Style:

Swing, typically played at a medium/up tempo.

Form:

12 Bar Major Blues

Key:

Most commonly played in Ab Major, although Max Roach introduced it in Eb.

Harmony/Overview:

This  composition is commonly referred to as a 'Bird Blues' and is generally  treated as such, although the harmony on the initial recording is not  entirely the same as other Charlie Parker blues heads such as "Blues for  Alice" or "Laird Baird". On the original recording the usual IImi7b5 -  V7 of VI in the 2nd bar is omitted, as well as the III - VI - II - V  which would lead to IV7 in the 5th bar. It seems however that since the  melody clearly outlines these reharmonizations it has come to be treated  as a 'Bird Blues' in practice. Parker's ingenuity in reharmonizing the blues is also made evident in the 8th bar, when he arrives at bIIImi7 instead of  what would have been VI7.  The melody contains a wealth of musical  language and is filled motifs that offer great insight into Charlie Parker's melodic concept.

Recordings:

This  song was originally gifted from Charlie Parker to Max Roach for his  first session as a leader in April of 1953. Parker would record the  composition himself on a session for Clef Records in July of 1953, and  the 6th take from the date would go on to become the Master Take. It has  been recorded dozens of times since by many prominent musicians and has  gone on to become one of Charlie Parker's most cherished blues  compositions.

JGC Top Picks:

Charlie Parker, 1953

Lee Konitz, Lee Konitz Nonet, 1977

Steve Grossman, Do It, 1991