Koko, Charlie Parker Bebop

Question 1

Who is the bebop version of koko by?

Answer 1

Charlie Parker

Question 2

How long is the introduction?

Answer 2

32 bars

Question 3

What happens in the introduction?

Answer 3

Parker and Gillespie leap into furious 8 bar unison
Chorus is in 3rds then in octaves
Each player plays a dazzling 8 bar arabesque before playing final 8 bars together

Question 4

How long are the choruses?

Answer 4

64 bars

Question 5

What is the structure of each 64 bar chorus?

Answer 5

Follows as 32 bar ternary (aaba) structure except number of bars is augmented to 64 due to importance of solos in bebop and due to extreme 300bpm tempo

Question 6

What is the general structure start to finish?

Answer 6

32 bar intro
64 bar chorus
2nd 64 bar chorus
32 bar drum solo
28 bar coda

Question 7

What is the instrumentation?

Answer 7

Sax, trumpet, drums, double bass

Question 8

How is the beat played?

Answer 8

The beat is transferred to the cymbals giving a “shimmering”effect

Question 9

How is aversion to antiphony shown?

Answer 9

Unison playing and solos with no countermelody show aversion to antiphony which was trademark of swing

Question 10

How is move away from polyphony shown?

Answer 10

Octave unison in chorus highlights this

Question 11

Why is polyphonic playing prevented?

Answer 11

Complex and extended harmony, as resulting clashes are inevitable

Question 12

What cadence does it end with?

Answer 12

Imperfect

Question 13

What is the general harmonic structure?

Answer 13

64 bars AABA with 16 bar A sect in Bb major

Question 14

What chords is this piece based on?

Answer 14

Cherokee chords

Question 15

What is the specific harmonic structure in section A?

Answer 15

Bbmaj F7/ Fm7 Bb7/ Ebmaj7/Ab7/Bbmaj7/C7/Cm7G7

Question 16

What is the specific harmonic progression of the B section?

Answer 16

C#m7 F#m7/Bmaj/Bm7 E7/Amaj/Am7 D7/Gmaj/Gm7 C7/Cm7 F7 falling to next section in Bb major (includes circle of 5ths)

Question 17

How are the drums tuned and what is the effect of this?

Answer 17

Higher than normal this gives the solo a bright, lively feel

Question 18

What special drum technique is used?

Answer 18

Technique of “dropping bombs” interspersing random accented bass drum beats showing a move away from swung rhythms

Question 19

How does the piece move away from swing which defined jazz up to this point?

Answer 19

Move to straight quavers e.g. Gillespie solo in b9 beginning with crotchet followed by string of quavers across the bars

Question 20

What does the move away from swing music indicate?

Answer 20

Points to a more philosophical ideal behind bebop, an expressive art form, a complex artful music created by African-American musicians disillusioned by the swing era

Question 21

What is the melody based on?

Answer 21

Rapid arpeggio figures and runs including 7ths 9ths and 11ths

Question 22

What can be said about the tempo?

Answer 22

It is extremely fast and high velocity

Question 23

How is rhythmic energy created

Answer 23

Compound accents and slurs create energy in the blistering stream of quavers

Question 24

What does the piano style make use of?

Answer 24

Makes use of comping

Question 25

What can be said about improv in chorus 1

Answer 25

Precise and linear improv of exceptional melodic content

Question 26

How does the comping style move away from stride piano?

Answer 26

Moves away from constant underpinning

Question 27

What musical quote is used at the start of chorus 2?

Answer 27

Begins with a 2 bar quotation of difficult clarinet piece high society