Charlie Parker and Thematic Improvisation

Henry Martin

doi:10.5771/9781461657385

Summary

Martin provides a new overall assessment of the importance of Charlie Parker through an analysis of his improvisations in a variety of genres. Earlier studies of Parker argue that his style is based on an extensive network of melodic formulas that are combined to create solos. Because the same formulas appear throughout his improvisations regardless of the theme, these studies concluded that the solos do not usually relate to the original melodies. Charlie Parker and Thematic Improvisation provides a much-needed reassessment by showing that Parker's solos are often related to the original themes in unexpected and sometimes ingenious ways. The conclusion sums up features of Parker's style and discusses his contribution in the context of Western music history. Numerous transcriptions are provided. This groundbreaking technical study will be of interest to musicologists and serious students of jazz.

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Bibliographic data

Edition: 1/1996
Copyright Year: 1996
ISBN-Print: 978-0-8108-4155-0
ISBN-Online: 978-1-4616-5738-5
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 155
Product Type: Monograph

1. Table of Contents No access
2. Editor's Foreword No access
3. Foreword No access
4. Acknowledgments No access
1. Formula and Thematic Improvisation No access
2. Transcriptions No access
1. Strophic Form and Harmonic Prolongation No access
2. Voice-leading Models No access
3. Larger-scale Structure and Thematic Patterns No access
4. Types of Thematic Patterns No access
5. Thematic Pattern, Motive and Formula in Improvisation No access
1. Rhythm Changes as a Formal Model No access
2. 1. Red Cross-Original Melody No access
  2. Red Cross—Take 1 No access
  3. Red Cross—Take 2 No access
3. 1. Shaw 'Nuff—Original Melody No access
  2. Shaw 'Nuff—Improvisation No access
  3. Shaw 'Nuff—Other Improvisational Features No access
4. 1. Thriving on a Riff—Original Melody No access
  2. Thriving on a Riff—Take 1 No access
  3. Thriving on a Riff—Take 3 No access
5. Crazeology No access
6. Wee No access
7. Lester Leaps In No access
1. 1. Embraceable You—Original Melody No access
  2. Embraceable You—Take 1 No access
  3. Embraceable You—Take 2 No access
2. 1. Just Friends—Original Melody No access
  2. Just Friends—Studio Improvisation No access
  3. Just Friends—Cafe Society ("Pop") No access
3. Cherokee and Koko No access
4. Star Eyes No access
1. Cool Blues No access
2. Perhaps No access
3. Au Privave No access
4. Blues for Alice No access
5. Bongo Bop No access
6. Now's the Time No access
7. Cheryl No access
8. Parker's Mood No access
1. 1. Quotation No access
  2. Other Issues in Thematic Reference No access
2. 1. Thematic Reference No access
  2. Parallels in Oral-Epic Poetry No access
  3. Literacy and its Role in the Jazz Tradition No access
  4. Large-Scale Impact on Contemporary Music No access
3. Parker's Balance of Formula and Traditional Western Values No access
1. Bibliography No access
2. Discography No access
Notes No access Pages 135 - 150
Index No access Pages 151 - 154
About the Author No access Pages 155 - 155