Ornithology

[.:.impossible]

Can someone lead me in the right direction here?

I have a copy from LIBRARY OF MUSICIANS' JAZZ, said to be transcribed from Dial 1002. I also have a copy from THE REAL BOOK FIFTH EDITION, said to be transcribed from The Comprehensive Charlie Parker.

Maybe its me, but neither of them seem to be what I'm hearing. Maybe I need to spend more time with the music... the first 5 bars make sense, but after that I'm falling apart. The two versions I am looking at differ hear and there during the first five bars, but beginning with the sixth bar, this is where the two transcriptions begin to differ a lot.

Any help? Thanks!

[AllenLowe]

I'm working from memory here, but be aware that Bird didn't always play it the same way - especially the ending, as I recall -

[.:.impossible]

That's true. The two versions that I have don't even look familiar after the first two phrases. I'll continue to work on it.

[AllenLowe]

check out the Dial version and than the various broadcast versions released on Savoy -

[JSngry]

The triplet thing leading into 4 bar solos didn't last long.

[Spontooneous]

The triplet thing leading into 4 bar solos didn't last long.

Exactly. In every post-Camarillo Bird performance I can recall, he plays the "composed" version of those four-bar spaces. Pretty much the same every time. It's the superior version to my ears.

[AllenLowe]

yes - the more finalized version appears to be the one where the melody outlines the turnaround chords at the end -

[Big Wheel]

And then there's the Bud Powell version, which is a whole 'nother story altogether. (Bud plays the first 8 bars relatively straight, then starts the blowing pretty much immediately.)

Edited January 26, 2006 by Big Wheel

[AllenLowe]

A Joe Albany story - Joe was a great guy but the years of drugs and drink had definitely had a powerful effect -one night he was playing Ornithology at the West End Cafe; a friend of mine, Jeff Fuller, was on bass. The end of the tune comes, and they play the head - the final turn-around arrives (the chromatic decent from the B minor chord) - and Joe plays it - and than plays it again - and than again and again - maybe 12 times - the band just watches, playing along; I'm gripping the edge of my chair - finally he stops - Jeff looks at me and says, "yeah, I know how you feel" -

[Guest]

The tune was authored by Benny Harris on a lick that Bird played over How High The Moon.

The alternet ending seems to me to be a Dizzy Gillespie idea, like on Groovin' High,

altough his early recording used the triplets in a cute way.

[Joe G]

A Joe Albany story - Joe was a great guy but the years of drugs and drink had definitely had a powerful effect -one night he was playing Ornithology at the West End Cafe; a friend of mine, Jeff Fuller, was on bass. The end of the tune comes, and they play the head - the final turn-around arrives (the chromatic decent from the B minor chord) - and Joe plays it - and than plays it again - and than again and again - maybe 12 times - the band just watches, playing along; I'm gripping the edge of my chair - finally he stops - Jeff looks at me and says, "yeah, I know how you feel" -

A couple of summers ago I saw Ralph Stanley perform at a folk festival in E. Lansing. It was a fine set of traditional bluegrass, and of course he did his a capella version of O Death. The audience applauded... then he did it again!

[.:.impossible]

Awesome.