Jazz Music

Jazz Music

The artist/solo performer: Charli Parker

The title of the piece: Bird

The composer: Charli Parker

All performers and instruments: Charlie Parker(alto sax), HankJones (piano), RayBrown (bass), and Shelly Manne (drums), Dizzy Gillespie (pianist), Thelonious Mont (bass), and Curly Russell played bass.

The record publish: Charlie Parker Quartet-Recording session, Carnegie Hall, New York, December 1947

Album: Complete Jazz Series 1947 – 1949

One of the most significant jazz music contributors is an artist known as Charli Parker. He contributed mostly to the unique style of jazz music called Bop. His take was thoughtful and a free saxophonist who knew when to improvise. Although he was a distraught man, especially with his drinking and drugs, he was an extraordinary man when it comes to the music (Liberatori, 2019). Therefore, Charli Parker changed the understanding of jazz history and paved a path for many jazz artists.

Following the history, the recording bird was recorded first for a label known as Mercury. The principal producer of the record at the time was called Norman Granz. During the production, he was assisted by other significant figures like Machito, together with his orchestra at the time. Later, several sessions followed. Then, there were two appearances made at a place known as JATP and to be specific, at Carnegie Hall (Liberatori, 2019). The two appearances occurred in February and also in September.

Charlie Parker re-recorded the piece in November. He was assisted by a person known as Jimmy Carroll Orchestra, and the section gained fame and was referred to as the quintessential, the composer artist, Charli Parker, with the strings. Opportunities followed the recording in a significant manner because in December, only a month after the record with Jimmy Carroll Orchestra, a new club was opened. This club was located in New York, and they named it Birdland in honor of Charli Parker taking into account the contributions and hard work he had put in jazz music and saxophonists (Garcia, 2017).

The recordings proceeded to the next year, especially in June was a particular month for Parker. He recorded Bird with various artists taking different roles. For instance, Dizzy Gillespie was used in June’s recording and assumed the part of the pianist. Again, there was Thelonious Mont, who played bass (Wilmer, 2018). Another artist who played bass was Curly Russell in June’s recording. Also, there were other artists such as Buddy Rich, Charlie Parker also played alto sax in a different record, Hank Jones played piano, Ray Brown played bass, and Shelly Manne was into drums.

After that, in the late 1950s, Charli Parker got control of his life after visiting Europe. That was the time that people well recognized Charli Parker and his band, and they were doing great in terms of music. The same gesture extended to John Coltrane’s audiences on all sides of the Atlantic (Liberatori, 2019). The knowledge that I have gained has significantly enhanced my appreciation when it comes to jazz music. For instance, I am now aware of different characteristics that make jazz music distinctive such as the blues, the aspects of the wing, syncopation, and even the notions of creative freedom as mostly employed by Charli Parker. Although, the use of creative liberty, commonly known as improvisation in jazz, might not be unique in other areas such as in India or Africa. However, the element is unique in jazz because of the utilization of the blues scale.

Lastly, I tend to hear music differently as a result of the understanding of jazz. Since I have an understanding of jazz, I get to appreciate other types of music made and also be in a position to highlight or comment if a particular piece of music took a different approach, the article might have been great and more authentic.