The Chicken (music)

"The Chicken" or simply "Chicken" is a jazz tune composed by Pee Wee Ellis and made famous by Jaco Pastorius, especially in the live version of his posthumous album The Birthday Concert, recorded in 1981 but only released in 1995.

Other notable versions by the same artists include:

• Pee Wee Ellis versions, recorded and renamed as "Chicken Soup" by Dave Liebman in 1977
• a studio version by Jaco Pastorius, John Scofield and Kenwood Dennard
• Pastorius in a circa 1982 recording live in Montreal, with Bob Mintzer (sax), Randy Brecker (tpt), Othello Molineaux (steel pans), Peter Erskine (drums), Don Alias (perc)

Since then it has become a jazz funk standard, with renditions by great musicians who include:

• Maceo Parker in the album Mo' Roots released in 1991, with Pee Wee Ellis (tenor sax), Steve Williamson (alto sax), Fred Wesley (trombone), Larry Goldings (keyboards), Rodney Jones (guitar), James Madison, Bill Stewart (drums), Kym Mazelle (vocals)
• Abraham Laboriel and Sheperd University professors
• Tommy Igoe & The Buddy Rich Big Band