Birdland

"Birdland" is a jazz instrumental composition by keyboardist Joe Zawinul that debuted on the Weather Report album Heavy Weather in 1977. A jazz-fusion piece, it achieved unusual commercial success and became a jazz standard, entering the repertoire of many groups and bands, including Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson's big band, and The Manhattan Transfer, who recorded a vocalese take on the tune with lyrics by Jon Hendricks. An uptempo version (with a slight rap introduction) appears on Quincy Jones' 1989 album Back on the Block, with vocals by Kool Moe Dee, Big Daddy Kane, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. The original version is easily recognized by an artificial harmonic intro played by bassist Jaco Pastorius.

"Birdland" was named after the New York jazz club Birdland on 52nd Street, which in turn was named after jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker, nicknamed "Bird". The song is a tribute to Parker and the club that Zawinul frequented as a young musician (and where he met his future wife).