Charlie Parker Blues for Alice 1951 Solo Transcription
This is one of Bird’s many great Blues heads, and his soloing on this track is one of the best examples of how Parker was able to flow effortlessly between a laid-back, soulful Kansas City Blues style and the more intricate and virtuosic Bebop style he pioneered.
A few thoughts I’d like to share about this transcription:
When Bird ends phrases going from his B to C in the staff, I suspect that he’s using the side C fingering to give those C’s a little different color.
In measure 46, it’s unclear to me if that’s truly an eighth note on the & of beat 2 or if Bird’s intention was to do a double- or triple-tongue figure, but the effect got lost due to tempo/recording technology. It’s very difficult to cram three notes in there, but I wouldn’t put it past him.
I included the Head Out in my transcription for two reasons.
1) I wanted to see if the articulations Bird used on the Head In and Head Out matched, and
2) because this is a tune that gets played a lot, and most cats are unaware of how it actually ends on the record. It’s a goofy ending in my opinion, but I think it’s important to know.
A few thoughts I’d like to share about this transcription:
When Bird ends phrases going from his B to C in the staff, I suspect that he’s using the side C fingering to give those C’s a little different color.
In measure 46, it’s unclear to me if that’s truly an eighth note on the & of beat 2 or if Bird’s intention was to do a double- or triple-tongue figure, but the effect got lost due to tempo/recording technology. It’s very difficult to cram three notes in there, but I wouldn’t put it past him.
I included the Head Out in my transcription for two reasons.
1) I wanted to see if the articulations Bird used on the Head In and Head Out matched, and
2) because this is a tune that gets played a lot, and most cats are unaware of how it actually ends on the record. It’s a goofy ending in my opinion, but I think it’s important to know.