Charlie Parker
Alto Sax Solo on
Quasimodo

About

Charlie Parker opens the solo section on alto sax, stretching out for half a chorus at approximately 140 BPM. Set within a swinging rhythmic framework, the 32-bar ABAC form and the key of E♭, the solo navigates the chord changes with purpose. As a contrafact on "Embraceable You," the underlying harmony is well-trodden territory, giving the soloist a sturdy platform for creative exploration. As the first voice heard after the head, Parker sets the improvisational tone before passing to Duke Jordan. Parker's composed melody for Quasimodo is among his most elegant contrafacts, transforming the Embraceable You changes into something with its own distinct identity. Bird plays over the first half of a chorus.

Charlie Parker was 26 to 27 years old at the time.