Ornithology

[Dan Johnson]

Anybody do much work on any of Charlie Parker's tunes or much bebop in general?

[groveland]

Here's a good thread on the topic a couple pages long... Some of the bebop fans here participated. Yes, a lot of fans here.

[AlanN]

Yes, that is nice tune to pick. I do it in D chord.

Another (hard) one is Bebop by Dizzy.

[mandopops]

Yes to the Bop & Bird tunes. I have a book "50 essential Be-Bop Heads" something like that by Hal Leonard. Great collection of tunes, Bird, Monk, Dizzy etc..Many are based on Blues changes as well, Bop blues changes always have interesting variations. Look for books w/ Bird solos transcribed, that'll keep you busy. I stay w/ the keys they're in, gets me playing in flat keys & using different positions & fingerings.
I was a Jazz/Blues fan before I ever picked up a Mandolin, so I've listened to this music more than Bluegrass, but listening ain't playing it. I try.
If someone asks "What is Be-Bop?" I say "Listen to the first 30 seconds of Koko."

[Tom Morse]

In the spirit of "another country heard from," I love playing (or let's say trying to play) bop on the mandolin. So far, Scrapple From The Apple is my favorite to play. On the other hand, I'm struggling mightily with the first line of Donna Lee. But gosh, ain't it fun? Here's hoping we hear more jazz, more often, from more mandolin players!

[AlanN]

The *trouble* with Bird (et al) tunes is they are just so dang hard to pick, for me. Even a simple thing Bird did like White Christmas is full of his characteristic flurries that just elude my fingers/pick. A guy like Grant Green is easier for me to ingest some of his lines, he's kind of like Tiny (but different). Listen to his (Green's) It Ain't Necessarily So with the great Sonny Clark. His lines I can hack.

Hey, it's all good.

[Dan Margolis]

I play bebop mostly on the guitar, but I find "Ornithology" fairly easy to play on mandolin. It's in G, and lays out well on the mando fingerboard.

[mandopops]

Yes, Bird's stuff is hard. I never get it to come off "Right" , but I mess w/ it sometimes.
I like Grant Green as well. I get on a big Charlie Christian kick from time to time. I find his "Swing to Bop" style very doable. He's bluesey, swings hard & moves from short punchy riffs to long lines, especially on bridges.

[AlanN]

I heard Christian used all downstrokes, anybody confirm?

So many great guitarists, from the early days to now. I can listen to these guys all day, and don't even have to say 'But how do I do that on the mando': Joe Pass, Tal Farlow, Herb Ellis, Wes, Benson. Kessel actually could hang with Bird. And today's cats are good too - Peter Bernstein, Russell Malone. There's a project called G5 and/or G7 - Dave Stricker, some others. Very, very good.

But can they pick Arkansas Traveller?

[woodwizard]

AlanN: But can they pick Arkansas Traveller?

Hello! Can you tell me if this here road goes all the way to Little Rock?

Well I've been standing here all day and it ain't gone nowhere yet.