Playing the saxophone What is or isn’t rock and roll?

[Targa]

Not gonna let you get away with that, sorry...trying to split hairs between Rock and Rock and Roll.

We’ve had a thread on what is or isn’t Blues now we can have one on what is or isn’t Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Probably after xx pages come to the same ‘conclusion’, your own opinion.

 

[Pete Thomas]

We’ve had a thread on what is or isn’t Blues now we can have one on what is or isn’t Rock ‘n’ Roll.

You got it!

 

[Pete Effamy]

Shooting the TV (used in an early remote control fashion) used to be the rock n roll way of turning off the TV.
In the early’70’s, you could chuck it out your penthouse suite window making it difficult to ever turn on again due to it being in one or two pieces more than it was designed to be.
Playing guitar with one’s teeth is quite rock n roll too, and it may lead to a little smashing up of said guitar too, preferably after setting it on fire.

 

[Targa]

View: https://youtu.be/F_IR9TYeO4g

 

[cappers]

smashing up of said guitar too, preferably after setting it on fire.

That sort of thing does seem to be more a rock and punk stunt. Townsend, Hendrix, Curbain et al, Keith Moon' and Nirvana smashing drum kits, pianos ablaze..

I've read Charlie Mingus smashed his bass at a gig in anger at hecklers, so jazzers too or those with temper management issues.

 

[eb424]

I don't know " but I like it"

 

[thomsax]

R&B, Rockabilly, Rock & Roll, Soul, Countryrock, Funk ..... melted together and became "Rock". Chuck Berry, Little Richard to Paul Simon, Wilson Pickett, Pat Bone ...... are today called "Rock". How do you want your Rock?

You can hear Chuck Berry playing straight on his guitar and Johnson playing shuffle on the piano.

Here is an a video about Shuffle vs Straight

View: https://youtu.be/uB3rSaQ10CI?si=bxtIJiHe9sNscikd


When we had Rocksax meetings we used backing tracks. We were 3-5 honkrs tha used to meet and play RockSax. Play, read books and listen is important if you wnat o know more. Here is a sample of a 12-bar blues in A with straight 8ths. Play your sax but don't forget beat 2 and 4 is important for saxplayers in "Rock"

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/E6pnJUVkvDk?si=faxQ1OtcykgzoIgb

 

[Vlad]

An obvious 'embryonic' R'n'R precursor that kind of joins jazz/swing etc to R'n'R is Jump Blues, Louis Jordan, Earl Bostic etc

 

[mizmar]

"What is or isn’t rock and roll?"

Everything.

Logic, eh?!
Law of excluded middle, traditionally.
Unless we're using some kinda exotic, multi valued logic.

 

[turf3]

Well, ir's one of those questions where we end up murdering millions of innocent electrons arguing about artists at the margins. So, are Big Jay McNeely, Big Mama Thornton, Louis Jordan, jackie Brenston, etc., rock and roll, or aren't they? No one surely will dispute that the Rolling Stones circa 1970, or Led Zeppelin, or the Ramones, played rock and roll.

 

[JSL]

My rather simplistic reply would be: If it's rock that swings, it's rock & roll; rock that doesn't swing, is rock (without the roll). I much prefer rock & roll.

 

[Grumps]

Must it have an electric guitar?

 

[Pete Effamy]

Must it have an electric guitar?

Only if wired directly to 240 volts

 

[JSL]

At the risk of adding another category, I'd add that if the drummer could be mistaken for a jack hammer, you'd be getting into 'hard rock'.

 

[Woodpad]

At the risk of adding another category, I'd add that if the drummer could be mistaken for a jack hammer, you'd be getting into 'hard rock'.

or punk rock?

 

[mizmar]

Maybe the next question should be: what makes a musical genre?
We've had glancing blows with that question. Of course no consensus. But if there's no consensus it's just personal choice. Maybe that's fine. Maybe that's all a genre is.

Maybe I've been watching too many philosophy YouTubes. Damn that social media.

 

[Woodpad]

Must it have an electric guitar?

The alternative is the Rockabilly banjo.

 

[thomsax]

Rock & Roll or Rock? Who cares! I still find it interesting to read and learn more about things.


I like Blues, Rockabilly, Rock & Roll and Punk. Something like this. A song like this needs a sax. I use to play along with tenor or bari.

View: https://youtu.be/J4ZyYysAYgw?si=Yfr-_Zvk8gNsNLQ-

 

[Grumps]

The alternative is the Rockabilly banjo.

Which would certainly be considered alternative rock...

 

[thomsax]

Maybe the next question should be: what makes a musical genre?
We've had glancing blows with that question. Of course no consensus. But if there's no consensus it's just personal choice. Maybe that's fine. Maybe that's all a genre is.

Maybe I've been watching too many philosophy YouTubes. Damn that social media.

Maybe business is more important when we get a new musical genre. Forget tradition ..... . Some guys were considered more rock & roll than others. Who draw the line.

A guy in USA transcribe songs for me. We wanted to play a verison the country blues "MIdnight Hour Blues" by Leroy Carr. I listened to Elvin Bishop's version and that was a songs we could try play with our group. A country blues from the 30's with piano player, but it was guitarist Elvin Bishop's version which made impact on us. So the 12 bar country blues turned to a 12 bar country rock.




Here is Elvin Bishop's version.

View: https://youtu.be/ze-3K4ekfvE?si=2USDIHc_CMCD8Nkn