Bird

Why I love Charlie Parker

It rained as I walked home this evening. Bright cold rain. As it had been a long day I played some music to relax. At lunch time I had taken a walk in the sun with Howlin' Wolf's chess records as a soundtrack, but it was time for something different. I chose Charlie Parker.

Before I reached the flat I was wired. Parker often plays at a break-neck tempo, and it's amazing to hear how quickly he can dance around chords or fleet along scales. I spent the entire walk home trying to follow Parker's speed of thought. He somehow manages to hit every note with a clean tone while improvising and executing extremely complex musical ideas with awesome speed.

I can't believe a man can think this fast. At times he thinks so fast I laugh out loud in the middle of the street, like a madman, it makes me feel so good.