New Bird Blues

This is a bebop-inspired blues based on a modified version of Charlie Parker's 'Blues for Alice' chord progression. The Simpatico arrangement features two melody instruments, the lower of which can choose to provide a walking bass line if desired, however the composition can be easily adapted to any jazz band instrumentation.

Instrumentation: Alto saxophone, bass clarinet. Can be easily adapted for and jazz band instrumentation (melody instruments + rhythm section).
Duration: 5 min.
Difficulty: Advanced — Ability to improvise over fast moving bebop harmony required
The composer notes the following styles, genres, influences, etc in relation to this work:
Blues For Alice (Charlie Parker), any bebop or hard bop blues e.g. Freight Trane (Tommy Flanagan)

First performed 27 Jan 2018 at The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Sydney. Featuring Andrew Robson, Paul Cutlan.

This original musical composition generates new knowledge by revealing the ways in which compositional methods can facilitate the expression of affinity cluster idioms (Robson 2020) through the careful management of orchestration, sectional structures, and instrumental pairing patterns.