Best Jazz Solo.....In A Disco Record

**QUINNY** · October 20th, 2004, 06:38 PM

This should throw up some interesting tings. Don't get me wrong, many of the better Disco records had Jazzers playing on them, but not all of the solos stand up to closer scrutiny.

I'll start off with just three that I feel deserve a mention:

Players Association - Disco Inferno.....Trumpet solo. This still thrills me after all these years and with my leanings being towards Jazz nowadays actually excites me as much for the actual Jazz phrasing etc as the Disco element. There's some real blood 'n' guts blowing and some great angular jazz notes thrown in, on this piece of magic.

Willie Bobo - Always There.....electric piano/fender rhodes solo.
This powerful slice of Disco music had everything. Driving c.126 BPM latin flavoured rhythm track, well known (in some circles anyhoos) tune and fantastic jazzy playing. There's a really good trumpet solo which is followed by the really exciting, short electric piano solo (or is it a rhodes?). Again, this stands up to my Jazz leanings due to the pure jazziness of the solos.

Baby O - In The Forest.....Trombone solo in the intro and later in record I still feel that this showed some of the most fantastic trombone playing that I have ever heard. For years I used to think it was a trumpet, because of the timbre and the speed at which he plays, so maybe the guy used a valve trombone to get the chops. Whatever he played, this syncopated, free wheeling, free spirited solo still rocks my world BIG TIME. Great record, eh?

Hope you have a few to share with us all.

**K-Bee** · October 21st, 2004, 12:50 AM

Great topic Q!! I could go on and on about this but I'll just mention one track right now.

Herbie Hancock - Just around the corner (1980) has a fender rhodes solo which is to die for!! :)

**Jimmy-Michaels** · October 21st, 2004, 01:49 AM

Not released till 1998, but, recorded in 1979 and released as it shoulda been in 79...Karen Carpenter "Lovelines" has a damn niceeee rhodes solo in it. Too bad this wasnt released when recorded..coulda been a morning music track for this otherwise, very unlikley artist to do decent disco.

**Karlos** · October 21st, 2004, 04:28 AM

Anyone for "Inherit the WInd" Wilton Felder..?

**jazz_pilgrim** · October 21st, 2004, 06:36 AM

Great topic Quinny

I would definitely agree with Willie Bobo's version of Always There. The definitive version of that track in my humble opinion. BTW the trumpet solo was by Bobble Lyle.

And I would also have picked Baby'O 's In The Forest as those jazz solos are really great.

And I also agree strongly with your pick of Players Association and Disco Inferno. Wow - tha sax solo on that track really reaches the heights!

But, for me, the best jazz solo was the long sax solo at the end of Arthur Adams' You Got The Floor. It just seemed to go on for ever and ever. Still sends a chill down my spine.

:)

**QUINNY** · October 21st, 2004, 06:56 AM

Hey Jazz.....you bin lurkin 'around here? Good to see some input from yas.

**jazz_pilgrim** · October 21st, 2004, 07:10 AM

Originally Written by QUINNY

Hey Jazz.....you bin lurkin 'around here? Good to see some input from yas.

Cheers for the nice words, Quinny! Enjoyed reading your topics, too!

I try to get on at work when I can - but I am sooo busy .... (and I really shoubd be working now!)
but the good news is that I am connecting up to Broadband at home this evening - so I should be able to spend more time talking to you guys in the evenings ......

Even though I am not around as frequently as I used to be, I am never far away .....

:)

**Forrrce** · October 21st, 2004, 12:29 PM

Always loved the tenor solo in 'Turn The Music Up' - I think it's Joe Farrell at play. It became my favourite part of the record.

Azymuth's 'Carnival' is one of the ultimate disco/jazz crossovers in my book, so I'll nominate Bertrami's 'Rhodes solo.

Of course, Funk Fusion Band for another fat tenor solo.

**K-Bee** · October 22nd, 2004, 12:40 AM

It may be an obvious choice...but how about the bass and rhodes solos in Brazillian Love Affair by The Duke?

**RetroRuss** · October 22nd, 2004, 05:28 AM

I like the flute solo in Disco Jazz by Dazz

**QUINNY** · October 22nd, 2004, 08:01 AM

Originally Written by Headlamp

I like the flute solo in Disco Jazz by Dazz

I think you mean Dazz by Brick, but we all know the track you mean.

**Nano** · October 22nd, 2004, 12:41 PM

Jimmy M recently mentioned "Savoir faire" by Chic on another post, and we agreed it had a nice jazz flavor, so I guess I'm choosing this guitar solo by Nile Rodgers.
But of course Herbie Hancock has a lot of nice piano and keyboard solos ("Doin' it", for example). And Deodato's early records guest some great guitar playing from a guy called John Tropea ("Funk yourself", "Super strut"). But I'm not sure if these qualify as disco records really.

**RetroRuss** · October 22nd, 2004, 03:34 PM

Originally Written by QUINNY

Originally Written by Headlamp

I like the flute solo in Disco Jazz by Dazz

I think you mean Dazz by Brick, but we all know the track you mean.

I stand corrected :roll: Old age and failing memory are to blame!

**zeca azevedo** · October 22nd, 2004, 03:35 PM

:D

**Paulo** · October 23rd, 2004, 06:09 AM

I would mention the songs on the 2 albums by TUXEDO JUNCTION.

THE VOLGA BOATMAN and CHATANOOGA CHO CHO on the first album. NIGHTS IN TUNISIA and TAKE THE A TRAIN in the second. If I am not wrong, these last 2 written by Duke Ellington.

The horns/brass on these records have wonderful trumpet and sax solos played by Los Angeles studio jazzers DOUG RICHARDSON, HARRY KIM, DAVID STOUT, AZAR LAWRENCE forced into a disco "situation" through the hands of producers RINDER & LEWIS.

Today these guys are part of the PHIL COLLINS back up band. They have also recorded with him an album of big-band-jazz songs (A Night In Paris).

Marcio** · October 23rd, 2004, 07:06 PM

Keyboards---"I Want You For Myself" by George Duke
Sax (?)---"Sell My Soul" by Sylvester :D

**markydefad** · October 24th, 2004, 03:16 PM

Originally Written by zeca azevedo

"Ladies and gentleman, I have the platter to present on my album, Mr. Dizzy Gillespie. Blow!"

Dizzy' blowing his horn on DO I DO by STEVIE WONDER - who can forget this marvellous collaboration?

Peace,

zeca azevedo

Zeca,

The platter??? I think he says the "pleasure".

I've recently noticed how Stevie musta beeen influenced by Tom Browne's "Funkin' For Jamaica (NY)" in the end improv jam part of "Do I Do". Anyone else notice the similarites or am I nuts? :P

**QUINNY** · October 24th, 2004, 06:06 PM

Yet another Disco record with a brilliant Jazz solo is:

Donna Summer - Hot Stuff....The guitar solo at the end of the disc actually has some really jazzy riffs in there too. Is it Rock or is it Jazz? Hmmm, not soo eassy to answer, maybe.

I would mention too:

Richard Evans - Burning Spear - The piano solo is fantastic and this track is probably more disco, with its 118/119 BPM tempo, Horns and flying hi hats, than jazz funk.

Charles Earland - Let The Music Play - This solid, uptempo (130 ish BPM?) number has a rather stangulated soprano sax solo that's followed by a fender rhodes/electric piano solo to absolutely die for. It is Disco, but maybe with a small d, even though it features a girly chorus.

Lavias - Do You Wanna Dance - The sax is there in all its glory more or less all the way through this 123 BPM funky disco leftfielder from '82/'83. If this isn't one of the absolute best Dance/Disco records ever made, I'm a Gay porn actor (down Marky, down) with a 12" todger!!
Should you ever get the chance to buy or hear a copy, don't hesitate. You won't be disappointed.

That's enough for now. Any more, anyone?