internet it seems that all opinions are equal but unfortunately in real life that is not the case. I teach at a university and there's a healthy distance between informed opinions and uninformed ones there. Unlike on the internet.

If you fail to realise the greatness of Charlie Parker, that is NOT subjectivity. It's ignorance. It's like when I start proclaiming that Einstein was not that clever and that his theories are total garbage.

Apparently you need to develop in the field of jazz a lot more. That's ok. Really. But spouting opinions like that Bird's solos are unlistenable vomit is not helping your development much I'm afraid. It only makes you look bad.

DB