July 9, 2014
-
When Saxophones Ruled
In 1950s rock, the saxophone was king. Randy Bachman recently did a show about rock n' roll saxophones on CBC (Canadian) radio . His show is called Vinyl Tap.
Tequila by The Champs, with saxophonist Danny Flores, was featured in the 1985 film Pee-wee's Big Adventure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czxa5H3NuGsRebel Rouser by Duane Eddy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8uZutr1avsHonky Tonk by Bill Doggett featuring Clifford Scott on tenor sax
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGmTHTacq7c
In the 1960s, saxophone virtuosos emerged, among them Junior Walker, King Curtis, and Maceo Parker of the Famous Flames.
Shotgun by Junior Walker and the All Stars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI7CtxlisCkRoad Runner by Junior Walker and the All Stars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSosQRiXiPwYakety Yak by the Coasters with King Curtis on sax
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXgzQQ5XsHcI Feel Good by James Brown with alto sax solo by Maceo Parker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1wOK9yGUYM
After the 1960s the saxophone lost its rock primacy, although Randy Bachman points out certain fine performances:
Pick Up The Pieces by The Average White Band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aGBXrJ6e34Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j7uAimpx3k
Lore has it that sax player Raphael Ravenscroft was paid 27 British pounds for the recording session, via a check that bounced.Smooth Operator by Sade
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA9gUspn6gcBorn to Run by Bruce Springsteen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxuThNgl3YA
I want my doo-wop. There are tons of best-rock-saxophone-solo lists on line, which you can find easily, but they contain mainly tunes from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. Fine, but where is the Doo-Wop? Randy overlooked it.
Doo-wop is fundamental to rock (yes, yes, I'm an old fart). I assembled my own representative list of forgotten doo-wop and early rhythm-and-blues tunes, each with an amazing saxophone solo. Doo-wop harmonies are so astonishing that -- you will see -- they cannot really be punctuated by anything as tame as an organ or guitar. It has to be a sax.
Come And Go With Me by The Dell Vikings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1eU_lDQaVMFinger Poppin' Time by Hank Ballard & the Midnighters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNhjPtu54S4Remember Then by The Earls, 1962
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ-bdlPqJMEDon't Hang Up by The Orlons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCTvXHtxtaM
Dig these rhythm-and-blues each with an amazing saxophone solo
Quarter To Three by Gary U.S. Bonds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXm-0zfguBgYou Can't Sit Down by The Dovells
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3aXM25Y6qgWah-Watusi by The Orlons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb3rbDWO-_ALoco-motion by Little Eva
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKpVQm41f8YMisery by The Dynamics - a great, little-known classic of Detroit rock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_1WVDVSxN0
Fathead
David "Fathead" Newman was a sideman for Ray Charles before forming his own sextet. His solos are my favorites of all time, entirely spectacular.What are your favorite solos?
Comments (2)
Ooh! I remember Pee's Big Adventure!
Thanks for sharing these links! I will be up late working and I can listen to the links while I work!
My kids and I saw the movie Jersey Boys on Sunday night and so I learned about Frankie Valli...and I have been playing The Four Seasons songs almost non-stop since then.
My fav sax solos...I'd say something by Clarence Clemons...like Jungleland...or something by Kenny G...or the sax solo in It's Still Rock and Roll to Me...or the Pink Panther Theme song.
Can't think of anymore off the top of my head.
HUGS!!!
When I was 14, a friend and I used to walk half a mile across town to flirt with Sherry Kimura. We used to serenade her with Frankie Valli's "Sherry Baby."
Clarence Clemons . . . yes, I mentioned Born to Run. As it happens Randy mentioned It’s Still Rock and Roll and the Pink Panther Theme. I emailed him that WE NEED MORE DOO-WOP.
Comments are closed.