"Classic" Rocksax solos!

[thomsax]

I'm sucker for Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Ray Vaughn (and many others as well!) music and I've been trying to play the saxsolos/hornparts in thier music. Here are two solos that I'm trying to play and I learned them by ear for many years ago. And never get tired of them:

"Ramrod" (text and music; Bruce Springsteen): I found a version with Max Weinberg (E Street Band drummer). A 3-hornsection (Mindi Abair -tenorsax, Tom Saviano-tenorsax and Steve Madeo-trumpet.) Abair and Saviano is playing the solo together. Sounds thicker! A good idea. I'm also playing the song in a band with a 3 horn section (trp, ts, bs). And it is a fun song to play. I learned it in concert G which I also think it's the original key. But I try play it in other keys as well. The singer and/or guitar player decide! Listen to Clarence Clemons and Jake Clemons ( Big Mans nephew) solos as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0df2zTviqI

"Look At Litttle Sister" (text and music; Hank Ballard). A heavy bluesrock version à la Stevie Ray Vaughn. SRV recorded the song in Eb. So the hornparts are sax friendly: Bb instruments F and Eb instruments C. The 12 bar tenor saxsolo is done by Joe Sublett. I think he did the bari part as well. Also a very fun song to play. A song that often is played in concert A and E as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF-svHxZy2o

I like to play songs like these. And music like this keeps my rocksax playing alive. I'm not any good at this, but it's fun to try!

Let me know your favourite rocksax (blues, R&R, R&B, soul, funk) solos?

 

[thomsax]

The Rolling Stones (Bobby Keys, RIP) music is also a big inspiration for me. They have been working with quite a lot of saxophonists through the years; Beside Bobby Keys, guys like Joe Sublett, A.C. Reed, Gene Barge, Sonny Rollins ... are saxplayers that been working with "Stones". But I think Bobby Keys sax is a big part of Rolling Stones music.

Top 10 Bobby Keys Rolling Stones Songs
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/bobby-keys-rolling-stones-songs/

The #1 Rolling Stones sax song for me is "Brown Sugar" (Jagger/Richards): I like the energy! It took me long time to to figure out what he was playing. Beside the solo it was hard for me to hear the sax. I had to listen to the song over and over. So it's not just the 16 bar solo. Keys is using the flutter tone in these solo. Otherwise I try to think my tongue is the drumstick that should hit the reed. IMO a song that needs a loud sax! I think this is an "Ad Lib" rocksax song. The song is in concert C.

I try to play some other Stones song without sax as well . "Shine A Light" ( I try to play a solo over the major pentatonic scale, I wonder what Clarece Clemons would sound in this song?) and "Symphaty For The Devil" (improvising over choir lines, so the "Ho-Ho" is important).

 

[trimmy]

Other than Wilton Felder on 'Street Life' (i am a big Randy Crawford fan) the one solo that also stands out for me is Sandborn on 'Young Americans'
2.10 when Sandborn solos but you can hear him throughout the song
David Bowie- Young Americans: https://youtu.be/ydLcs4VrjZQ

2.50 for solo
The Crusaders - Street Life (Original VideoClip): https://youtu.be/VJQ6Mad-DDQ

 

[spike]

Bobby Keys playing Honky Tonk
https://www.youtube.com/embed/DUqGEQye8Ac

 

[Jules]

Favourites-

Does Davey Payne’s solo in” Hit Me with your Rhythm Stick” count as rock? For pure originality this one takes some beating…

Aside from that- “I was Born to Cry” by Dion and the Belmonts- for pure sleaze

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca1FhaU59hc


Lee Allen on “Rip it up” by Little Richard.. short and sweet

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

View: https://youtu.be/pc_F3PaYgl0


Maybe technically not rock but you can’t beat the great Sam Butera….

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

View: https://youtu.be/P2G3_wuprKA

 

[trimmy]

Let me know your favourite rocksax (blues, R&R, R&B, soul, funk) solos?

Doesn't have to be just rock Jules so you are ok with Davey Payne's solo

 

[thomsax]

Bobby Keys playing Honky Tonk
https://www.youtube.com/embed/DUqGEQye8Ac

Doesn't sound like Bobby Keys!?!?! But it's good playing.

 

[thomsax]

Other than Wilton Felder on 'Street Life' (i am a big Randy Crawford fan) the one solo that also stands out for me is Sandborn on 'Young Americans'
2.10 when Sandborn solos but you can hear him throughout the song
David Bowie- Young Americans: https://youtu.be/ydLcs4VrjZQ

2.50 for solo
The Crusaders - Street Life (Original VideoClip): https://youtu.be/VJQ6Mad-DDQ

Great saxplayeres and classic solos. Never been able to blow something in the style of Sandborn. One of my favourite blues songs is " Never Make A Move Too Soon " w BB KIng and The Crusaders. and Wilton Felder is blowing a great solo on that song.

 

[spike]

I know it's not a classic rock sax solo as such but I thought it'd be nice to share for those not in the know.

Doesn't sound like Bobby Keys!?!?! But it good playing.

Released on a single in 1975, A side was Gimme the Key. I think the rest of the band were his old buddies from his hometown.

 

[thomsax]

Favourites-

Does Davey Payne’s solo in” Hit Me with your Rhythm Stick” count as rock? For pure originality this one takes some beating…

Aside from that- “I was Born to Cry” by Dion and the Belmonts- for pure sleaze

Ian Dury was a cool rocker. I saw him several times back in the late 70's. Maybe it's Buddy Lucas blowing the sax on " I was Born To Cry" Fine samples of Rocksax songs. The Rocksax concept is wide!!

 

[thomsax]

I know it's not a classic rock sax solo as such but I thought it'd be nice to share for those not in the know.

Released on a single in 1975, A side was Gimme the Key. I think the rest of the band were his old buddies from his hometown.

Sure Honky Tonk is Rockssax! So it's Bobby Keys. It shows you never can tell....!? I think Rocksax started in the 40's early 50's with guys like Big Jay, Hal Singer, Paul Williams, Wild Bill Moore .... . Lot's of honkers back then. Today I can't remember when I heard a new song with sax?

 

[Nick Wyver]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned this (at about 2mins).

 

[spike]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned this (at about 2mins).

Cos we're getting old and don't remember so well as we used to - "Baby, You're so far ahead it's beautiful" - thanks for that Nick - You made my day.

 

[ProfJames]

I used to see Ian Dury when he was called Kilburn and the High Roads.............superb!

 

[altissimo]

here's a few -

Steve Mackay on The Stooges Fun House https://youtu.be/8bX275Crxxc

David Bowie - nice solo on Soul Love - https://youtu.be/1kx9o1idWrE
and the overdubbed horn riffs on V2 Schneider - https://youtu.be/dC20rI6mOiE

Ian Underwood with The Mothers Of Invention - https://youtu.be/ZHHAjJPAgyY

Ian McDonald on 21st Century Schizoid Man by King Crimson - https://youtu.be/0XimMmONwio
and I think it's Mel Collins on Starless - https://youtu.be/zvz8jtZ3f5s

Andy Mackay did some great work with Roxy Music, maybe more textural than straight ahead solos
https://youtu.be/2PDp3g1WoSE
https://youtu.be/DRll-jqmrrw
https://youtu.be/m-zSnO7sbXg


I'll have to do a bit of digging in my memory banks to unearth stuff by Van Der Graaf Generator, Gong, Hawkwind, Traffic, Edgar Winter etc - it's been decades since I listened to a lot of that stuff

 

[Jeanette]

I think I still have a Hawkwind album

Jx

 

[David Dorning]

Cos we're getting old and don't remember so well as we used to - "Baby, You're so far ahead it's beautiful" - thanks for that Nick - You made my day.

Rodney Slater I think. These guys were great. I still have that dark brown overcoat somewhere.

 

[ProfJames]

I think I still have a Hawkwind album

Jx

Doremi..............Brainstorm! Superb!

 

[ProfJames]

@altissimo ........you have picked out three tracks that I adore! Great taste sir! Andy Mackay! Nothing else to say!

 

[ProfJames]

Has to be done!.....................https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0att2_Zc1A

I don't wanna turn android!