Charlie Parker - Ornithology

"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". The Charlie Parker Septet made the first recording of the tune on March 28, 1946 on the Dial label, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1989.

"Ornithology" is a contrafact - that is, 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.

Charles Parker, Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), famously called Bird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer.

Parker, with Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, is widely considered one of the most influential of jazz musicians. Parker acquired the nickname "Yardbird" early in his career,[3] and the shortened form "Bird" remained Parker's sobriquet for the rest of his life, inspiring the titles of a number of Parker compositions, such as "Yardbird Suite", "Ornithology" and "Bird of Paradise."

Parker played a leading role in the development of bebop, a form of jazz characterized by fast tempos, virtuoso technique, and improvisation based on harmonic structure.

Parker's innovative approaches to melody, rhythm, and harmony exercised enormous influence on his contemporaries. Several of Parker's songs have become standards, including "Billie's Bounce", "Anthropology", "Ornithology", and "Confirmation".
Parker was an icon for the hipster subculture and later the Beat generation, personifying the conception of the jazz musician as an uncompromising artist and intellectual, rather than just a popular entertainer. His style – from a rhythmic, harmonic and soloing perspective – influenced countless peers on every instrument.