Double Bass Charlie Parker Heads on the DB

[Norwegianwood]

I´ve played (or tried to play) Donna, Confirmation and Blues for Alice. Out of the three i find Donna Lee to be the toughest one.

I read in the carr biography that a arranger (was it Gil Evans?Don´t remember) asked Charlie Parker if he could have the leed sheet on Donna Lee, but Parker led him to Miles - saying it was his song.

 

[Wilbyman]

I think Donna Lee is the most challenging, much more so than Confirmation, which I think lays pretty handily on the basses (upright and electric).

 

[dfp]

nice story on the Donna Lee origin... i believe Miles' claim to authorship, to me, it sounds like a trumpet line, or like the kind of tune you'd write when you're trying to master the be bop lingo, running the changes, all 1/8ths... but it is truly devoid of any of the badass rhythm stuff that you hear in the Parker tunes..

 

[basmansam]

Donna Lee - Check out NHOP on Oscar Peterson' Paris Concert. Unbelievable, I thought Jaco's rendition was motivating... this is unbelievable!!!

 

[Andy Allen]

I really enjoy playing Bebop heads on the DB - I use them as my warm-up every day for 10-15 minutes before my main practice. I pick a tune and start off really slow, concentrating on techinque, and bring it up to speed.

Of course they're not just Charlie P's compositions, there's also Dizzy G's and others from that era; they are great little exercises that stretch one both mentally and physically.

I'm working on "Dewey Square" (Parker) and "The Red Door" (Zoot Sims) at present.

Andy

 

[Steve Clark]

NHOP and Joe Pass and Donna Lee. I'm sure its been posted many times before but for me this is just jaw dropping to see NHOP's hands while he plays the head.

 

[jazzdon]

i am also one for doing bird heads on the double bass, however i find that learning them on bass guitar first is easier as i find coming up with good positions for some of the tricky parts is easier on electric. Scrapple from the apple is an easy one, Donna Lee is fine but on double bass using the same positions i learned on the electric is very tiring as there is much shifting (completely my fault). My favourite tune to play must be confirmation though, but the B secition is such a bitch to play, i find it impossible to bring some of the notes out!!! any suggestions???-thanks

 

[Marcus Johnson]

. My favourite tune to play must be confirmation though, but the B secition is such a bitch to play, i find it impossible to bring some of the notes out!!! any suggestions???-thanks

Man, I heard that. No suggestions, just "best of luck".

 

[billyfalconer]

That's probably my favorite jazz tune, but I've never really been able to play it on upright. I can kind of fake some of those notes in the B section by just hammering-on with the left hand & giving up on clean articulation with the right, if doing it pizz. I haven't spent a lot of time working on it with the bow, where I'm sure I'd just slur some of them.

 

[alexisbass]

I've been working on 26/2 for the last few months. I find it really challenging, especially because it makes me see new shapes on the fingerboard, and also because it helps putting together my harmonic knowledge. I find it a lot harder to play the melody and THINK of the changes you're playing over at the same time... anyone tried that?