Charlie Parker
Alto Sax Solo on
Yardbird Suite

About

Charlie Parker's alto saxophone solo is the first of five improvisations on this recording of one of his most celebrated original compositions, based loosely on the changes of "Rosetta." Taking one chorus of the 32-bar AABA form in C at 212 BPM, Parker delivers a solo that embodies the lyrical, songlike quality that distinguishes this composition within his catalog. His one-chorus statement is a masterwork of melodic invention and harmonic logic over the contrafact's elegant framework.

Charlie Parker was 25 to 26 years old at the time.