Complete list of Charlie Parker´s Blues & Rhythm Changes recordings

[spooni]

Hey!

I've been checking out Charlie Parker's way to play over the Blues and Rhythm Changes.

I made a list of the different kind of Blues-tunes (12-bar Jazz-Blues progressions) and Rhythm Changes-songs (32-bar AABA with Basic Rhythm changes chord-progressions) using Complete Savoy and Dial Master Takes, Boss Bird-collection (Proper records), and the songs from the Omnibook as a resource.

After I made the list from the songs, I found out that there were 24 Blues-songs and 13 Rhythm changes-tunes.

Yesterday I was reading David Baker´s How To Play Bebop vol.3 and Baker says that Bird recorded 175 Blues tunes and 150 Rhythm Changes. Unfortunately Baker doesn't list those songs on that book.

It would be fun and very informative to listen and analyze his playing over these basic progressions using those 325 (!) Blues & RC-tunes which Bird recorded during his career as a resource.

So If anyone knows those songs and recordings that Baker wrote, I would be very pleased for that and think that other users on this forum would like that list as well!

Here´s the list I made from my resources;

Blueses

Another Hair Do
Au Privave
Back Home Blues
Barbados
Billie´s Bounce
Bloomdido
Bluebird
Blues (Fast)
Blues For Alice
Buzzy
Cheryl
Chi Chi
Cosmic Rays
Cool Blues
Hot Blues
K.C Blues
Laird Bird
Mohawk
Now´s The Time (old)
Now´s The Time (new)
Parker´s Mood
Perhaps
Si Si
Visa

Rhythm Changes

Thrivin´ From a Riff
An Oscar For Treadwell
Celerity
Chasing the Bird
Constellation
Anthropology
Kim
Moose The Mooche
Passport
Red Cross
Shaw Nuff
Steeplechase
Dexterity

Thank you already!

-Petri Lusikka

[Banksia]

You're forgetting the Verve period, where he did a lot of ballads - particularly Cole Porter. Baker is probably counting songs like "I Can't Get Started" and "I Get a Kick Out of You" in his Rhythm Changes songs.

What about "Star Eyes" as RC?

[MarkRhodes]

I just sent David Baker an email asking about this. It seemed the thing to do---if he has a list, we soon shall have (-unless he can't or doesn't respond to the email.)
That said, Spooni, you have enough Parker material to keep you busy a *long* time.

[spooni]

Damn, Markerhodes you´re genius! Straight to the source!
It Would be so cool to have that list, and Baker´s wiew to this question!
Thank you so much, hope you get that soon!

Yes, I know I can spent a lifetime even analyzing, playing and listening Billie´s Bounce & Moose The Mooche, but it´s always fun to see the "Whole picture"!

And if you manage to get that list, its like we get to see and listen every possible evidence considering these two popular forms from maybe the greatest player ever putting his fingers and thoughts in Blues & RC.
I think he was the master of those forms, and surely spent thousands of hours to master these two musical forms.

Keep up the good work, Markerhodes!

-Petri

[spooni]

Markerhodes, You got that mail?

[MarkRhodes]

Markerhodes, You got that mail?

Nah, I haven't heard back from David Baker (or anyone else at his official site.) I'll try again.

I sent the same message to the first address and then to two others. Perhaps the first address (-I used) was for business mail and no one handling it could field the question.

I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything (-if I hear anything.) If I don't post in a week, mention it again and I'll try again. Like the importunate widow in the gospel, I may get an answer just because they want me stop pestering them with the question... ) Though they could all be on vacation for all I know.

[bobsguitars09]

excellent thread

[MarkRhodes]

Hhmm, one of those emails just came back as undeliverable because the recipient's inbox is full...

[gumdocga]

Relaxin' at Camarillo is another Bird jazz-blues tune.

[T1mothy]

This blues list got me to uni, haha! Many thanks

[MarkRhodes]

I never heard back from David Baker (or anyone at his website).

I think Baker's numbers (175 blues tunes and 150 rhythm changes tunes) are inflated. Or at least misunderstood.

He must be counting alternate takes (in the studio) and live recordings as separate. So it's not 175 DIFFERENT blues or 150 DIFFERENT RC tunes. There are five versions of "Leap Frog" on the "Bird & Diz" CD (and two versions of "She Rote" and three versions of "Relaxing with Lee.") There are live recordings, some not released for years after the fact (though they likely would have been known to David Baker.) And so on. That's the only way one can get to 325 Parker recordings, period, and he recorded things other than blues and rhythm changes. (For example, "Ko-Ko" and "Groovin' High" and "Ornithology" are based on other tunes: "Cherokee, "Whispering" and "How High The Moon", neither blues nor rhythm changes.)

[Maciej Afanasjew]

Are you sure that Passport is a rhythm changes?

[David B]

Are you sure that Passport is a rhythm changes?

It's a rhythm changes in Bb.

[Moonray]

Are you aware that David Baker passed away March 2016.

He was one of the most inspiring teachers I’ve ever been in the presence of.
Look at his legacy, his published output alone was huge.
In his classes he could be exacting, confrontational and funny as hell.

[David B]

Are you aware that David Baker passed away March 2016.

He was one of the most inspiring teachers I’ve ever been in the presence of.
Look at his legacy, his published output alone was huge.
In his classes he could be exacting, confrontational and funny as hell.

This is a very old thread, that began in 2011, but brought back up this month by post #12.

[jamiehenderson1993]

Apologies for bring up an old thread, but I found this really useful!
I've edited the list to add in the key of each tune. I might have got some of these wrong, so if you comment below, I'll edit it.

Blues
Another Hairdo (Bb)
Au Privave (F)
Back Home Blues (C)
Barbados (F)
Billie´s Bounce (F)
Bloomdido (Bb)
Bluebird (Eb)
Blues (Fast) (G)
Blues For Alice (F)
Buzzy (Bb)
Cheryl (C)
Chi Chi (Ab)
Cosmic Rays (A)
Cool Blues (Bb / C ??)
K.C Blues (C)
Laird Bird (Bb)
Mohawk (Bb)
Now´s The Time (F)
Parker´s Mood (Bb)
Perhaps (C)
Si Si (F)
Visa (C)

Rhythm Changes
Thrivin´ From a Riff (Bb)
An Oscar For Treadwell (C)
Celerity (Bb)
Chasing the Bird (F)
Constellation (C)
Anthropology (Bb)
Kim (Bb)
Moose The Mooche (Bb)
Passport (Bb)
Red Cross (Bb)
Shaw Nuff (Bb)
Steeplechase (Bb)
Dexterity (Bb)