Notice
In the annals of jazz, no figure looms larger than saxophonist Charlie "Bird" Parker. Virtually a living legend by his mid-20s, he almost single-handedly changed the face of jazz (credit must also go to trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie), spearheading the bebop movement in the '40s and laying the ground rules for modern jazz. Whether blowing a ferocious stream of notes over a burning bop tune, or playing slow, lyrical lines over a beautiful ballad, every note that flowed from Parker's horn was at once inspired, intense, beautiful, and crucial. Living life with the same intensity with which he played his music, his self-destructive ways -- which almost overshadowed his musical prowess -- finally caught up with him in 1955, when he died, tragically, at age 34.
Recorded in 1947, "Donna Lee" represents Charlie Parker in tiptop form and also features a virtual who's who of jazz virtuosos: Miles Davis on trumpet, Bud Powell on piano, Max Roach on drums, and Tommy Potter on bass.
THE FORM
Like many jazz standards, "Donna Lee" follows a 32-bar song form, constructed from four 8-bar sections. Although the tune stays in
the key of Ab (the pitch has been transposed to Bb in recent remasters) for the most part, there is an assortment of secondary dominants (nondiatonic dominant 7th chords), temporary modulations, and modal interchange (borrowing harmony from the parallel key of Ab minor).
In this version of "Donna Lee," Charlie Parker and Miles Davis play the 32-bar head in unison, after which Parker solos for two choruses (64 bars). Miles and Bud Powell then split a chorus (16 bars each) before the tune goes out on the second half of the head.
THE HEAD
It's been said that learning a Parker "head" is akin to learning a jazz solo in itself, and "Donna Lee" is no exception. Here are some "visualization" tips to get you through the most challenging sections.
For the opening line, position yourself in the top half of an Ab major scale (Ab-Bb-C-Db-Eb-F-G) pattern in 13th position, and then drop down to a Bb minor scale in 10th position. A variety of arpeggios fuel the phrases in measures 5-16: an 8th-position Bbm9 (Bb-Db-F-Ab-C) in measure 5; a 7th-position Cm(maj7) (C-Eb-G-B) in measure 6; an 8th-position Abmaj9 (Ab-C-Eb-G-Bb) in measure 7; and an 11th-position Gbmaj7 (Gb-Bb-Db-F) in measure 8. A 13th-position F7 arpeggio (F-A-C-Eb) lies at the heart of measure 12's altered melody, which drops down to an Abadd9 arpeggio (Ab-C-Eb-Bb) in measure 13. The "Honeysuckle Rose" lick in measure 15 is based on an 8th-position Fm7 arpeggio (F-Ab-C-Eb).
The first 4 1/2 measures of section 3 is familiar territory, as it mirrors the opening measures of the tune. The melody then segues to C Mixolydian (C-D-E-F-G-A-Bb) and C Phrygian (C-Db-Eb-F-G-Ab-Bb) lines over the C7 chord. The section closes with nearly two bars of rest that precipitate the vibrant final segment of the head. This section opens with a two-measure sequenced chromatic passage that can be played along the high E string with one position shift. This leads to an F Aeolian (F-G-Ab-Bb-C-Db-Eb) melody over the Fm7 chord, followed by a B°7 arpeggio (B-D-F-Ab) over the B°7 chord. The head concludes with a savvy line that rides along the chord tones of the iii-VI7-ii-V-I changes. (The final two bars host the pickup notes of Parker's solo break.)
THE SOLO
Charlie Parker treats us to two full choruses on his sax solo outing.
Unfortunately, an entire analysis is well beyond the scope of this lesson, so let's take a look at a few of the highlights. First and foremost, take special notice of his super-melodic approach to arpeggiated figures (measures 35, 37, 40-42, 50-51, and 53; and measures 67, 69, 71-72, 75, 85-86, 89-90, and 94-95). Also noteworthy are the smooth chromatic lines that link the chord tones of the changes (measures 37-38, 49, and 56-58; and measures 65-67, 72-73, 75-77, and 93-94). As you pick your way through the solo, pay special attention to how Parker allows pieces of the main melody to creep into the lines.
Don't overlook the rhythmic mastery of this jazz genius. Step back and gaze at the entire solo as if it were a large picture or painting. Notice the steady recurrence of rests? Besides supplying breathing spaces between sax lines, they also help to accentuate the unique shape of Parker's highly influential rhythmic phrasing.
