(98) “Donna Lee” an Claude Thornhill
Standards Ratings 7 Difficulty Rating 8
“Donna Lee” is a cornerstone of the bebop repertoire, composed by Miles Davis (though often attributed to Charlie Parker) and first recorded in 1947 by the Charlie Parker Quintet featuring Parker on alto sax and Davis on trumpet. The tune is a whirlwind of rapid-fire eighth notes, angular leaps, and constant harmonic motion over the chord changes of “(Back Home Again in) Indiana.” Its technical demands and unpredictable phrasing make it both a rite of passage and a challenge for jazz musicians. The tune’s spirit can be heard in the influence of Gil Evans and Claude Thornhill’s orchestra and their reworking of the tune. Thornhill’s group, with its cool, impressionistic voicings and advanced harmonies, deeply influenced both Parker and Davis. Evans, who arranged for Thornhill, later became Davis’s collaborator on Birth of the Cool. The contrast between Parker’s version and Thornhills, both recorded in 1947 makes for a cool contrast.