[Dixielandjazz] Cherokee

[Charles Suhor]

For me, the greatest recording of Cherokee, from the standpoint of 
sheer improvisational genius, is at a moderate tempo not a breakneck 
speed. It’s Charlie Parker—not the famous “Koko” but “Warming Up a 
Riff,” mentioned by Steve earlier. It’s so beautiful, I think I’ve 
listened to it a hundred times or moiré.

Dig this—it starts off in medias res, I guess the engineer heard the 
guys jamming and switched them on. It ends after several choruses of 
Bird improvising, and the rhythm section just sort of stops, laughing 
and noodling. There’s Bird, Diz (comping on piano), Curly Russell on 
bass, and Max Roach on drums.

The melodic quality, heat, and invention of Bird are astonishing. Diz 
on piano (if it’s really him) comps brilliantly and attentively, and 
Max is at his best with well-placed bombs and fills. A favorite part is 
where Bird quotes twice from Cocktails for Two—not easily described 
here but oh so ingenious. They never play the melody but you can sense 
it and the song structure all the way. (Is this version on-line 
somewhere, or on youtube with sound only?)

Keep in mind—this was recorded in 1945! These guys were in the process 
of inventing the music! These were the Hot Fives and Hot Sevens of 
modern jazz. The feeling of absolute freshness is there, as with 
Louis’s groundbreaking records, and that part isn’t reproducible. Thank 
God for this wonderful music.

Footnote—on the original 78 rpm, “Warming Up a Riff” (which of course 
doesn’t have a riff at all but is just blowing on the chords) was on 
the flip side of “Thriving on a Riff,” a classic bop chart based on “I 
Got Rhythm.”

Charlie Suhor