Birdland, named after Charlie "Yarbird" Parker, was a jazz club that opened in December of 1949 in Manhattan. Anyone who was anyone in the jazz world played there. Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Thelonious Monk are just a few names among the many who graced the Birdland stage with their talent. The famous club even has a mention in Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road.
As time wore on and the physical location of Birdland moved, so did the sound of the jazz played there. Like all genres of music, it progressed. One of the many directions that jazz went was the jazz fusion route. Developed in the late '60s, it's a mixture of funk, rock, and the rhythmic feel of the blues. However, it still maintains the very technical musicality of jazz.
Weather Report is one of the more well-known jazz fusion bands from the time period, partly because of Jaco Pastorius' presence as bassist for a bit. Pastorius is known for being one of the best bassists of all time, and one of the first to really master bass solos.
One of the most famous songs that Weather Report wrote was called — you guessed it — "Birdland." The instrumentals are very impressive, and the groove will definitely make your toes tap.
But when the Manhattan Transfer got their hands on the song and added words in 1986, they created a whole new level. Love it or hate it, you have to really admire that brassy tone…
Not to mention the suits!
Please SHARE with your friends and family if this jazzy arrangement made you smile.
