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I’ve been looking for suitable Rockssax songs that both the beginner/less experienced and the advanced player can play together.
Last Night (C.Axton, F.Newman, G.C.Caple, J.C.Smith, C.Moman)
This is a song that the band The Mar-Keys did in 1961. The Mar-Keys was the record label Stax session band and was based in Memphis Tennessee. From this group other groups also were formed: Memphis Horns, The Packers and Booker T & the M.G.’s. Guys like Andrew Love, Wayne Jackson, Don Nix, Isaac Hayes, Booker T, Steve Crooper, Al Jackson Jr …. are all musicians that became an important part of the Southern Soul sound. According to John Laughter (Top 40 Solos), “Last Night” reached #3 on the U.S. charts and Gilbert Caple blew the 12 bar tenor solo. The other saxmen on the recording were Charles Paxton (ts) and Floyd Newman (bs). Newman was also doing the minimalistic vocal parts, so it’s not a 100 % jazz song!
Other great Mar-Keys recordings for a Rocksax group are “Sack O’Woe”, “Hold It”, “Morning After”, “Philly Dog” .. . As “Ebb Tide” once was the theme for the ballad of month (Your Soundclips) I would also recommend listen to that song. Listen to the B3 organ (Booker T?), Wayne Jackson’s trumpet and the rhythm section (Crooper, Al Jackson and Dunn?). Less is more! If it was possible, I would like to add Charlie Barnet (saxplayer and Big Band leader) to this version.
Back to “Last Night”. It’s a fun song to do and also quite easy, so I think after a few months most players would be able to blow the hornlines. A song for all! We do it in concert G which I also think it’s the original key. So it’s A for Bb saxes and E for Eb saxes. It’s a “Surf Beat” song (what’s that?). The sax/horn players are just playing few tones and it’s rhythmical easy as well. Try to keep tones short and distinct. There is a 12 bars solo on the recording. The chords (concert) are:
G7,G7,G7,G7
C7,C7,G7,G7
D7,C7,G7, -
ROCK ON !
Thomas
Last Night (C.Axton, F.Newman, G.C.Caple, J.C.Smith, C.Moman)
This is a song that the band The Mar-Keys did in 1961. The Mar-Keys was the record label Stax session band and was based in Memphis Tennessee. From this group other groups also were formed: Memphis Horns, The Packers and Booker T & the M.G.’s. Guys like Andrew Love, Wayne Jackson, Don Nix, Isaac Hayes, Booker T, Steve Crooper, Al Jackson Jr …. are all musicians that became an important part of the Southern Soul sound. According to John Laughter (Top 40 Solos), “Last Night” reached #3 on the U.S. charts and Gilbert Caple blew the 12 bar tenor solo. The other saxmen on the recording were Charles Paxton (ts) and Floyd Newman (bs). Newman was also doing the minimalistic vocal parts, so it’s not a 100 % jazz song!
Other great Mar-Keys recordings for a Rocksax group are “Sack O’Woe”, “Hold It”, “Morning After”, “Philly Dog” .. . As “Ebb Tide” once was the theme for the ballad of month (Your Soundclips) I would also recommend listen to that song. Listen to the B3 organ (Booker T?), Wayne Jackson’s trumpet and the rhythm section (Crooper, Al Jackson and Dunn?). Less is more! If it was possible, I would like to add Charlie Barnet (saxplayer and Big Band leader) to this version.
Back to “Last Night”. It’s a fun song to do and also quite easy, so I think after a few months most players would be able to blow the hornlines. A song for all! We do it in concert G which I also think it’s the original key. So it’s A for Bb saxes and E for Eb saxes. It’s a “Surf Beat” song (what’s that?). The sax/horn players are just playing few tones and it’s rhythmical easy as well. Try to keep tones short and distinct. There is a 12 bars solo on the recording. The chords (concert) are:
G7,G7,G7,G7
C7,C7,G7,G7
D7,C7,G7, -
ROCK ON !
Thomas
