"We'd all play like Stan Getz -- if only we could." -- John Coltrane

I'm happy you mentioned Zanzibar, the most underrated Billy Joel song in my opinion

@crkmt

2 жыл бұрын

It’s on my iTunes playlist.

There’s Jaco Pastorius’ bass on Joni Mitchell’s Hejira. Not necessarily a jazzer but Junior Walker’s sax solo on Foreigner’s Urgent is pretty iconic.

@reggaefan2700

Жыл бұрын

I always like Branford Marsalis's sax work on the Tina Turner song "Paradise is Here." Always gives me chills.

Not sure if it counts as a pop song, but I love the sax solo by Ronnie Ross on Lou Reed’s Walk on the Wild Side.

@rillloudmother

2 жыл бұрын

definitely counts, and i would definitely put it on my list.

@dfreeman120

2 жыл бұрын

Brilliant song, produced by David Bowie

@reggaefan2700

Жыл бұрын

I always like Branford Marsalis's sax work on the Tina Turner song "Paradise is Here." Always gives me chills.

This list mentions Branford Marsalis in his collaboration with Sting on his "Blue Turtles" project. Equally deserving mention on that project is the late great Kenny Kirkland.

Steely Dan and Billy Joel are among my favorite artists of all time, and Aja and Zanzibar are both incredible songs, it's amazing they were able to pull heavyweights like Shorter and Hubbard to perform solos.

Great list! I might add George Benson, who doubled guitar improvisation and scat singing on This Masquerade, Give Me The Night and On Broadway.

@reggaefan2700

Жыл бұрын

I always like Branford Marsalis's sax work on the Tina Turner song "Paradise is Here." Always gives me chills.

My personal choice of a Brecker solo would be Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After All These Years" - not a note wasted, deceptively simple, wonderful nuances of rhythm and inflection... it's just perfect.

Another that comes to mind is Courtney Pine's solo on the Brand New Heavies cover of Midnight At The Oasis - super smooth!

The trombone solo by Meco Monardo on "I'm coming out" by Diana Ross was one I'd add to the list.

Fantastic list. When I think of a Jazz solo in a Pop Song, Carole King's 1975 JAZZMAN, featuring the great Tom Scott on the sax, comes to mind.

Ok. Just started watching and holding my breath waiting for Sonny Rollins on the Stones’ Waiting on a Friend. Absolutely stunning. Also, as mentioned in another comment, the sax solo (Brecker?) on Paul Simon’s Still Crazy.

Check out another Branford Marsalis solo on 90s pop hit Shanice's I Love Your Smile. Super melodic.

@lechtrzeciak6084

2 жыл бұрын

man, I was unaware it was Branford!

I'm trying to learn composing jazz solos for my own work, and came across this video. Thank you for putting this together! It gives me a good foundation and educational material

Much as I love Aja, I’d have to give my vote to another track from that album, Deacon Blues. Sax solo that actually goes outside and then brings it back in.

@lancewebb1532

2 жыл бұрын

Pete Chrislieb on tenor

I like the bass solo on the Donny Hathaway live cut Everything is everything. Willie Weeks' solo was 🔥

Aja!!!! Fagen and Becker were perfectionist who made some of the BEST music of my life! Thanks for REALLY turning me on to them Hank...RIP my brother.

I always like Branford Marsalis's sax work on the Tina Turner song "Paradise is Here." Always gives me chills.

So glad to hear Little River Band in your list. Still have my LP from when it was released. George McArdle is still teaching me every time I listen to them, a very unknown and/or underrated bassist.

You gave me chills with the the Sterly Dan solos.

Awesome list! Don’t forget Curtis Amy on Touch Me by The Doors!

I’ll combine this with a previous video you did and go with Michael Brecker’s solo on Maxine from Donald Fagen’s The Nightfly album. Beautiful. But, really, you nailed it with Aja so it’s all a moot point after that anyway. Gadd laid that down twice but what you hear on the record is the first take. Interesting side note: Gadd was living in NYC at the time and flew out to LA for a couple of days. According to the engineer, Bill Schnee, he did the Aja session during the day and that night in the same studio laid down a funky ass drum part on a #1 pop song, Leo Sayer’s You Make Me Feel Like Dancing. Chuck Rainey was also on both of those dates and Larry Carlton also played on the Sayer tune. And in latter day Dandom, I’ll mention Walt Weiskopf’s work on the song Everything Must Go from the eponymous album. Likewise Chris Potter on West of Hollywood from the Dan’s comeback album Two Against Nature.

Yes, great solos.

One of my favorite sax solos on a rock album is Jeremy Wasser's solo in Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity Love Song) by Incubus. I remember just being blown away by the cooler nature of the track but the solo just really put it on a different level for me.

Great choices, a few I'd forgotten. Candy was on my list and I'm glad you included it! A few others are: - The sax solo at the end of After The Love Is Gone - Billy Preston on Get Back - You're right about Steely Dan, though if I had to choose one it'd be Peg. Can't go wrong with any of them tho.

The more recent(as in the last 20 years) Steely Dan/Donald Fagen stuff is dope, too...Wayne Krantz, Walt Weiskopf, Chris Potter, Jim Beard... Thoroughly enjoyed this one, thanks!

Really enjoy it the video! I miss Michael Brecker sooo much ,.. he was the type of player that can do almost all and sounds credible in various music situations (like V Colaiuta in drums)

He's a Motown player, but you can't leave out Jr. Walker's iconic solo in Urgent by Foreigner. 30 seconds of pure musical genius done in one take, if memory serves

There's another amazing jazz solo of Phil Woods on a pop song. It's on "Must be crazy" by Andrew Gold (the B side of the single Lonely Boy, by the way).

Great list. You’ve got me running back to the stacks to recover the memories.

Great video! My 2 Cents: Michael Franks/ Michael Brecker (ts) "Doctor Sax"; Gino Vannelli /Carlos Rios (g) "Brother To Brother"

Such a great thought- provoking concept!! Love your choices and learned it WASN'T Freddy Hubbard on "Reminiscing". Personally, I'd have your #2 as #1 (Phil Woods) although nothing wrong with your choice at all. My favorite Michael Brecker solo would be on James Taylor's "Please don't let me be lonely tonight". Just BRILLIANT!!! I thought for sure that you were going to mention that one when talking about him.

Two 80's song for you.The solo in Careless wisper by George Michael and the amazing solo in True by Spandau Ballet, these horn solos are amazing!

Not pure jazz, but SRV on Bowie’s Let’s Dance comes to mind. Great job!

The Legendary Toots Thielemans' harmonica solo on Billy Joel's "Leave A Tender Moment Alone". There are a bunch more from Toots. He was the greatest!

John Klemmer blew his heart out on Nancy Wilson's song "Sunshine." It's a pop/disco song but Mr. Klemmer's sax solo is Jazzy and Funky. Aside from Nancy's usual excellence, Klemmer's sax solo along with the incredibly funky bass and drums are a collective masterpiece. Check it out.

It's been a long time since I enjoyed a vid as much as I enjoyed this. Some great tracks there to revisit. You were getting near the end and I was bereft that you hadn't gone for something Steely Dan. Then...YAY!! That guitar work on Kid Charlemagne kills me every time...beyond wonderful.

#4 -- Candy by Cameo. I knew you would have it on the list and you did not disappoint. That solo is perfection.

Great fun with this video.Steely Dan we’re the masters of this. Phil Woods’ solo on Just the Way has my heart though,as it’s so memorable and singable!

You're smart, make excellent videos, and talk at the perfect speed, tone, and gate in speech and so very excellent explanation. God-bless you and your family 👪 ❤️

@pdbass

2 жыл бұрын

🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

I'm sure I'll be back to add more, but here's a couple: Wilton Felder on "Street Life" Sanborn on "Ooh Baby Baby" Maybe King Curtis on any given doo woo song. He did have a jazz background, although he's better known for his session work. Btw, grandma was always singing sharps 11th's, expect it was a flat 5th along with BB King😉.

This is a great list, not because it validates choices we might make but because it brings up so many others hiding beneath the surface. (Arguably, Mike Brecker deserves his own list of ten amazing solos and Maxine rules over all, like others have noted.) I loved #10, such a great song and solo. I do think Freddie’s solo on Zanzibar is worthy of a spot more than a mention (but I see what you did there). But for me, the Phil Woods solo is hands down the #1, more because the song itself is purely a pop song whereas Aja is really a jazz song. Phil’s solo changes that song’s landscape and, as you say, is iconic.

@kcameo1

Жыл бұрын

Like your reasoning there. But then again, Aja scores double points for the most outrageous drumsolo in a pop...ehm...beg your pardon, jazz song over one of the best sax solo's ever. Just ever. And... Gadd doubles down in the fade out. Man oh man. But, being a huge Steps Ahead and Cameo fan myself, I would've put Candy at #1 :-)

Your best list ever. I do love Breckers melodic solo on Maxine. Did not know that was him on Candy. I need to pay more attention. Thank you for teaching me something

When I was watching this I was thinking Phill Woods just the way you are. Then you brought it up.

Ngl, one of my new fav music channels

I also always enjoyed the sadness of the Toto -Miles Davis collab Don"t stop me know from their 1986 album Fahrenheit.

This video was so rich in scholarship and detail it gave me agita… no worries I’ve recovered. Now I’m going back to watch it again!

Jaco's bass solo on Ian Hunter's All American Alien Boy

Love Steely Dan... love Wayne Shorter... ergo: what's not to love?! 😉

Tenor sax solo by Ray Jerrel on Stormy by Classics IV; sax solo by Raphael Ravenscroft on Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty

Incredible data!! Sunday morning here still at bed head phones, Spotify and your great list of solos & songs, having a super great time!

You Belong To The City - Glenn Frey...the sax solo at the very beginning makes the song!

The song Light of Day from the same album by Little River Band you mentioned has an AMAZING fretless bass solo.

Ronnie Ross blew the amazing outro on Walk on the wild side . Herbie flowers played basses , used to sit in on herbies gig in the Sussex Yeoman pub in Brighton .

@pdbass

2 жыл бұрын

Miss you, Mike!

@mikebassy

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Paul. I was in the city centre today and saw a lady doing a rock tour. She didn’t know the fact she was standing right outside the pub where the Sex pistols lived . And was right by the studio where the Rolling Stones recorded , that place is now a guitar shop

Little River Band Reminiscing is one of my favorite songs

My favorite is Eric Leeds on Prince’s Hot Thing (from Sign of ’the Times)

@lancewebb1532

2 жыл бұрын

Eric’s bari solo on “Girls and Boys”🔥

Amos Garett - "Midnight at the Oasis" Amazing technique! I wish you had given more time to the solos! In the 60's /70's ,a lot of bands used Jazz musicians because they knew how to read. You will be amazed how many of those tunes featured jazz cats that just caught a gig after playing at the jazz clubs!

The one which popped into my mind when I saw the title of the video was the trombone solo from ‘I’m coming Out’ Diana Ross …. But now it sounds, to my rather untrained ears, like a bunch of restatements of the song’s melodies. One great thing about The eighties was producers would let musicians off the leash and let them do what they did best. Give ‘North of a Miracle’ by Nick Heyward a listen. It’s full of Britain’s best session musos having a lot of fun over sweet pop songs. Rhythm section of Dave Mattacks and Pino Palladino. 😊❤️😳

Astonishing.

This past holiday season I really took note of "have yourself a merry little Christmas" the chord changes are really pretty, and I especially love the piano solo into guitar solo transition.

I think the first pop song of the rock and roll era that utilized a jazz instrument solo that I can remember would be The Doors "Touch Me" with Curtis Amy on saxophone killing it.

This is all way above my pay grade really, but I really love the horn bit at the end of Eagle Eye Cherry’s, Desireless!!!!!

Love this dude! 🤟🏼

I'm a huge fan of Elvis Costello's "Shipbuilding" w/ Chet Baker. (Chet apparently wasn't happy w/ all of the reverb that they put on his sound, and I don't think that his solo rivals anything on this list, but it's still a great cut).

I like the Randy Brecker sax solo on Cameo’s “ Candy”

@bayce3

2 жыл бұрын

That would be Randy’s brother Michael Brecker on that tenor solo…Randy plays trumpet….but I’m 100% with you…one of my all time favorite solos to this day!

Paul Simon’s Something So Right: on the fadeout, Hubert Laws’ flute says a lot in 5 and a half bars.

My favorite 'complete the circle ' examples in music are Raphael Saadiq on his song, Never Give You Up. He mirrors Stevie Wonder's words introducing Stevie like Stevie introduced Dizzy Gillespie on Do I Do. 😊.

Ditto re: Zanzibar. Great tune.

Maybe not as complex but no less effective IMO - Ernie Watts sax solo on "Biggest Part of Me" by Ambrosia.

I remember the solo on the steely Dan song aza

My man PD👍🏾

This is great! Congratulations on building such an awesome channel.

Just found your channel. Love the content. I guessed at least half of these. I couldn't agree more.

Glad I found your channel this is great info

Another great one, Paul!

Shame on me... I call myself a music lover and I didn't know until now that was Herbie Hancock on keyboards on Steve's As. Excellent list, thanks for another great video. 😎👍

Approved!

I guessed 7/10 from the description. Love your music taste & rationale. 👏🏼😍

Top two were on my mind - love both songs and love how both songs are cut from the same template. Two stories of “kids” loving jazz culture and wanting to get involved in it, in different ways. Wayne Shorter’s explanation of how he showed up to play the solo is so legendary I think of it constantly. I’d give Aja the nudge for the top spot also but it’s a tough call. What a great list, good work my friend!

Aja absolutely fantastic in all respects. A masterpiece. Great pick 👏👍🏻👌💯

Yes Sir! Aja is a must on that list!

I loved the idea, I could guess some specially B.Joel and Steely Dan. But I can also give a few more: 1) Al Jarreau, song "Fly", Album: "All fly home" 1978, soloist FREDDIE HUBBARD flugelhorn (I doubt if that's a "pop" song!); 2) Christopher Cross, song "Spinning", Album self titled 1979, soloist CHUCK FINDLEY flugelhorn; 3) James Taylor, song "Like everyone she knows", Album "New moon shine" 1991, soloist BRANDFORD MARSALIS soprano sax; 4) Djavan (Brasil), song: "Esquinas", Album "Lilás" 1984, Soloist ERNIE WATTS tenor sax; 5) James Taylor, song "Mean old man", Album "October Road" 2002, soloist LARRY GOLDINGS piano. These are some awesome solos. Greetings from Portugal.

Totally agree with Aja, and All your sellection. Regards from Mexico

Man, great list! My favorite will probably the late great Don Myrick solo on The Sun goddess album with Ramsey Lewis.

Fascinating video as always. When I was 17 I played with and was mentored by a cadre of seasoned jazz musicians, one who had toured with Mingus. I made an off hand comment about Muzak (elevator music) and he commented that if you listen closely everyone-in-awhile they will let amazing solos slip through. As for your list, these were all gems I noticed shortly thereafter.

Great channel 👍

Nice list! Nice to see Bob's flügelhorn solo on there from Reminiscing. I figured Zanzibar on would be on there. Freddie Hubbard is so awesome. Of course, Phil Woods. OMG, that's so fantastic.

The great south African pianist Chris McGregor on Nick Drake's great composition poor boy. Amazing!!!🙂

oh yes. aja for sure!

Stretching the rules a little bit here… How about Vernon Reid on Living Colour’s “Cult Of Personality”? He had quite the free jazz résumé before Living Colour came out.

@peterknaust7424

2 жыл бұрын

Agree, Vernon is greatly under appreciated, monster player…

@mikebassy

2 жыл бұрын

Vernon is a heavy musician, I saw living Colour. Live at the Marquee club in 1988 and yeah . The whole band were amazing.

Regardless of any genre, a saxophonist Gary Meek on the song Speak No Evil, 2003, by Flora Purim is in my top 5 of all time!!

Kenny Kirkland Shadows in the rain. His best is on the live album on Bring on the Night when the works starts running down but that’s live. The mighty Kenny Kirkland sadly missed ❤️

@rloomis3

2 жыл бұрын

Branford is burnin' on "Shadows in the Rain" too.

@JoshuaTanzer

Жыл бұрын

I agree! I thought that live album was great all around, and the Kenny Kirkland solo was the very best thing on it.

What a fun topic! Couldn't agree more with Aja, Englishmen in New York and Just the Way You Are. Time for me to go check out some of the tunes I wasn't familiar with.

I knew #1 when I saw the title.

I always liked Wayne Shorter's solo on Bruce Hornsby's Fire on the Cross

@binface9

2 жыл бұрын

tbf the solos Hornsby takes on a lot of his songs are pretty 'jazz'

Great info, thanks. Have to follow up on some of those. Shame the clips are so short.

great choices,didnt realize the personnel until this list,tell us more

I miss the solo era

Great idea! Maybe not my favourite, but I had instant respect for Lenny Kravitz when I heard Karl Denson's tenor solo on 'What Goes Around Comes Around'.

Fun fact - Phil Woods did six takes of the sax solo for "Just the Way You Are". The producer, Phil Ramone, spliced the best portions from the tape, put them together into one continuous solo, and that's what you hear on the record. 💯

@vincentherring414

2 жыл бұрын

Fun fact that is NOT true. There are 2 solos, but they used take 1. After the first solo they say good job , let's do another. Phil said for what! Phil did not want to do another, but did one more to be friendly. Fun fact from Phil's mouth.....

@parsak.sadjadi3763

2 жыл бұрын

@@vincentherring414 Really? Billy said it was six takes in a 2007 interview. What's your source?