Repetition is a jazz tune written by Neal Hefti. It was first recorded in December 1947 when Charlie Parker happened to walk into the studio and was improvised into the track, giving the piece its distinctive spark. The recording was released in December 1949 on the album The Jazz Scene as a Neal Hefti and His Orchestra project. The tune is closely associated with Charlie Parker with Strings, a Hefti arrangement performed on the Carnegie Hall concert of September 16, 1950. A recent live WDR Big Band recording from a Neal Hefti tribute features Jörg Achim Keller conducting and Parker’s solo voiced by the entire saxophone section. The genre is jazz with big band and swing influences, and Repetition has been recorded and arranged by many artists since its original release.
