Lucky Thompson
Tenor Sax Solo on
Ornithology

About

Lucky Thompson's tenor saxophone solo is the third and final improvisation on this recording, following solos by Parker and Davis. Taking one chorus of the 32-bar ABAB' form in G at 226 BPM, Thompson closes the solo section on this definitive bebop contrafact based on the chord changes of "How High the Moon." His warm-toned tenor saxophone provides a bridge between the swing and bebop traditions, his solo demonstrating fluency with the new harmonic language while maintaining a rounder, more traditional saxophone sound.

Lucky Thompson was 21 to 22 years old at the time.