King Curtis - Mr Bojangles

[Chris98]

A while ago I got ‘King Curtis the platinum collection’ CD and was listening to it again today, I love his version of ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’ but what I would like to know is how he got the sort of fluttery sound not unlike a soft wahwah pedal effect on 'Mr Bojangles' and 'Ode To Billy Joe'? At one point I was thinking they might have put his mic signal through a lesley cabinet but I don’t know, anyone have any ideas? Or are my ears deceiving me and there is nothing odd with them at all?

I must get some more King Curtis.

All the best,

Chris

 

[Pee Dee]

Hi Chris
Just had a listen to it on 'Spotify'
very interesting, must be one of those baffle things, like wot the brass players use, though you would need three hands to use it on a sax. Maybe he has a little guy standing in front of him working the baffle for him?
Or is it one of those pedal thingys wot guitarists use to wah-wah wif?
Or is he just a clever bugger Hate him already

 

[thomsax]

I think King Curtis is one of the best saxplayers ever. Brilliant technique and tone. On tenor sax he was the loudest, according to persons who have heard him live without amplification. Lots of power.

He was also a very good on soprano ("Mr Bojangles", "Whiter Shade Of Pale") and alto (Ode To Billie Joe") with a full-toned, dark, fat ... sound. On the studioversions he is "up high in the mix". I think the horns are more in the back nowadays even when ther're soloing. But on the other side, when did we last heard a saxman as a leader?? I think the live-recordings from Fillmore is somehow processed. I don't know how!!

Great player and he was the first call for lots of musicians. He wasn't just a "h**l of a player". Nice, friendly, humble .... are adjectives that pop up from persons who worked with him. A combination like that can't be wrong.

Thomas

 

[cwillsher]

Yes, sounds like a guitar wah pedal or perhaps a talkbox - there's a hint of distortion on there too. Nice!

 

[Pete Thomas]

Yes, I'd always assumed that was a wah wah pedal. I have been dabbling with wah wah saxophone myself, though not in Curtis's league.

 

[Chris98]

Yes, I'd always assumed that was a wah wah pedal. I have been dabbling with wah wah saxophone myself, though not in Curtis's league.

Hi Pete,

Any chance of a sound bite I'd love to hear what you've come up with.

I'm wondering if I should dust off my wah wah and have a play around.

Just imagine what it would sound like put through a lesley cabinet! That would certainly offer a psychedelic sax experience. Thinking about it, there must be a lesley/rotating speaker effect in Logic...

All the best,

Chris

 

[Josh Johnson]

You can get velocity wah pedals that you can put through a mic. If you set the sensitivity correctly you can trigger the wah through your phrasing - I think this type of wah is much more effective than the pedal wah.

I met Jim Dunlop once, at a gig in Glasgow -nice bloke (and filthy rich from the sales of his fab foot fing).

 

[Josh Johnson]

Check out Brecker's solo on Some Skunk Funk to hear great use of a velocity wah. IMO the solo from the album version is one of the best jazz funk sax solos ever recorded.

 

[cwillsher]

Chris,

If you have Logic, what are you waiting for?

In Logic 8 you have Fuzz-Wah and AutoFilter effects (under Filters), plus Scanner Vibrato and Rotor-Cabinet (under Modulation).

Also, go to http://mda.smartelectronix.com/effects.htm for some free Leslie and Talkbox effects (and more...).

Have fun!

Colin

 

[Jules]

Yes, I'd always assumed that was a wah wah pedal. I have been dabbling with wah wah saxophone myself, though not in Curtis's league.

Yup- I'd assumed it was a Wah Wah pedal too (Dana Colley does some great things with a really extreme Wah Wah on his Baritone on "A Head with Wings" by Morphine)

 

[Chris98]

Chris,

If you have Logic, what are you waiting for?

In Logic 8 you have Fuzz-Wah and AutoFilter effects (under Filters), plus Scanner Vibrato and Rotor-Cabinet (under Modulation).

Also, go to http://mda.smartelectronix.com/effects.htm for some free Leslie and Talkbox effects (and more...).

Have fun!

Colin

Hi Colin,

I like the look of your studio, I can't see any saxes though!

Thanks for the link to the effects, I've not explored other effects other than those that came with Logic, I find just getting the reveb to sound good hard enough! But I think a bit of playing around is in order next weekend.

All the best,

Chris

 

[Pee Dee]

Mmmm, don't like this electronic gadgetry in music much. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I prefer music 'live' personally. Sorts the men from the boys.
Anyone can sound good with enough artificial backup. IMHO:welldone

 

[AlanB]

I just got this album - absolutely tremendous.
Al

 

[old git]

Mmmm, don't like this electronic gadgetry in music much. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I prefer music 'live' personally. Sorts the men from the boys.
Anyone can sound good with enough artificial backup. IMHO:welldone

Aint true for me but does this mean that all pipe organs must be manually pumped and that new fangled thing, electricity, should be banned? ;}

Wonder how long Griff will take to refurbish the CaSLM clubs?

 

[Pee Dee]

Aint true for me but does this mean that all pipe organs must be manually pumped and that new fangled thing, electricity, should be banned? ;}

Nope, but I did say ELECTRONIC not ELECTRIC

 

[old git]

Electricity is a potential difference. If there is a potential difference, then there will be a small leakage. If there is a leakage however small, then there will be an electron flow. Now if that isn't "electronic", what is?

It is fun being a pedant.

Now reply in morse or using two-fifty watts on 27.405Mhz LSB. ;}

 

[cwillsher]

Hi Colin,

I like the look of your studio, I can't see any saxes though!...

They're kept in the 'live' room downstairs - just a Walstein Alto and Tenor, I'm still earning the ropes on sax! But you're right, I should get some more pictures up.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Hi Pete,

Any chance of a sound bite I'd love to hear what you've come up with.

No sooner done than said, see on the saxophone sounds page.

NB (excuses) It is very much work in progress

 

[Chris98]

No sooner done than said, see on the saxophone sounds page.

NB (excuses) It is very much work in progress

Hi Pete,

King Curtis it's not... but what it is, is great, it's probably not going to sit well with the purist but I love it. Thanks for putting it up.

Have you tried an alto or tenor with the wah wah, I was just wondering if it favored a more trebly signal a bit like with guitars and that's why you used the soprano?

Is there likely to be a new CD release in the (near) future?

All the best,

Chris

 

[Pee Dee]

Electricity is a potential difference. If there is a potential difference, then there will be a small leakage. If there is a leakage however small, then there will be an electron flow. Now if that isn't "electronic", what is?

It is fun being a pedant.

Now reply in morse or using two-fifty watts on 27.405Mhz LSB. ;}

250W on WHAT?
5W max on HF is better! CW
:welldone