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Charlie Parker opens the solo section on alto sax, stretching out for one chorus at approximately 68 BPM. Set within a ballad setting, the 32-bar AABA form and the key of F, the solo allows for nuanced, expressive phrasing. As the first voice heard after the head, Parker sets the improvisational tone before passing to Miles Davis. This recording is famous for Parker's opening gambit, in which he quotes the theme from Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring before launching into his improvisation, a moment that exemplifies his vast musical awareness and his playful approach to quotation. Bird improvises as he plays the melody.
Charlie Parker was 26 to 27 years old at the time.
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