Ornithology (composition)

"Ornithology"
Single by The Charlie Parker Septet
B-side	"A Night in Tunisia"
Recorded	March 28, 1946, Radio Recorders Studios, Hollywood
Genre	Bebop
Length	3:03
Label	Dial 1002
Writer(s)	Charlie Parker Benny Harris

"Ornithology" is a jazz standard by bebop alto saxophonist Charlie Parker and trumpeter Benny Harris.

Its title is a reference to Parker's nickname, "Bird" (ornithology means the study of birds). The Charlie Parker Septet made the first recording of the tune on March 28, 1946 on the Dial label, and it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1989.^[1]

"Ornithology" is a contrafact – a newly created melody written over the chord progression of another song, in this case the standard "How High the Moon". It remains one of the most popular and frequently performed bebop tunes. Jazz vocalists scatting on "How High the Moon" (notably Ella Fitzgerald) often quote the melody of "Ornithology" (and vice versa).

Notable recordings include Bud Powell's version. Vocalese "lyrics" were also created by Babs Gonzales.

"Ornithology" was prominently featured in the novel Suder by Percival Everett.

Footnotes

↑ Grammy Hall of Fame

Charlie Parker

Discography

Live recordings	Live at Townhall w. Dizzy Yardbird in Lotus Land Bird and Pres Jazz at the Philharmonic Rapping with Bird Bird and Diz at Carnegie Hall The Complete Savoy Live Performances Bird on 52nd St. The Complete Dean Benedetti Recordings Charlie Parker and the Stars of Modern Jazz at Carnegie Hall Bird in Paris Bird in France Charlie Parker All Stars Live at the Royal Roost One Night in Birdland Bird at St. Nick's Bird at the Apollo Theatre and St. Nicklas Arena Apartment Jam Sessions Charlie Parker at the Pershing Ballroom Chicago 1950 Bird in Sweden Happy Bird Summit Meeting at Birdland Live at Rockland Palace Jam Session At Jirayr Zorthian's Ranch, July 14, 1952 The Complete Legendary Rockland Palace Concert Charlie Parker: Montreal 1953 One Night in Washington Bird at the High Hat Charlie Parker at Storyville Jazz at Massey Hall

Box sets	Bird: The Complete Charlie Parker on Verve Complete Charlie Parker on Dial Charlie Parker on Dial: The Complete Sessions Charlie Parker's Savoy and Dial Sessions

Compositions	"Ah-Leu-Cha" "Anthropology" "Au Privave" "An Oscar for Treadwell" "Another Hairdo" "Back Home Blues" "Ballade" "Big Foot" aka "Driftin' on a Reed" "Barbados" "Billie's Bounce" "Bird Feathers" "Bird Gets the Worm" "Bird of Paradise" "Bloomdido" "Blue Bird" "Blues (Fast)" "Blues for Alice" "Buzzy" "Card Board" "Celebrity" "Chasing the Bird" "Cheryl" "Chi Chi" "Confirmation" "Constellation " "Cosmic Rays" "Dewey Square" "Dexterity" "Diverse" "Kim" "K.C. Blues" "Klaun Stance" "Ko-Ko" "Laird Baird" "Leap Frog" "Marmaduke" "Merry-Go-Round" "Moose the Mooche" "Mohawk" "My Little Suede Shoes" "Now's the Time" "Ornithology" "Parker's Mood" "Passport" "Perhaps" "Quasimodo" "Red Cross" "Relaxin' at Camarillo" "Relaxing with Lee" "Scrapple from the Apple" "Segment" "Shaw 'Nuff" (with Dizzy Gillespie) "She Rote" "Si Si" "Steeplechase" "The Bird" "Visa" "Warming Up a Riff" "Yardbird Suite"

Related	Bebop Dizzy Gillespie Charlie Parker with Strings Charlie Parker Omnibook

Book Category

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Ornithology (composition)

Footnotes

See also