Standard #1 - Cherokee

Week one of January and the first standard tune is on my piano stand.  I've chosen Cherokee by Ray Noble because, well, I like learning fast songs and this song is usually played super fast, I mean break neck speed.  Of course it's a little mean of a singer to bring out this tune because the melody is basically at half time so if I'm singing fast that means Ross and Stu are going to be at hyperspeed. Ha! Come on, you know they can handle it.
Clifford Brown's version of this tune has been on repeat in my iPod for the past few days but I think most people would say that Cherokee is Charlie Parker's song.  If I could lift Clifford's solo and perform it note for note I would feel like such a super jazz kid!  It was something I would have done in school if I had studied jazz at U of T, not classical music.   I'm sure Mike Murley's students get assignments like that all the time - take this genius' work apart and find out what he was doing why he was doing it.  Why did he make those choices at that very moment?  That's got to help you make your own choices somewhere along the line.
I've done a bit of internet surfing on Cherokee and found some neat articles - including one that claims Charlie Parker loved this song because it was a "tribute of sorts to Native America"  I think extra emphasis must be added to the modifier "of sorts" because the song was written by a white British guy and first made famous by Charlie Barnet and his politically incorrect album cover. 

Is it the fact that he's wearing a suit with a tie that makes this more offensive to me than Felipe the YMCA guy?

I'm going to do my best to block out both of these images while I'm stage this weekend and focus on my lightning fast notes.

Comments

[roro]

I think that "Charlie Barnet and his politically incorrect album cover" should be the name of your next original tune. Oh, how I laughed. Hope the song's a hit!

[Admiral Akbar]

I am a big fan of the super-fast-Shannon-Butcher-standard, Cloudburst being my favorite. So I'm looking forward to hearing a wicked-fast version of Cherokee. I also must agree Chucky Barnett's album does seem rather-how to put it?-"culturally insensitive" for this day and age.

[Non-Cherokee Mike]

But if I were to co-opt another culture's headdress, I would be sure to wear my snazziest grey suit and tie to really set it off.

Expect to see us at one of your Rex shows!