What Does Donna Lee Mean? - Institutionen för musikvetenskap ...

Bar 33: Jaco begins the second chorus of his improvisation by paraphrasing almost exactly
the head. He only changes the two last tones (bar 36): instead of the usual G-F, he continues
stacking thirds on top of one another, developing forward the concept of the super-structure
Charlie Parker is known for. Beginning on the natural D of bar 35, the third of the chord, he
plays 5 intervals of a third, implying all chord tones and available tensions that a lydian b7
(implied by the E natural) scale based on Bb would allow (except, of course, the fundamental
tone).
Bar 40: Compare this passage with the notes of the head over the same harmony:
Jaco is clearly paraphrasing the head. Like all great improvisers, Jaco always has the original
melody in mind so that he can refer to it whenever he feels like it. The same goes for the
following bars:
Bar 42: This passage is undoubtedly referring to the original melody:
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