[Dixielandjazz] Solo by Charlie Parker (was solos)

[Ken Gates]

Subject: Solo by Charlie Parker


  I'm a little late, but here's my observation on a favorite solo by Charlie Parker
 on the tune "Embraceable You" as posted by Steve Barbone.  I will concede
 that by many musical attributes, it is a terrific creative series of notes.  To
 my taste, it simply does not have the important element of elegance.  The
 word "elegant" as used by engineers and other solution oriented disciplines---.
 ------------------To quote from an online dictionary--
 ==================================================
 "In engineering, a solution may be considered elegant if it uses a non-obvious 
  method to produce a solution which is highly effective and simple. An elegant
 solution may solve multiple problems at once, especially problems not thought 
  to be inter-related".
 ==================================================
 My partially trained ear reacts to "elegant"  (creatively simple, that is) restatements
 of the melody of the tune.  I know it when I hear it.  I've heard it from festival
 bands of not famous musicians, as well as famous people like Bobby Hackett,
 Ben Webster, Bobby Gordon, Ruby Braff.etc.
 
  Another way to put it is a comparison of oratory styles.  Abraham Lincoln did
 the Gettysburg address (elegant, for sure) with words that took two minutes.
 The orator that preceded him took two hours of flowery language and many words
 to convey less.  Maybe not the best analogy, but I'm just trying to say that my
 musical chimes ring when I hear elegant solos.  To those whose chimes are rung by
 the technical brilliance of Parker, Coltrane, Davis, etc----let the chimes ring,
 there is plenty of room for all of us.
 
 Ken Gates.