3 Minutes of Awesome!

I'm starting a new series for the summer months called "3 Minutes of Awesome!" I've found that as I surf the web I run into all kinds of music to check out, but I'm either too impatient or too short on time to listen to an extended track. So, I decided that I would share some of my favorite recordings that run three minutes or less. You'll hear classical, jazz, rock, and world music throughout the summer, with new posts on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (I hope...). Enjoy the series!

"Night in Tunisia," Charlie Parker

We'll start with this classic jazz tune that Dizzy Gillespie wrote sometime around 1945. Its chord progression with a D-6 to Eb7 vamp implies various scales, including dorian and phrygian modes. This gives it an exotic flavor that is vaguely Arabic, at least to his mid-20th century, American audience. The DHS Jazz Band performed a version this spring that incorporated a traditional Tunisian tune, transcribed by our oud-playing bassist, giving the number a more authentic sound. My personal favorite recording of "Night in Tunisia" (and there are dozens out there) is by alto saxophonist Charlie "Bird" Parker. It features Miles Davis on trumpet, Lucky Thompson on tenor, Dodo Marmarosa on piano, Arvin Garrison on guitar, Vic McMillan on bass, and Roy Porter on drums. The rhythm section is not the most famous, but Bird's solo break and improvisation are quite amazing. Enjoy!

Check it out on Spotify: